Wildfire Knowledge Graph · Fuels & Weather
The degree to which combustible material is connected sufficiently for fire to spread across or through a fuel complex.
In plain language
The degree to which combustible material is connected sufficiently for fire to spread across or through a fuel complex.
Why it matters
Fuel Continuity is useful because it separates one specific part of wildfire behaviour, exposure, operations or evidence from nearby concepts that can otherwise be mixed together.
What is fuel continuity in wildfire behavior?
Fuel continuity is the degree to which fuel particles are distributed continuously enough for a fire to sustain combustion and spread. NWCG applies the concept to both surface fuels and aerial fuels.
Continuity can be thought of horizontally and vertically. Breaks in surface fuels can interrupt lateral spread, while vertically connected fuels can help fire move from the surface toward elevated vegetation. Continuity is only one part of fire behavior; fuel moisture, wind, slope and fuel characteristics also matter.