Multi-scale 3D cellular automata modeling: Application to wildland fire spread

In this paper, we propose a new dynamic system based on cellular automata that simulates fire propagation by creating and developing new cell types, 3D neighborhoods, and transition rules that govern the evolution of this system. We describe an innovative mechanism that allows taking into account the heterogeneity of the environment as well as the possibility to follow the evolution of the considered phenomenon while keeping a simplified point of view on the way the wildland fire propagates. The proposed model is based on a multi-scale approach: mesoscopic for heat transfer processes and macroscopic for propagation processes. We dealt with the heterogeneity of the space by associating each cell with a set of attributes. The lattice is constructed either from a 3D point cloud collected by LIDAR at the mesoscopic scale or from raster data collected by satellite images at the macroscopic scale. The results of this work have been integrated into a decision support software for the forest fire problem.

Automated summary

In this paper, a new dynamic system based on cellular automata is proposed to simulate fire propagation. The model creates and develops new cell types, 3D neighborhoods, and transition rules governing system evolution. It incorporates a multi-scale approach, considering both the heterogeneity of the environment and the simplified perspective on fire propagation.