UC Irvine

The severity and frequency of wildfires have risen dramatically in recent years, drawingattention to the wildland-urban interface (WUI), the region where human-made structures meet wildland vegetation. The focus of my doctoral research is to obtain an improved understanding of wildfires at the WUI through mapping and modeling approaches. First, I revisit the existing definitions of WUI for California and then propose a novel, finer-resolution WUI-mapping method that is based on the linear intersection of flammable vegetation and building footprints. From this mapping exercise, it appears that the dominant mode of fire-induced damage in the WUI is from firebrands, which can travel long distances away from the fire-front. Next, I proceed to test the capability of a non-hydrostatic, mesoscale weather research and forecasting (WRF) model to capture the meteorological parameters of different geographical regions in Southern California, during the 2007 Witch Fire. Hereafter, I use a large eddy simulation (LES) version of WRF to analyze the mechanisms of turbulence generation using momentum perturbation, since turbulence plays a vital role in ember transport during fires that are driven by heavy wind events, such as the Santa Ana winds. Finally, I discuss the potential of using a coupled fire-atmosphere model, called WRF-Fire, to investigate ember transport over complex terrain as a major driver of wildfires in the WUI. My research advances the science of fire prediction, with potential benefits for fire and ecosystem managers and communities living within or near the WUI.