Wildfire Research

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Tools & Resources

  • BSI Wildfire Research Glossary

    The Wildfire Research Glossary provides a consolidated reference for key scientific and operational terms used in wildfire and atmospheric science in Aotearoa New Zealand

  • Wildfire Hazard Potential Data

    The wildfire hazard potential data has been created from simulations of potential wildfires across New Zealand. The data can be accessed and downloaded using a web viewer.

  • Wildfire risk reduction and mitigation actions

    This list describes actions homeowners can take to prepare themselves and their homes and to reduce their risk from wildfire.

  • Fire Registry and Smoke Forecasts

    The Fire Registry tool uses detected hotspots identified from satellite data to model potential smoke hazard over New Zealand. The tool is currently under development and is being trialled for this fire season. Feedback is being sort from Fire and Emergency for further improvements.

  • Tracking of trends in BUI, DC, CDSR

    New Zealand fire danger outlooks.

  • New Zealand Wildfire Season Summary

    This report summarises the 2019/2020 wildfire season for New Zealand (1 October 2019 – 30 May 2020).

  • NZ Fire behaviour prediction manual

    The Manual for Predicting Fire Behaviour in New Zealand Fuels represents the current state of knowledge with respect to predicting fire behaviour in New Zealand.

  • Guide to New Zealand fuels

    Scion's Rural Fire Research Group has developed a technical guide for selecting the most appropriate fuel type for Fire Behaviour Predictions.

  • NZ Fire behaviour toolkit

    This user-friendly software package incorporates the fuel and fire behaviour models developed by Scion's Rural Fire Research group.

  • Fire behaviour calculator app

    A SmartPhone application based on the Fire Behaviour Toolkit calculator is now available and free to download for both Android and Apple devices.

  • Prometheus

    A Canadian wildland fire growth simulation model redeveloped for use in New Zealand.

  • Fire behaviour forms

    A number of blank worksheets and worked examples of fireline weather, fire behaviour observation and prediction forms are ready for download. These sheets were used in the recent Intermediate Fire Behaviour and Fire Behaviour Forecasting Courses.

  • New Zealand Fire Season Severity: Monthly severity 1996 - 2026

    This A0 sized print quality poster displays monthly fire climate severity maps from 1996/97 to 2025/26 fire seasons. It is used for tracking trends in monthly Fire Severity over New Zealand's current and historical fire seasons.

  • Fire weather index tables for NZ (3rd edition)

    Scion's Rural Fire Research Team have modified and reproduced the Fire Weather Index Tables for New Zealand (3rd edition).

  • Flammability of native plant species

    Homeowners can reduce the dangers from wildfires by managing the vegetation around their home. The replacement of high to low flammability species can reduce the fire hazard.