Many biologists and ecologists view fire as a binary
event: an area burned or it did not. Fire scientists might
list a multitude of quantitative fire descriptors, some of
which could be useful in understanding and predicting
fire effects. On the other hand, environmental scientists
should be looking at some variables connected with fire
occurrence other than presence or absence. Prediction of
the biological and ecological effects of fire must
ultimately be linked to quantitative characteristics of fire
behavior.