Geospatial Fire Behavior Modelling App to Manage Wildfire ... · Comparison Map Functionality. The...

Geospatial Fire Behavior Modeling App to Manage Wildfire Risk OnlineKenyatta BaRaKa JacksonUS Forest Service - Consultant

Fire Behavior Modeling and Forest Fuel Management

Modeling Fire Behavior is an essential part of forest stand and fuel management. Fire Behavior models are necessary for predicting the impacts of potential fuel treatments on forest stands and to determine the best treatments to be used in order to meet planning and land management goals. ArcFuels was developed as an ArcMap toolbar extension to bring fire behavior modeling into a geospatial environment so that these modeling tools can be used with ArcMap to view the impact of various fuel treatment options.

ArcFuels ArcGIS Desktop Toolbar

The ArcFuels ArcMap Toolbar works well within an ArcGIS Desktop environment, but requires ArcMap installed locally, several extensions and the behavior models themselves to be installed on a PC. It also requires the users to download several datasets on their machines to run the models. This can be tedious and complicated to setup and requires significant local storage and CPU processing power. With the move towards online based services and the need for a more easily available interface, an ArcFuels Modernization effort was begun.

ArcFuels Modernization Effort

The focus of this presentation will be the initial web application developed as the first step towards modernizing ArcFuels. This application leverages the power of ArcGIS JS API 4.0, ASP.Net MVC, Dojo, HTML5 and ArcGIS Online to run and view analysis results from Fire Behavior models using only a standard web browser. Input parameter data is collected using online forms, with the option to import text files for various parameters such as wind and weather.


The Fire Behavior model FlamMap is then run on the server using C++.Net dlls to generate output files, which are served to the client app via web service calls to the server. This output data is then processed and displayed as symbolized layers in the ArcGIS JavaScript API application, where users can select from multiple analysis runs and output data to view the effects of input parameters on the forest stands being analyzed.


ArcFuels online generates and saves output data from multiple runs with varied input parameters that can be viewed with other map layers in 2D or 3D maps. The output can be viewed in a single map or dual comparison maps where two data sets can be viewed side by side for comparison. Users can choose from all output data including spread rate, flame length, wind speed and intensity to view or compare potential fuel scenarios.

ArcFuels ArcGIS Desktop ToolbarLocal Installation Requirements

• PC with MS Windows Operating System• Microsoft Office Excel and Access• ArcGIS Desktop with Software License• ESRI Spatial Analyst Extension• ArcFuels Toolbar Extension Download files• Forest Vegetation Simulator (FVS) Application• FlamMap5 Application• NEXUS Application• Landscape data layers• Fuel Model Data

ArcFuels Modernization EffortTechnologies Used

• ArcGIS JS 4.0• ASP .Net MVC • C# .Net• Dojo• HTML5• ArcGIS Online• C++ .Net Fire Behavior Libraries

ArcFuels Online Sample RunsYellow Stone National Park

ArcFuels Online ApplicationAnalysis Process

With ArcFuels Online users can view FlamMap output data spatialy online using just a web browser.

• Generate Landscape .LCP files• Select Landscape file for analysis run• Select Run Settings for analysis run• Run FlameMap in ArcFuels Online• View resulting data in 2D or 3D maps• View results side by side in comparison maps• Scroll and zoom through the data using current GIS mapping technology

ArcFuels Online Web ApplicationLandscape File

Landscape Files are multi-band raster files used in Fire Behavior Modeling that store data describing the terrain and tree canopy.

Landscape files include:• Elevation• Canopy Density• Canopy Cover• Canopy Height

• Aspect• Slope• Fire Behavior Fuel Model• Spatial Extent

Landscape files can be created from:• ArcMap via ArcFuels or other Toolbars• Generated online from the LANDFIRE Data distribution Site• Various other sources and custom Applications

ArcFuels Online Web ApplicationGenerate Landscape Files

ArcFuels Online Web ApplicationFlamMap Run Settings

FlameMap requires various data Inputs to run. This includes the Landscape file discussed earlier, weather data, Fuel Treatment and other options. These can all be entered using web forms through web forms through the application or uploaded to the application using text files.

Weather data can be set using various data inputs• Raw Weather Data• Weather and Wind Detail Data• Basic Wind Direction and Speed

For this demo: • we used a Landscape file for Yellow Stone National park from www.landfire.gov• Basic Wind Direction and Speed Weather Data• Demo Run1 with 8 mph Westward wind• Demo Run2 with 20 mph Westward wind

http://www.landfire.gov/

ArcFuels Online Web ApplicationFlamMap Run Settings

ArcFuels Online ApplicationFlamMap Output Files

• Flame Length• Spread Rate• Intensity• Heat Area• Crown State• Crown Fraction Burned• Solar Radiation• Fuel Moisture 1• Fuel Moisture 10• Fuel Moisture 100• Fuel Moisture 1000

• Mid Flame• Horizontal Rate• Max Spread Dir• Ellipse Dim A• Ellipse Dim B• Ellipse Dim C• Max Spot Dir• Max Spot DX• Wind Dir Grid• Wind Speed Grid

ArcFuels Online Web ApplicationRun Process

Running the ArcFuels Online FlamMap process performs the following operations:

• Create the FlamMap input file from selected run options and inputs• Run the FlamMap Dlls in .Net to generate FlamMap output files• Read the FlamMap output files to find data extent coordinates• Transform extent coordinates for ArcGIS JS map• Open the ArcGIS JS application read the selected Output file data• Create Merged average data points based on the Map Zoom scale• Generate Map layer from data using selected symbology and display the resulting data on the Map

ArcFuels Online Web ApplicationMap View Functionality

Once the Data is processed it can be Viewed on the ArcFuels Online Map View Page. This page can be navigated using the standard ArcGIS JS tools and various runs can be analyzed and compared. The Following is a list of functionality included on the Map View:

• Select the Named Data Run to display• Select the FlamMap output data to display• Data points are averaged based on map scale • Zooming in increased data detail• Zooming out averages more data points • Select Roads Layer or Satellite basemap• Hide Show data on selected basemap• Display Legend based on selected data being displayed

ArcFuels Online Web ApplicationRun Results in Map View

ArcFuels Online Web ApplicationComparison Map Functionality

The comparison map has the same functionality as the standard map, but allows users to view two different runs, or the same run showing different output data side by side for comparison.

Both views move to stay in sync with each other and can be navigated like the standard map. Users can then change the “Run Name” and or “Output File” on either side and view the results side by side in 2D or 3D syncing Maps

ArcFuels Online Web ApplicationView Comparison Maps

Conclusions

ArcFuels Online allows users to access Fire Behavior modeling tools from any pc or mac by simply using a web browser. This allows them to easily analyze output data of potential fuel scenarios to make better decisions on management goals. This allows for unprecedented access to Fire Behavior models and visualization of results and is an example of how multiple internet technologies can be used with ArcGIS to provide a geospatial mapping analysis solution using independent modeling tools.

Contributors & Resources

Kenyatta BaRaKa JacksonUS Forest Service - Consultant [email protected]

Alan AgerResearch [email protected]

Resource Websites:www.arcfuels.orgwww.landfire.govwww.firelab.org

mailto:[email protected]

mailto:[email protected]

http://www.arcfuels.org/

http://www.landfire.gov/

http://www.firelab.org/

Geospatial Fire Behavior Modelling App to Manage Wildfire ... · Comparison Map Functionality. The...

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