Visualizing Megafires: How AI Can Be Used to Drive Wildfire Simulations with Better Predictive Skill

EasyChair Preprint 10156

Abstract

The East Troublesome Wildfire was the fourth largest wildfire to date in Colorado history,
igniting on October 14, 2020. Driven by low humidity and high winds, the wildfire spread to
over 200,000 acres in nine days, with 87,000 of those acres being burnt in a single 24 hour pe-
riod. Wildfire simulations and forecasts help decision-makers issue evacuation orders and inform
response teams, but these simulations depend on accurate variable inputs to produce trustworthy
results. These wildfire visualizations demonstrate new AI tools developed at the National Center
for Atmospheric Research (NCAR), which are producing superior wildfire simulation outputs than
have been available in the past.

Keyphrases: NCAR, WRF-Fire, vapor, visualization, wildfires

@booklet{EasyChair:10156,
  author    = {Scott Pearse and Amy DeCastro and Timothy Juliano},
  title     = {Visualizing Megafires: How AI Can Be Used to Drive Wildfire Simulations with Better Predictive Skill},
  howpublished = {EasyChair Preprint 10156},
  year      = {EasyChair, 2023}}