Chloe Bowes

Wildfire Lab Design

The Effect of Climate on the Time it Takes for Fire to Spread and Burn
Jan 30, 2018

Research Question
To research the effects of climate on the time it takes for a wildfire to spread.

Hypothesis
If the climate is cold and wet, then the fire will spread the slowest.
If the climate is cold and dry, then the fire will spread slower.
If the climate is hot and wet, then the fire will spread faster.
If the climate is hot and dry, then the fire will spread the fastest.

Explanation
The purpose of this lab is to test the effect of climate on the time it takes for a fire to
spread and burn. This experiment will be simulating wildfires in different environments. Climate
has a huge effect on whether or not a fire ignites, burns, and how fast it spreads. Three main
weather factors that affect wildfires are temperature, wind, and humidity.
When the temperature is warmer, it usually means that there is a lot of sunlight. The sun
heats up the vegetation/fuel, making it hotter and more dry. This lets the fuel ignite and burn
much quicker and easier because fuel that is pre-heated will always burn faster than cold fuel.
This is the reason why wildfires often are much harder to control in the afternoon compared to
the nighttime. An average annual temperature increase of 1℃ would increase the average
burnt area from a wildfire by up to 600%. Temperature is also related to humidity.
The hotter it is, the drier it usually is because warm air absorbs more moisture and has
lower humidities. Moisture works against the fire, slowing it down and reducing its intensity. If
there is a high humidity, it can be difficult for the fuel to be lit. The lower the humidity is, the
easier a fire will start and burn, as moisture can absorb the fire’s heat.
Finally, one of the most important weather factors that effect wildfires is wind. A fire
needs oxygen, fuel, and an ignition source. Winds not only spread and push the fire, but they
also supply oxygen to the flames. Warm winds can also pre-dry the vegetation, preparing it to
burn. The stronger the wind blows, the faster the fire spreads. Additionally, wildfires often
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generate winds of their own, which can lead to other small fires (spotting). However, wind will
not be studied in this experiment because it is too dangerous to study the effect of wind on fire
indoors.
It is important to understand the science behind wildfires because they are a very
relevant topic in the new right now. 2018 was one of the worst years for wildfires, especially in
California with massive fires such as the Camp Fire and the Woolsey Fire. By understanding
how climate effects fires, it will become easier to understand why places such as California have
so many wildfires, while fires in states such as Connecticut and Indiana are almost unheard of,
despite being in the same country.
This experiment will test the time it takes for fire to spread in four environments: cold and
wet, hot and wet, cold and dry, & hot and dry. The experiment will be conducted in two places: a
warm environment, and a cold environment (ex. indoors & outdoors). 150 matches will be
placed upright into play-doh. If the environment is wet, the matches will be dampened with
water. The timer will start when the matches are lit. When they are completely burnt out, the
time will be recorded.

Safety
Any experiment dealing with fire should take careful safety precautions. In this
experiment, a fire extinguisher will be present at all times, so in case of emergencies, the fire
can quickly be put out. In addition to this, any long hair should be tied back.

Variables
Variable Detailed How will this be manipulated,
measured, or  controlled?

Independent Variable Climate There will be four different

simulated climates in this
experiment: hot and dry, hot and
wet, cold and dry, cold and wet.
These conditions will be
simulated through two different
environments (a cold and a hot
one), and also water. All trials for
one climate type will take place
in the same place so that the
temperature does not differ from
trial to trial.

Variable
Dependent Variable
Controlled Variable
Controlled Variable
Controlled Variable
Controlled Variable
Controlled Variable
Controlled Variable
Controlled Variable
Materials
Base for the experiment (table, ground, etc.) that is non-flammable
• Play-doh (it is non-flammable)
• 900 Matches (available from Amazon)
• Lighter
Chloe Bowes
Detailed How will this be manipulated,
measured, or  controlled?
Time it takes for the matches to The burning of the matches will
burn out be timed from when they are
ignited to when the fire is
completely gone. The time will
be measured in seconds.
Type of matches The same brand of matches will
be used for each trial and climate
type. The brand is Diamond
Strike-on Matches.
Amount of matches The same amount of matches
will be used for each trial. The
amount is 150 matches.
Timer The same timer will be used for
each experiment to make the
trials fair. The timer app for
iPhone will be used.
Lighter The same lighter will be used for
each experiment - Bic lighter.
Play-doh The same type of play-doh will
be used for each trial (play-doh
modelling clay), however new
play-doh will be used for each
trial to make sure that the
previous trial did not have any
effect on it.
Environment The same environments will be
used for each cold/hot trial. This
will make sure that the
temperatures do not differ
between trials which could alter
the data.
Spray Bottle The same spray-bottle filled with
water will be used for each trial
to make sure that one trial does
not get more water than the last.
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• Timer
• Fire extinguisher (or any other substitute ex. snow, water)
• A cold and hot environment to conduct the experiment (or suitable heaters, etc.)
• Spray bottle with water 
Method
1. Using the play-doh, make a square about 2 cm thick that is 6" x 6" on the non-flammable
base
2. Place 150 matches upright into the play-doh (they should be very close together)
3. If you are doing the wet environment, spray the matches with water. Do not drench them, as
they will not light, but make them damp. (if you are doing the dry environment, skip this step)
4. Light the far left side of the matches and start the timer, keeping the fire extinguisher in hand
in case of emergency
5. Wait until all the matches are completely burnt out
6. Record time in the observations table
7. Repeat steps 2-6 three times for each environment type.

Observations Table

Time it takes for the Trial 1 Trial 2 Trial 3

matches to Time (s) Time (s) Time (s)
completely burn out

Cold, wet

Cold, dry

Hot, wet

Hot, dry

Sources
Centre for Climate and Energy Solutions (2018). Wildfires and Climate Change. Retrieved
Jan. 27, 2019 from https://www.c2es.org/content/wildfires-and-climate-change/
 
Environmental and Natural Resources (2018). Fire Behaviour. Retrieved Jan. 27, 2019 from
https://www.enr.gov.nt.ca/en/services/fire-operations/fire-behaviour
 
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Shaw, E (2018). How Fast Can Forest Fires Spread? Sciencing. Retrieved Jan. 27, 2019 from
https://sciencing.com/fast-can-forest-fires-spread-23730.html
 
Morris, M. (2018). Winter Weather Can Cause Grass Fires to Spread Quickly. KBTX-TV.
Retrieved Jan. 27, 2019 from https://www.kbtx.com/content/news/Grass-fires-spread-quicker-
than-you-may-think-470991213.html
 
Bonsor, K. (2018) Weather's Role in Wildfires. How Stuff Works Science. Retrieved Jan. 27,
2019 from
https://science.howstuffworks.com/nature/natural-disasters/wildfire2.htm
 
Unknown Author (n.d.). Weather Elements That Affect Fire Behaviour. Auburn University.
Retrieved Jan. 27, 2019 from http://www.auburn.edu/academic/forestry_wildlife/fire/
weather_elements.htm