A small contribution to important wildfire research in New Zealand

Andy Moffat was pleased to be invited to participate in baseline vegetation monitoring as part of a large wildfire experiment whilst visiting New Zealand this year. The internationally supported research, led by Scion’s Rural Research Fire Group, sought to test an American hypothesis that convective heat transfer plays a more prominent role in fire spread than previously thought. The hypothesis has been tested in 2020 in a series of heavily instrumented fire experiments in mature gorse at Redcliffs Station, Rakaia Gorge, Canterbury. More information can be found on the Scion website and a video of the experimentation can be viewed HERE.