Abstract

Wildfire research has been around since the 1940’s, meaning that for around 80 years scientists and state mitigators have had the ability to conduct potential fire behavior in their chosen areas. A multitude of the research that has been completed is on wildfires that have already occurred and recreating them to understand the interactions that went into creating them. Basically, researchers are studying areas with wildfires, leaving a gap in regions that do not experience them frequently. Even areas that are not highly susceptible to wildfires are still important to study because of interconnected Earth Systems. Changes in one region, such as shifts in temperature, precipitation, vegetation, or land use, can affect fire behavior and risk elsewhere. Feedback loops within the climate, atmosphere, and biosphere can alter fuel availability and moisture levels over time, making areas once considered low-risk more vulnerable in the future.

This study uses the wildfire modeling system FlamMap to explore the potential wildfire dynamics in an area not historically known for wildfires. Wooster, Ohio, specifically Wooster Memorial Park, was chosen as the study site because of the lack of fire research in the area. The results from the two scenarios conducted indicate that wildfire spread is possible within the study area, with surface fire as the dominant fire type. Under drought conditions, there was an increase in passive crown fire activity observed, though overall fire behavior remains relatively moderate due to the discontinuous fuel and landscape features. This research can help close a gap in the knowledge of how wildfire dynamics in Wooster, Ohio, work and the usefulness that modeling systems bring to understanding these phenomena.

Advisor

Pollock, Meagen

Department

Earth Sciences; Geology

Disciplines

Earth Sciences | Environmental Sciences

Publication Date

2026

Degree Granted

Bachelor of Arts

Document Type

Senior Independent Study Thesis

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