It　is　important　to　understand　how　wildland　fire　is　spreading　in　a　given　forest　landscape　as　this　information　is　critical　to　many　applications　such　as　emergency　response　and　decision　support　for　fire　suppression,　prescribed　burning,　fire　prevention　education　and　fighting　training.　We　review　the　progress　in　fire　spread　simulation　and　virtual　forest　modeling,　and　present　a　3D　forest　fire　spread　simulation　and　visualization　system.　Methods　and　techniques　for　modeling　and　visualization　of　terrain,　trees　and　vegetations　and　fires　are　discussed　and　incorporated　with　fire　spread　simulation　and　visualization　system.　An　integrated　environment　was　built　based　on　OntoPlant,　a　suite　of　virtual　plant　software　developed　in　house,　FARSITE　fire　simulator　developed　by　the　USDA　as　fire　spread　engine　and　Open　Scene　Graph　(OSG).　The　system　can　display　a　realistic　3D　wildfire　scenario　taking　into　consideration　the　factors　such　as　terrain,　vegetation　type　and　weather　conditions.　Fire　is　rendered　by　using　particle　system,　while　the　level　of　detail　and　curve　morphing　technique　are　used　to　animate　the　flame　and　smoke　under　various　slope　and　wind　conditions.　During　the　fire　propagation,　the　appearances　of　burned　plants　are　updated　automatically.　The　fire　spreading　is　visualized　according　to　the　calculations　derived　from　the　fire　simulation　engine.　Greater　insight　can　be　gained　as　users　realistically　and　intuitively　view　the　fire　progress　in　our　3D　virtual　forest　environment.　©　2012　IEEE.