Simulations can be powerful tools for understanding complex events like forest fires. Certainly computer simulations and models are being used by researchers in fire science. Here is a web page documenting a scientific simulation based on the Yellowstone Fire of 1988. I will look for other useful URL's of scientific simulations.
The StarLogo programming language includes an example program that demonstrates a cellular-automaton simulation of forest fire propagation. Also, I found a web page with a simple Java Applet which simulates fire propagation on a 17 x 17 grid of trees. These simulations are clearly not useful research tools. For example neither the StarLogo nor the Java Applet account for wind. But they are a starting point for understanding the complex dynamics of fire propagation. I would be interested in communicating with educators in the San Diego area to see if there is any way a curriculum could be developed to help students better understand these forces that can have a profound and devastating effect on our lives.
Note: this posting is rather rushed; I will try to provide more useful links later today.
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