PhyFire: An Online GIS-Integrated Wildfire Spread Simulation Tool Based on a Semiphysical Model

Abstract

The PhyFire simplified physical wildfire spread model developed by the research group on Numerical Simulation and Scientific Computation at the University of Salamanca has been integrated into an online GIS interface in order to facilitate its use, automate the data input process, thereby reducing error and improving efficiency, and upgrade the graphical display of simulation results. The main features of the PhyFire model are presented: model equations, numerical solution and GIS integration. A description is provided of new advances in the PhyFire model related to the addition of random phenomena, such as fire-spotting. A real wildfire simulation with fire-spotting is also presented.