Science is behind a toolkit designed to enhance understanding of wildfire behaviour, as part of wider research to keep people, property and the environment safer and more resilient.  

Wildfire research helps keep people, animals and the environment safer.

The toolkit looks at wildfire behaviour across different fuel types, terrain and weather conditions. Data from experimental burns and wildfires over the past 30 years has helped develop the science integrated into the kit. 

This fire behaviour toolkit includes various models developed for different purposes and levels of use, including firebreak effectiveness and fire intensity/flame length calculators. It is used for training and operational purposes, including during wildfire incidents and landowner burns.

Wildfires can be devastating, so understanding their behaviour to inform response is vital. Research is undertaken across New Zealand’s rural and forest landscapes, with a range of partners, and helps build awareness of wildfire hazard and risk so people can prepare for and cope with the impact. It also gives firefighters additional knowledge and tools to prevent fires from occurring and to respond to wildfires that do happen quickly and safely.   

Wildfires are becoming more frequent in New Zealand. Land use changes, climate change and emerging settlement patterns putting more people into places where fires are most likely to happen heighten risk, making this research increasingly important here and internationally.