Modeling Bushfire Spread Based on Digital Elevation Model and Satellite Imagery: Estimate Burning Velocity and Area

Several novel concepts and manners in modelling bushfire are introduced and defined on the basis of interdisciplinary knowledge. The velocities of bushfire spread are estimated by integrating the burning delay coefficient with the local geostrophic wind. The burning delay coefficient is a comprehensive factor consisting of a series of different properties existing in and varying with the process of fire spread. The grouped model used to assess the direction of burning zone and determine geographic location is proposed and applied. The distribution of burning spread in each burning zone is stochastic and the illustrated instances of burning zone spread are provided. The surface area of burning is also considered by means of the known size of pixel in the satellite imagery and individual slope extracted from the features of digital elevation model. The results of simulation are quite consistent with the real situation of bushfire in comparison with the scenario of bushfire captured by the satellite imagery.