Modelos de Propagação de Fogos Florestais: Estado-da-Arte para Utilizadores Parte I: Introdução e Modelos Locais

This paper, which is subdivided into two parts for its extension, is aimed at users of forest fire propagation models. The purpose is to afford a broad view of the state-of-the-art in this domain, by proposing a general classification for the existing models and by explaining, in simple terms, for typical models in each class: the underlying physical principles and modelling strategy; the input and output parameters; the limits of application, the reliability of the predictions and the perspectives of future development. In this paper, after the introduction, another section is devoted to models that exclusively predict the behaviour of a small part of the fire front line, subdivided into the following classes: empirical, based on field and/or laboratory experiments; physical incomplete; and physical complete. Within the class of