Sara McAllister

Sara is a Research Mechanical Engineer at the Missoula Fire Sciences Laboratory. Sara's research interests include understanding fundamental combustion and heat transfer processes related to the spread of wildfires.  In particular, she has two main research projects.  The first is to better understand the ignition process in both live and dead fuels subject to different forms of heat transfer.  The second is to examine how the burning behavior of a fuel bed is affected by its characteristics and environmental conditions.

Sara is also active in a number of professional societies.  She is a Board Member of the International Association of Wildland Fire (IAWF) and is a co-leader of the permanent working group on Large Outdoor Fires and the Built Environment (LOF&BE) associated with the International Association of Fire Safety Science (IAFSS).  Sara is also a Member at Large of the Western States Section of the Combustion Institute (WSSCI) and is an Associate Editor of Fire Technology Journal.