Notes: GIS Applications in Fire Ecology & Management Lesson 8 - - PDF document

SLIDE 1

NR406

GIS Applications in Fire Ecology & Management Lesson 8 Landfire: Concepts and Data

Notes:

NR406: GIS Applications in Fire Ecology and Management

LANDFI RE LANDFI RE

http://www.landfire.gov

A nationally consistent and locally relevant fire, fuels, and risk assessm ent A nationally consistent and locally relevant fire, fuels, and risk assessm ent

Notes:

LANDFIRE, also known as the Landscape Fire and Resource Management Planning Tools Project, is a five-year, multi- partner project producing consistent and comprehensive maps and data describing vegetation, wildland fuel, and fire regimes across the United States. It is a shared project between the wildland fire management programs of the U.S. Department of Agriculture Forest Service and U.S. Department of the Interior. The project has four components: the LANDFIRE Prototype, LANDFIRE Rapid Assessment, LANDFIRE National, and Training/Technology Transfer. The Landfire data products will include GIS data layers of vegetation composition and structure, surface and canopy fuels, historical fire regimes and more. Data products can currently be downloaded at http://gisdata.usgs.net/website/landfire/. In this lesson you will learn about Landfire, data products, access and use. The Landfire products are intended to assist with:

• Identification of areas across the nation at risk due to

accumulation of wildland fuel

• Prioritization of national hazardous fuel reduction

projects

• Improved collaboration between agencies with regard

to fire and other natural resource management

• Modeling of real-time fire behavior to support tactical

decisions to ensure sufficient wildland firefighting capacity and safety

• Regional modeling of potential fire behavior and

effects to strategically plan projects for hazardous fuel reduction and restoration of ecosystem integrity on fire-adapted landscapes

SLIDE 2

NR406: GIS Applications in Fire Ecology and Management

Roberts Fire Glacier National Park August 2003

LANDFI RE: A History LANDFI RE: A History

• Fall 1 99 9

Missoula Fire Sciences Laboratory asked by USFS F&AM to provide fine scale (30-m) Nationally consistent FRCC data.

• Spring 2 00 1

LANDFIRE Prototype funded. USGS-EDC and MFSL to prepare methods frameworks and prototype LANDFIRE deliverables for 2 areas.

Notes:

The idea for Landfire began in 1999 when the Missoula Fire Science laboratory was asked by the Forest Service to provide a fine scale (30 m) nationally consistent FRCC data.

NR406: GIS Applications in Fire Ecology and Management

General Accounting Office – 2 00 1, 20 0 2

“Unfortunately, federal land m anagem ent agencies do not have adequate data for m aking inform ed decisions and m easuring the agencies’ progress in reducing fuels.” “On the basis of our review , LANDFI RE is the

• nly proposed research project so far that

appears capable of producing consistent national inventory data for im proving the prioritization of fuel projects and com m unities.”

Notes:

The Landfire project intend to provide adequate data for making informed decisions in regards to fire and fuels management across the nation.

NR406: GIS Applications in Fire Ecology and Management

LANDFI RE Prototype Areas LANDFI RE Prototype Areas Central Utah

Over 7 million hectares with 55% forested and 45% non-forested lands.

NW Montana/ I daho

10.5 million hectares with 65% forested and 35% non-forested lands.

Notes:

Landfire was first developed and tested in two prototype areas, one in Utah and one in Montana/Idaho

NR406: GIS Applications in Fire Ecology and Management

MRLC2 0 0 0

Order of Map zones for LANDFI RE yet to be determ ined

MRLC2 0 0 0

Order of Map zones for LANDFI RE yet to be determ ined

Notes:

Mapping zones for Landfire. The numbers do not refer to the

• rder in which the zones are being mapped. All mapping

zones are currently not completed.

SLIDE 3

NR406: GIS Applications in Fire Ecology and Management

W hat is LANDFI RE? W hat is LANDFI RE?

• National fire plan requires consistent,

comprehensive, and impartial data and analysis tools.

• LANDFIRE provides mapped FRCCs, fuels

characteristics, and vegetation condition.

• LANDFIRE is a foundation for Landscape and

Fire Management Planning based on current peer-reviewed scientific methods; and is fully repeatable.

Notes:

The National Fire Plan (http://www.fireplan.gov/) requires consistent, comprehensive, and impartial data and analysis

• tools. Landfire provides nationwide maps of FRCC’s, fuels,

and vegetation condition and is intended to act as a foundation for fire management planning at a landscape scale.

NR406: GIS Applications in Fire Ecology and Management

Coarse-Scale FRCCs

Coarse-Scale Re-Do #1 Coarse-Scale Re-Do #2 FIREMON/ FIA

LANDFIRE

FRCC Project Level Guidebook FLAMMAP Prioritization Fuels Treatments FARSITE New Fire Behavior Fuel Models LANDSUM Fire Regime Modeling MRLC National Vegetation Mapping

Coarse-Scale FRCCs Coarse-Scale FRCCs

Notes:

There are plans within Landfire to produce spatial data at multiple scale for multiple purposes relating to fire and fuels

• management. The Coarse-Scale FRCC assessment is

completed and FRCC and Farsite data exists for many mapping regions. In this Lesson you will become familiar with how to access Landfire data for use in spatial analysis.

NR406: GIS Applications in Fire Ecology and Management

Fire Regim es – characterized by:

• Fire frequency
• Fire size
• Fire intensity
• Geography
• Duration and scale

FRCC – Based on changes in:

• Canopy closure
• Stand structure
• Stand age
• Species com position

LANDFI RE Theory Building on Coarse Scale Data LANDFI RE Theory Building on Coarse Scale Data

Notes:

The data produced by Landfire are intended to help quantify fire regimes and fire regime condition class at a landscape scale.

NR406: GIS Applications in Fire Ecology and Management

• Based on extensive ground-based reference data
• Incorporates existing vegetation characteristics,

vegetation condition, and biophysical settings.

• Focuses on fuels and fuel condition.
• Integrates the most current remote sensing,

ecosystem modeling, and predictive landscape mapping techniques. Maps created at 30-m 2 cell size

LANDFI RE Theory LANDFI RE Theory

Notes:

The Landfire data is based on ground-reference data, incorporates existing vegetation characteristics, fuels and fuel

• condition. Landfire integrates the most current remote sensing

imagery and ecological modeling techniques. Landfire maps

• riginate in classification of Landsat satellite imagery for the

entire USA. The pixel size for Landsat is 30 m.

SLIDE 4

NR406: GIS Applications in Fire Ecology and Management

Mapped biophysical settings describe important ecological gradients that determine landscape composition, structure, and function

A v e r a g e A n n u a l V a p

• r

P r e s s u r e D e f ic it ( m b a r ) E le v a t io n ( m )

2 3 4 5 6 7 8 2 4 6 8 1 5 1 0 1 5 2 2 5 3 2 4 6 8 1

P e r c e n t c

• v

e r a t p l

• t

Distribution of ponderosa pine and subalpine fir over elevation and vapor pressure deficit gradients of Kootenai River and Salmon River Study Areas Ponderosa pine Subalpine fir

LANDFI RE Biophysical Settings LANDFI RE Biophysical Settings

Notes:

Biophysical setting and important ecological gradients are incorporated in the classification to produce more accurate maps.These graphs show how Ponderosa pine and Subalpine fir occur at different elevations and areas with different vapor pressure deficit.

NR406: GIS Applications in Fire Ecology and Management

Notes:

Many sources of data were used as inputs in the mapping

• effort. Ground reference data of existing vegetation, potential

vegetation, fuels and structure were incorporated along with available GIS data of topography, soils, climate and ecophysiological variables. Examples of map deliverables are maps of fire danger, historical fire regimes, fuels, and condition class.

NR406: GIS Applications in Fire Ecology and Management

• Historical natural fire

regim es

• Fire regim e condition classes
• Fuels, FARSI TE input data

layers

• Rapid Assessment
• Climate and weather (DAYMET)
• A suite of 100+ environmental

gradient layers

• Comprehensive field reference

database

• Potential vegetation types
• Actual vegetation types
• Actual vegetation canopy

height

• Actual vegetation canopy

density

• Vegetation and habitat

conditions

• Biophysical settings
• Mapped soil attributes
• Succession pathways
• LF-BGC model
• LANDSUM model
• WXFIRE model
• FIREHARM model
• Potential fire behavior fuel

m odels

• Fuels loading m odels
• Crow n fuel m odels
• Repeatability, adaptability
• Peer-reviewed science
• WUI, topography,

infrastructure, seamless distribution, and watershed analysis capabilities via USGS the National Map research

LANDFI RE Products LANDFI RE Products

Notes:

A list of nation wide Landfire products. Currently, all mapping zones are not completed.

NR406: GIS Applications in Fire Ecology and Management

• National policies applications
• National Fire Plan and 10-Year Comprehensive Strategy
• Healthy Forest Initiative: fire regimes, FRCC, and vegetation

maps for science-based decisions

• Hom eland Security: data layers for predicting fire spread
• Categorical Exclusion: data for monitoring agency activities
• Allocating resources based on scientifically developed maps
• Federal and State agencies served
• DOI and Forest Service performance goals
• Congress and GAO requests
• Western Governor Association needs (WUI, tech transfer,

local communities)

National Relevance of LANDFI RE National Relevance of LANDFI RE

Notes:

Landfire provides data for many purposes. For example the data can be used in assessments relating to the National Fire Plan, the Healthy Forest Initiative, and homeland security. ….and remember from slide 1…….. The Landfire products are intended to assist with:

• Identification of areas across the nation at risk due to

accumulation of wildland fuel

• Prioritization of national hazardous fuel reduction

projects

• Improved collaboration between agencies with regard

to fire and other natural resource management

• Modeling of real-time fire behavior to support tactical

decisions to ensure sufficient wildland firefighting capacity and safety

SLIDE 5

• Regional modeling of potential fire behavior and

effects to strategically plan projects for hazardous fuel reduction and restoration of ecosystem integrity on fire-adapted landscapes

NR406: GIS Applications in Fire Ecology and Management

• LANDFIRE feeds into Fire Program Analysis (FPA) system for

evaluation of managem ent alternatives

• LANDFIRE data can be used for fuel planning and fire

suppression by providing FARSITE layers for the United States

• The Nature Conservancy Fire Learning Network requires

LANDFIRE data and maps to test effects of fire management alternatives for local communities

• Detailed vegetation maps provides information to:
• control and manage invasive species,
• map wildlife habitat,
• plan timber harvests,
• manage watersheds,
• improve insect and disease Risk-Map, and
• etc…

National-Level Application Exam ples National-Level Application Exam ples

Notes:

Landfire data will further provide spatial information to the Fire Program Analysis system for evaluation of management alternatives and the data can be used in fuel management and Farsite simulations. The detailed (30 m scale) vegetation maps provides information that can be incorporated in wildlife habitat assessments, timber harvest planning, watershed management, invasive species management and control, etc.

NR406: GIS Applications in Fire Ecology and Management

Random Random ~20% treatment ~20% treatment Strips Strips Strategic Strategic

Farsite Sim ulation Farsite Sim ulation

Notes:

These graphs illustrate a Farsite simulation of the effectiveness of fuels treatments. Let’s say that there is only funding to treat 20% of the landscape. What is the best spatial placement of the treatments? Should the treatments be randomly distributed, or implemented in strips or maybe in a strategic ‘herring-bone’ arrangement? Simulation in Farsite can help provide answers to such questions. Landfire data may be used as the input GIS data.

NR406: GIS Applications in Fire Ecology and Management Elevation Slope Aspect Fuel Model Canopy Cover Canopy Height Crown Base Height Crown Bulk Density

, 2 3 . 2 5 .25 .28 .28 .05 .05 .05 2 . . 4 0.4 1.2 1.2 0.2 0.2 0.2 1 25 25 25 5 15 15 8 60 60 60 20 20 20 5 5 10 10 10 2 6 6 2 2

110 1 1 270 270 270 170 170 130 190 200 120 140 20

3 5 3 10 7 3 5 2 2 4 14 10 10 80 20

220 210 200 200 205 210 210 2 5 200 200 190 180 220 210 200 200 205 210 205 2 5 200 200 190 220 230 210 200 200 205 205 205 2 5 200 200 190 240 220 210 200 200 205 205 205 2 5 200 200 200 240 220 210 200 200 205 205 205 2 5 200 200 200 250

Duff Loading Coarse Woody Debris

Raster Landscape Them es ( FARSI TE / Flam Map) Raster Landscape Them es ( FARSI TE / Flam Map)

Notes:

FlamMap is a simulation software that provides outputs of fireline intensity, flame length, rate of spread etc. based on inputs such as topography, weather, fuel models and canopy

• characteristics. Landfire data can serve input data for such

assessments.

SLIDE 6

NR406: GIS Applications in Fire Ecology and Management

Fire Travel Routes Fire Travel Routes

Notes:

Simulation of fire travel routes based on topography, fuels and wind.

NR406: GIS Applications in Fire Ecology and Management

Treatments Block Main Travel Routes I dentify Main Travel Routes I dentify Main Travel Routes

Notes:

This figure shows output from the FLAMMAP Treatment Optimization Model under development by Mark Finney at the Missoula Fire Sciences Laboratory. This model uses the core LANDFIRE fuel data to predict the most effective arrangement

• f fuel treatments based on the likely spread of fire across the

landscape while taking into consideration limitations on treatments (for example, if management can afford to treat

• nly 20 percent of the landscape).

NR406: GIS Applications in Fire Ecology and Management

FARSI TE sim ulation using LANDFI RE fuels m aps FARSI TE sim ulation using LANDFI RE fuels m aps

Notes:

During the Summer of 2003, LANDFIRE prototype data were used to provide mapped wildland fuel information for 33 large fires and 4 area command teams working under the Northern Rocky Mountains Coordination Group. During the Beta-Doris Fire (25 miles south of Glacier Park, Montana), FARSITE simulations using LANDFIRE fuel data indicated that the fire was likely to spot across Hungry Horse Reservoir. The Incident Command team was able to preposition resources across the reservoir, allowing them to successfully attack the fire when it did indeed spot to the north, perhaps saving the town of Martin City, Montana. Here, daily fire perimeters interpreted from MODIS satellite data were used along with the LANDFIRE fuel layers and current weather conditions to parameterize the FARSITE

• model. FARSITE was run under a variety of weather scenarios

to provide the Multi-Agency Command with rapid response information about where fire complexes were likely to spread

• ver a 100 million-acre area in Northern Idaho and Western
• Montana. Fire Management, EMS, and County Sheriffs used

this information to preposition resources and to issue pre- evacuation notices. Bonneville Power Company provided data

• n the location of power lines so that fire managers could pre-

treat under several lines, preventing a disruption of power service to the entire northwestern United States.

SLIDE 7

NR406: GIS Applications in Fire Ecology and Management http:/ / gisdata.usgs.net/ w ebsite/ landfire/ view er.php http:/ / gisdata.usgs.net/ w ebsite/ landfire/ view er.php

Notes:

You can access Landfire data at http://gisdata.usgs.net/website/landfire/viewer.php. Recognize that data for all mapping zones are not yet completed. On this web site you can interactively zoon into desired areas and display Landfire data layers of your choice (List on the right). You can also select areas for which to download specified data layers. Later in this lesson you will view a short video on how to access Landfire data. Notice: Before you can download data you must specify that Landfire is a ‘trusted site’ in your web browser and un-block pop-ups. In the Internet Explorer browser you can specify trusted sites under Tools – Internet Options – Security – Trusted sites – Sites (here you type in the URL for the trusted site).