Computer Based 3D Wildland Fire Simulation

By Don Studebaker | Cleveland National Forest

Through a partnership with the National Fire Academy, Dynamic Animations Systems, Inc., a contractor for the National Fire Academy and the U.S. Forest Service, was selected to support the training needs of the USDA Forest Service. One training aid DAS developed was a 3D wild land fire fighting training simulator. The simulator provides a physically realistic fire propagation model based on fuel types various environmental conditions, and the terrain topography. Trainees can request resources and build fire lines through the program, and the instructors have the ability to alter the environmental conditions affecting fire behavior. The program operates on a standard personal computer with a "Windows Operating System."

Instructors are given complete control over the simulation and can change environmental conditions such as wind speed and direction, and the ability to speed up or slow down fire spread based on student expertise. Students have minimal interaction with the actual simulation environment. Their actions and decision-making indirectly effect the environment based on changes made by the instructor. Students are able to see the results of their decision making as the fire proceeds. The entire simulation is recorded for later classroom review.

A follow-on task is a scenario editor application that allows the Forest Service to define and construct simulation from scratch. Terrain can be determined and defined, geo-typical textures, vegetation types, structures and miscellaneous objects can be included, and road networks and natural water sources added. Projected fire propagation based on fuel type is already a component, as is the ability to call out available suppression resources. Future enhancements are planned to include light scattering to simulate the effect of inversion variances depending on time of day. This will add even more realism.

Other planned additions include:

• Adding audio clues (roaring fire, helicopters, water drops)
• Ability to automatically generate vegetation, roads and water source locations
• Waterway and structure location
• Simulation viewer for pre-locating and after action review
• Visual representation of various weather conditions
• Fire spread through the tree crown
• Audio tracking voice traffic and synchronizing audio
• Developing a graphics library for geographic are specific vegetation types, brush, trees, structures and other objects

Train the Trainer, Simulator Instructor Training will be offered around the beginning of 2004, and the software will be handed off to units at that time. It is expected that the package will be used in early 2004 for Initial Attack Incident Commander S-200 and as a beginning season refresher course. Contact Don Studebaker, Cleveland National Forest for more details.