Review of the Forest fire model for high explosives

Forest fire is a burn model for reactive hydro simulations that is widely used to describe both initiation and propagation of detonation waves in solid high explosives. Here we thoroughly review the assumptions of the model. In analogy with Whitham–Chisnell shock dynamics, we derive the Forest fire rate based on a characteristic analysis of a shock-to-detonation transition. Code issues with implementing the Forest fire model are also discussed. The analysis leading to the Forest fire rate is more general than the simplifying assumptions used by the model. The Forest fire analysis provides important constraints needed for any burn model to fit shock initiation data. This data is fundamental to ignition sensitivity of high explosives.