The Tyson‐Fife reaction‐diffusion equations are solved numerically using a locally implicit approach. Since the variables evolve at very different time scales, the resulting system of equations is stiff. The reaction term is responsible for the stiffness and the time step is increased by using an implicit method. The diffusion operator is evaluated explicitly and the system of implicit nonlinear equations is decoupled. The method is particularly useful for parameter values in which the equations are very stiff, such as the values obtained directly from the experimental reaction rate constants. Previous efforts modified the parameters on the equations to avoid stiffness. The equations then become a simplified model of excitable media and, for those cases, the locally implicit method gives a faster although less accurate solution. Nevertheless, since the modified equations no longer represent a particular chemical system an accurate solution is not as important. The algorithm is applied to observe the transition from simple motion to compound motion of a spiral tip. Copyright © 1992 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.