SERDP, ESTCP Tabletop Exchange explores next-generation wildfire simulation tools

By Cassidy Mills, Senior Staff Writer

May 27, 2026

The Strategic Environmental Research and Development Program (SERDP) and the Environmental Security Technology Certification Program (ESTCP) hosted a Tabletop Exchange (TTE) focused on advancing wildfire modeling through improved 3D fuels and vegetation representation at Central Florida Tech Grove on April 16.

Titled “3D Fuels and Vegetation Modeling,” the exchange brought together geospatial professionals, wildfire experts, federal program managers, data scientists and technology innovators to address a persistent national challenge: improving how wildfire models move beyond simplified 2D representations toward more realistic 3D depictions of fire behavior.

SERDP, the Department of Defense’s environmental and resilience science and technology program, develops and transitions innovative technologies that reduce the cost, risk and time required to address environmental challenges while sustaining and enhancing military readiness.

ESTCP complements this mission by demonstrating and validating emerging technologies at Department of Defense installations. Through formal field demonstrations conducted in operational environments, ESTCP documents performance, cost savings and real-world applicability.

Together, SERDP and ESTCP support the development and validation of scalable, mission-relevant technologies that enhance military readiness, improve MS&T capabilities and strengthen defense infrastructure.

Higher-fidelity simulations allow users to better replicate complex wildfire conditions, evaluate response strategies and improve decision-making in dynamic and high-risk scenarios.

The TTE featured speaker, Anthony Marcozzi, Ph.D., software engineer and research scientist with the New Mexico Consortium, discussed ongoing challenges and opportunities in translating complex environmental data into operationally useful modeling frameworks.

“Environmental data can be difficult to bring together in a way that fully supports modeling and decision-making,” Marcozzi said. “There are still ongoing challenges in how different types of information are aligned and used in practice.”

Marcozzi emphasized the importance of bridging gaps between data collection, model development and real-world application, particularly in the context of improving 3D fuel representation for wildfire simulation.

“Improving how observational data connects to modeling workflows remains an important area of work,” Marcozzi said. “This is especially relevant when trying to better represent complex conditions in wildfire simulation and related applications.”

The exchange concluded with a collaborative discussion among participants on the current state of 3D fuel modeling and remaining technical gaps, particularly in surface fuels characterization.

Insights gathered during the session directly inform future research directions and funding opportunities, reinforcing the role of cross-sector collaboration in advancing wildfire science and operational readiness.