Wildfire Spread Simulation

This is a robust, high-resolution fire simulation that can be used to examine wildfire spread in real locations based on GIS data for elevation, road and waterways, vegetation, and weather conditions. I have used this model to simulate a hypothetical fire in western Wyoming, USA, analyze the probable burn scar, and determine where firefighting resources are best allocated.

Hightlights:

  • C++ codebase to simulate wildfire spread.
  • Included effects of wind, elevation, roadways, waterways, and vegetation type.
  • Added capabilities to read GIS data to simulate fires in real locations.
  • Integrated multithreading using OpenMP.
  • Incorporated real-time data visualization using OpenGL.
  • Added statistical processes to compute burn scar probabilities.
  • Optimized fire spread calculations using bitwise operators to increase simulation speed by 20%.
  • Included a fire spotting algorithm to simulate windblown firebrands to increase realism.
  • Simulation results published in peer-reviewed articles.