Extreme wildfires consistently result in loss of life and property, widespread environmental damage and further impact the cultural, economic and political stability of communities. Understanding the drivers that combine to produce these significant wildfire events is the focus of sustained research efforts around the globe. Much of this research has concentrated on atmospheric conditions, but given that these events actually manifest as coupled fire-atmosphere events, it is also important to consider the contributions of the fire itself. In this presentation we consider the role of local wildfire behaviour in extreme wildfire development. In particular, we highlight the role that dynamic fire propagation plays in driving 'deep flaming' events, which appear to be critical in triggering the violent pyroconvection characteristic of extreme wildfires. The impacts of local/regional variations in fire weather are also discussed, and the ability to predict extreme wildfire development using operational tools is explored.