Year: 2026
Type: article
Abstract: Aerial forest firefighting is a critical technology for wildfire suppression. Recent studies have examined suppression agent drop dynamics, deposition patterns, and optimization strategies. This review synthesizes advances from three perspectives: (i) in-flight suppression agent jet dynamics, (ii) ground deposition patterns, and (iii) suppression effectiveness, while outlining future research directions. Flight altitude, velocity, and momentum ratio govern jet behavior—affecting penetration, expansion, and breakup. Momentum ratio, shaped by drop velocity and aircraft speed, is pivotal in penetration depth and fragmentation. Deposition patterns vary with delivery systems and flight parameters: low-altitude/low-speed drops yield higher coverage density over smaller areas, whereas high-altitude/high-speed drops cover larger areas but less densely. Suppression efficacy depends on fire intensity–vegetation interactions, droplet size–coverage requirements, and operational parameters such as response time, aircraft capacity, and real-time intelligence. Large droplets excel in cooling high-intensity flames, while fine droplets provide efficient area coverage. Adequate resources and integrated data enhance outcomes. Future work should couple multi-physics models of terrain, meteorology, and fire plume dynamics, and develop integrated deposition models including wind, thermodynamics, terrain, and fire behavior to optimize aerial dispersion in diverse wildfire scenarios.
Source: Fire
DOI: 10.3390/fire9040166
Authors: Ji Wu, Qiuze An, Jiang Huang, Wanki Chow, Yuanhua He
Institution: Civil Aviation Flight University of China
Language: English
Subfield: Safety, Risk, Reliability and Quality
Field: Engineering
Domain: Physical Sciences
Open Access status: gold
Estimated APC paid: $2,896
OpenAlex ID: W7154095742
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