Fuel type and quantity in an area can play an important role in determining the types of fires as well as fire intensity. Fuels vary in their structural form, size (fine or coarse), and spatial arrangement (surface or elevated).

Fuel types can play an important role in fire behaviour. Ladder fuels with loose bark may cause spotting outside of the fire perimeter. Ladder fuels also enable flames to reach the top of vegetation.

Fuel loads change over time annually, seasonally and diurnally. In wet years fine fuel loads may be higher and more continuous and provide high fuel loads when they cure, while in dry years there may be little fine fuel from grass growth but more of the heavy fuels can be available for combustion. Fuel loads can also be controlled to some extent by people. For example, land uses such as grazing can reduce fuel loads.