Introduction
In a joint effort between the USGS and the U.S. Forest Service, the Fire Danger Forecasting Project focuses on research and development of digital map products suited for monitoring and forecasting fire potential within the conterminous U.S.
Fire Danger Forecasting utilizes a combination of satellite-derived vegetation indices, various biogeophysical variables, and weather information to produce 7-day forecast products for fire potential index, large fire probability, and fire spread probability.
Fire Danger Forecast products and information are available for visualization and download through the Viewer Application, Maps and Data Products page, and GACC Regional Forecast Graphs page, and Data Services page. These resources are updated daily.
The project maintains and operates an automated, daily production process which generates a suite of digital map products related to the forecasting of fire ignition and subsequent spread potential. These Fire Danger forecast products are made available for display and distribution through this website.
Wildland Fire Potential Index (WFPI) is a moisture and wind-based vegetation flammability indicator. It is a function of current vegetation greenness as a proportion of maximum greenness, current 10-h dead fuel moisture, wind speed, rain, and dry bulb temperature. Flammability is highest when the vegetation is mostly or completely cured, 10-h dead fuel moisture is low, and the wind speed is high. Conversely, WFPI is lowest when the living vegetation is near fully green, the dead fuel moisture is high, and the wind speed is low.
FDF News
