What type of winds are considered surface winds that significantly affect fire behavior?

Winds around 10 mph are significant for influencing fire behavior because they can enhance fire spread and intensity while still being manageable for fire operations. At this speed, surface winds can help carry flames and embers, increasing the overall rate of spread of a fire. They can also influence the behavior of the fire in terms of direction, making it critical for firefighters to recognize and anticipate changes in wind patterns.

Winds below 5 mph tend to be too gentle to have a notable impact on fire behavior. Calm winds, while also having minimal effect, do not contribute to the movement or intensity of fire in the same way that winds around 10 mph do. Winds above 15 mph may lead to more aggressive fire behavior and pose greater risks to firefighting efforts, but the specific question pertains to those around 10 mph, which present a crucial threshold where winds begin to actively affect the dynamics of fire spread.