Rothermel Fire Model

The Rothermel fire spread model, developed by Richard Rothermel in 1972, is a mechanistic mathematical model that predicts the rate of fire spread through surface fuels using fuel characteristics, weather, and topography. It forms the theoretical foundation of the BEHAVE fire modeling system used operationally by fire agencies worldwide. The model integrates principles from combustion physics, heat transfer, and fuel science to quantify how fire intensity, fuel moisture, wind, and slope interact to drive wildfire propagation.