Collaborative Research: RAPID: Rapid computational modeling of wildfires and management with emphasis on human activity

University Of Hawaii, Honolulu

Investigators

Abstract

Accurate short-term predictions of wildfire spread are essential to inform people, minimize the loss of lives and mitigate damage and cost of wildfire through effective suppression activities. It is critical to improve on these processes in the aftermath of the devastation of the Lahaina Fires. Before details are forgotten, it is critical to identify all the factors influencing wildfire spreads and to determine how to incorporate them into the rapid prediction process. This project will train Ph.D. students in computational science and modeling. This project will involve high school and community college students from the `Aina Data Stewards program on Maui. This project will develop wildfire models that have the potential to save human lives and infrastructure in future wildfires using level-set methods and Hamilton-Jacobi equations to model wildfire spread coupled to human activity during and after wildfire activity in residential zones. While level-set methods are relatively well known for wildfire modeling with coupling to data assimilation methods for real-time analysis, there is need to understand their interaction with human activity especially as it relates to evacuation and protection of property immediately after a wildfire event. A product of this research will be a new model to provide an understanding of the complex algorithmic and mathematical basis for wildfire response that can aid in resource allocation in a virtually real-time disaster situation such as the Lahaina firestorm. This project will show how to immediately deploy this model to avert the bottlenecks leading to tragedy and the required technological advances necessary to implement paradigm-shifting solutions in fire management techniques. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.