Theory 47/Fire regime/Progression phase
Spread Is Fuel Against Weather
The claim
Fire spread rate is set by the ratio of fuel continuity to wind-driven cooling, so a broken fuel bed stops a front that wind would otherwise carry.
01Mechanism
Spread requires preheating ahead of the front; continuity and wind set the rate.
02Prediction
Spread should track the ratio.
03Refutation
Spread tracking wind alone would remove continuity.