New methods are sketched for determination of pyrolysis and combustion properties used in physical modeling of wildfires involving forest litter. The physical fire models, such as the Fire Dynamic Simulator, can benefit directly from detailed pyrolysis properties such as moisture isotherm properties of foliage; surface leaf emissivity varying with moisture content; foliage heat capacity varying from ambient temperature to 440 °C; dynamic moisture losses during direct heating; extractive volatiles profiling; and detailed pyrolysis kinetics. Although various instruments and methods for these properties are mentioned, this paper focuses on the pyrolysis and combustion properties associated with enhanced heat release rate calorimetry. Data from combustion tests of foliage litter on the specialized holder in the cone calorimeter, enhanced with water vapor flow and thermocouple measurements, are analyzed to provide ignition, chemical heat of combustion, mass losses, fire emissions, combustion efficiency, fuel elemental composition, and material interface temperatures as a function of time. Further, surface temperature measurements on heated leaf samples can be used to determine thermal conductivity as the thickness, density, heat capacity, and surface emissivity are independently measured. The methods presented here focus on longleaf pine (Pinus palustris Mill.) needles as a prominent litter component in the southeastern United States.