Coen, J. L., 2005: Simulation of the Big Elk Fire using coupled atmosphere-fire modeling. International Journal of Wildland Fire 14, 49-59.

This simulation shows several hours in the early period of the Big Elk Fire, a 4400 acre wildfire ignited by a tailpipe. Fire behavior was extreme reflecting the extremely dry conditions throughout Colorado (including the lowest fuel moistures ever recorded in the area). Initial spread was rapid, moving up a south slope of ponderosa pine mixed with Douglas fir with crowning and torching into high density thin-stemmed lodgepole pine at upper elevations. The red field shows where the air was warmed at least 10 degrees by the heat released from the fire. The misty white field represent smoke, with denser areas representing higher concentrations. The arrows show the wind speed (shown by the length of the arrows – longer arrows being stronger winds) and direction near the surface. This case represents a relatively simple scenario, with no large-scale weather features – winds were driven primarily by solar heating of mountain slopes, producing weak afternoon upslope conditions during the active fire periods.