The Haines Index and Idaho fire growth

[Excerpted from text] The growth of wildfires is related to three broad factors: fuel type, topography and weather. The National Fire Danger Rating System and the Fire Behavior Prediction System combine these factors to predict the probability and severity of wildland fires. However, these systems have mixed results in predicting extreme fire behavior conditions characterized by intense crowning and spotting. Extreme fire behavior is rare, but when it occurs, fires burn with intense heat and spread rapidly, endangering life and property.