Data Sources and Methods

Canadian Forest Fire Behavior Prediction (FBP) System

Data Sources and Methods for Daily Maps

Fuel Types  (view FBP fuel types map)
The map of FBP fuel types was derived primarily from forest attribute data (Beaudoin et al 2014) based on satellite imagery acquired by NASA's MODIS (Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer) sensors. Fuel types were assigned based on vegetation type, tree species, crown closure, stand height, and other attributes.

This fuels map gives only a general idea of the fuel types present and is not suitable for operational fire management because of the moderate resolution and limited scope of the input data.


Daily Grid Production
The FBP System outputs include the Foliar Moisture Content and measures for potential Surface Fuel Consumption, Rate of Spread, Total Fuel Consumption, Head Fire Intensity, and Crown Fraction Burned. Each of these outputs is calculated on a cell-by-cell basis, using the weather, Fire Weather Index (FWI), and fuel type grids as inputs. Production of the weather and FWI grids is described under Data Sources and Methods for Daily Maps in the FWI System.

Reference

Beaudoin, A.; Bernier, P.Y.; Guindon, L.; Villemaire, P.; Guo, X.J.; Stinson, G.; Bergeron, T.; Magnussen, S.; Hall, R.J. 2014. Mapping attributes of Canada’s forests at moderate resolution through k NN and MODIS imagery. Canadian Journal of Forest Research 44 (5): 521–532.

FBP Summary

FBP Fuel Type Descriptions