Wildland Fire Basics

Wildland Fire Triangle

In addition to the general fire triangle, wildland fires have three additional elements to consider which form the wildland fire triangle. These elements are weather, fuel type, and topography which are shown in Figure 2 below.

Weather

The most dangerous of the three sides of the triangle is the weather variable because it is unpredictable and subject to change in a moments notice; whereas topography and fuels are a known elements that can be considered and dealt with. With fuels and topography held constant, a wildland fire can behave drastically differently given certain weather conditions. Weather forecasts and conditions must be constantly monitored throughout a wildland fire campaign. Wind, relative humidity, and temperature are the most important weather variables that determine fire behavior (Teie 150).

Topography

Topography deals with the geography of the area. Hills, mountains, valleys, rivers, and many other physical characteristics of the land area are evaluated in order to determine the best method of attack to be used in a given region. The most important topograpic features to be considered are the steepness of the slope as well as the shape of the terrain (Teie 151).

Fuels

Finally the fuel sources available in the area are taken into consideration. Is the area woody? Grasslands? New growth? or Old Growth? Fuels will affect the rate of spread of a wildland fire as well as the intensity of the fire (Coleman, et al. 561). The available fuel sources will also play a vital role in determining what method of attack is best suited for the situation. The most important factors when evaluating the fuel sources in the area are the moisture content and temperature of the fuels available (Teie 151).

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