Meteorologists Use 3D Computer Simulations to Predict Wildfires
November 1, 2003
The wildfires that marched across Southern California in 2003 have burned more than a half million acres. Meteorologists at the National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration in Colorado now have new ways to track -- and even predict -- where such fires may roam. 3D computer simulations use satellite data and combine weather, landscape and fuel conditions to help forest researchers map out boundaries and figure out how where they fire may go next. Scientists hope the new technologies will prevent future tragedies.
