This seminar is part of the USFS Missoula Fire Lab Seminar Series.

All wildland firefighters are required to identify a location to which they can retreat in the event that fire conditions threaten their safety. These areas termed safety zones. However it was not until the work by Butler and Cohen in 1995 that any quantitative information existed for actually gauging the efficacy of a safety zone. Butler has continued that work with collaboration from others such as Russ Parsons. The most recent work has resulted in the development of a new guideline for safety zone identification. This presentation will outline the fundamental logic behind that work.