Incoprea Theory
Vol. XVI · 99

Theory 03/Thresholds & Tipping/Wildfire

Fire Needs Fuel Connectivity

The claim

Fire spread stops when fuel connectivity falls below a threshold, so removing a small fraction of fuel in the right pattern can halt a front.

01Mechanism

Spread requires a connected path of burnable fuel; below the connectivity threshold the front fragments and stalls even where fuel remains.

02Prediction

Spread should stop abruptly below a connectivity fraction.

03Refutation

Spread declining smoothly with fuel load would remove the connectivity threshold.