Abstract
The Wheeler Fire #2 on the Los Padres National Forest, California, burned over 118,000 ac (47,755 ha) in 2 weeks. Several weather and physical factors contributed to the large size of this fire: drought conditions, high temperatures, erratic winds, low humidity, steep topography, poor access, and continuous stands of chaparral. This fire presented the rare opportunity for evaluating the coincidence of a wildfire, fuelbreaks, and recently burned areas. Observations indicate that the spatial relationships of fuelbreaks, roads, prescribed burns, and wildfires are important determinants of fire behavior and growth, and they merit special consideration in fuels and fire management planning. More case study documentation would provide fire managers with valuable information for developing guidelines on how to approach similar problems, under the same or different conditions. West. J. Appl. For. 2(2):55-58, April 1987.