Math on Fire
Mathematicians are building a model to predict wildfire movement
Firefighters are constantly trying to predict what a fire will do next, and a wrong guess can lead to death. Now, a group of mathematicians and scientists is working to provide a new tool for making more accurate predictions.
The new model is based on a fundamental and longstanding observation that the Santa Ana winds powering the recent conflagration in Southern California emphasize: weather is a crucial driver of wildfire. But wildfire also creates its own weather. It sucks air from the surroundings, which results in winds that fan the flames.