First Order Fire Effects Model (FOFEM) is a computer program that was developed to meet needs of resource managers, planners, and analysts in predicting and planning for fire effects. Quantitative predictions of fire effects are needed for planning prescribed fires that best accomplish resource needs, for impact assessment, and for long-range planning and policy development. We have developed the computer program FOFEM to meet this information need. We anticipate that FOFEM will be useful in a variety of situations. Examples include: setting acceptable upper and lower fuel moistures for conducting prescribed burns; determining the number of acres that may be burned on a given day without exceeding particulate emission limits; assessing effects of wildfire; developing timber salvage guidelines following wildfire; and comparing expected outcomes of alternative actions. First order fire effects are those that concern the direct or indirect or immediate consequences of fire. First order fire effects form an important basis for prediction secondary effects such as tree regeneration plant succession, and changes in site productivity, but these long-term effects generally involve interaction with many variables (for example, weather, animal use, insects, and disease) and are not predicted by this program. Currently, FOFEM provides quantitative fire effects information for tree mortality, fuel consumption mineral soil exposure, smoke and soil heating. FOFEM is national in scope. It uses four geographical regions: Pacific West, Interior West, North East, and South East. Forest cover types provide an additional level of resolution within each region. Geographic regions and cover types are used both as part of the algorithm selection key, and also as a key to default input values. Quantitative predictions of fire effects are needed for planning prescribed fires that best accomplish resource needs, for impact assessment, and for long-range planning and policy development. We have developed the computer program FOFEM to meet this information need.