Spring Updates from the Fire Modeling and Analysis Committee
Lisa Saperstein, USFWS - Landfire and the Interagency Fuel Treatment Decision Support System Updates for Alaska.
A new set of Landfire maps are planned for release in May 2021 using new imagery. IFTDSS has a series of module updates including exposure analysis, quantitative wildfire risk and assessment, and fuel treatment effectiveness monitoring.
Eric Miller, BLM-AFS - Evaluating the Drought Code Using in Situ Drying Timelags of Feathermoss Duff in Interior Alaska
Drying timelag is a concept that derives from the logarithmic drying rate equation that is useful in classifying components of a fuel bed based on speed of moisture loss. It is used in the Canadian Forest Fire Weather Index System to calculate current moisture content from a previous value based on weather and environmental conditions. An understanding of how timelag varies according to the physical and hydrological properties of boreal soils allows a better interpretation of the DC in Alaska as well as the causes of its eccentricities.
Chris Moore, BLM-AFS - Fire Analysis in Alaska Guide
FMAC has been streamlining their Fire Analysis guides. Highlighted topics include: a 2020 quick reference fire analysis guide, FS Pro user guide, Fire Weather Index and fire behavior field guide, CFFDRS Fire Behavior Prediction Calculator, RAWS wind speed data, woody fuel moisture seasonality, and vegetation/landcover class and ecoregions