Lesson Overview: This culminating lesson on the physical science of wildland fire challenges students to expand their understanding and link their knowledge of heat transfer processes, fuel properties, pyrolysis, and ignition through a series of thought-provoking videos and a presentation about current research - in particular, research currently underway at the Missoula Fire Sciences Laboratory on heat transfer and ignition.

Lesson Goal: Students learn about current fire spread research and expand their understanding of basic fire spread processes.

Objectives:

• Students will use their understanding of radiation and convection to explain how wildland fuels of different sizes and shapes are heated to ignition in different ways.