Which statement about wind and fire behavior is true?

Large wildland fires on a slope can indeed produce their own winds due to the intense heat generated by the fire. As the fire burns, it creates rising hot air, which leads to a decrease in air pressure near the ground. This phenomenon draws in cooler air from surrounding areas, resulting in winds that are influenced by the fire itself. These winds can become quite strong and unpredictable, affecting the behavior of the fire, including its speed and direction. Understanding this aspect of fire behavior is crucial for incident safety officers when assessing potential risks and developing firefighting strategies.

The other statements do not accurately reflect the relationship between wind and fire behavior. For example, gravity winds are not characterized as gentle, cool, and wet; they typically refer to the down-slope movement of air due to gravity and can be warm rather than cool. Frontal winds tend to be associated with weather fronts that can complicate fire behavior rather than make it easier to control. Whirlwinds, on the other hand, usually do not decrease a fire's intensity; they can actually contribute to extreme fire behavior by lifting embers and creating erratic patterns.