Model Input Details
FLAM (FlamMap)
FlamMap is a static model that gives a "snapshot in time" of predicted fire behavior outputs (i.e., rate of spread, flame length, fire type) under a constant fire environment.
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For more information about the model see the Desktop Application Help Guide.
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Fire behavior calculations produced with the command line applications developed by the Missoula Fire Sciences Laboratory, Missoula, MT.
To run the FlamMap model in the FMSF, there are two required inputs:
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A fuelscape GeoTIFF
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An input file
GeoTIFF
The Basic model requires a GeoTIFF landscape/fuelscape. The GeoTIFF is uploaded to the FMSF, prior to making a run request (see Upload a GeoTIFF), the <GeoTIFF ID> is used when making the model run request (see Run a Model).
The following bands must be present in the GeoTIFF in this order (additional bands may exist starting with #9):
|
Band # |
Band Name |
Units |
|---|---|---|
|
1 |
Elevation (DEM) |
meters |
|
2 |
Slope |
degrees |
|
3 |
Aspect |
degrees |
|
4 |
Fuel Model |
categorical |
|
5 |
Canopy Cover |
percent |
|
6 |
Canopy Height |
meters * 10 |
|
7 |
Canopy Base Height |
meters * 10 |
|
8 |
Canopy Bulk Density |
kg/m3 * 100 |
Current cell limits for FlamMap within the FMSF is 54,804,196. If you are unsure how many cells comprise the GeoTIFF you are using to run the model, Retrieve Minimum Model Run Resolution for a GeoTIFF can be used to determine both the cell counts and the minimum resolution the model may be run.
Input file
The various input and output switches included in the input file (*.txt or *.input) passed to the FMSF are documented in the following sections with the valid ranges for each switch.
Example FlamMap input file including all the input and output switches.
Initial Fuel Moisture Switches
FUEL_MOISTURES_DATA: 3
0 3 5 7 57 85
121 4 6 8 62 88
163 2 5 7 65 95
FUEL_MOISTURES_DATA: X where X is the number of initial fuel moisture data entries. Immediately following this line should be X lines of initial fuel moisture inputs.
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Valid range: 1-59
Initial fuel moisture entries must include the following six integers in order per line, space, or tab delimited:
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Fuel model number
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0 is required, this is the default moistures to use when a fuel model is encountered that does not have an entry in the input file
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Valid range: 0, 1-13, 101-109, 121-124, 141-149, 161-165, 181-189, 201-204
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1-hr dead fuel moisture content percent
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Valid range: 2-300
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10-hr dead fuel moisture content percent
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Valid range: 2-300
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100-hr dead fuel moisture content percent
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Valid range: 2-300
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Live herbaceous fuel moisture content percent
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Valid range: 2-300
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Live woody fuel moisture content percent
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Valid range: 2-300
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Wind Switches
WIND_SPEED: 3
WIND_DIRECTION: 290
SPREAD_DIRECTION_FROM_MAX: 0
GRIDDED_WINDS_GENERATE: Yes
GRIDDED_WINDS_RESOLUTION: 120
WIND_SPEED: X where X is the wind speed (mph).
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Valid range: 0-100
WIND_DIRECTION: X where X is the azimuth of the wind direction, plus uphill and downhill.
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Valid range: 0-360, -1 (uphill), -2 (downhill)
DEFAULT_UPHILL_DOWNHILL_DIRECTION: X where X is the azimuth of the wind direction.
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NOTE: This is required when WIND_DIRECTION: is -1 or -2, it is used to define the wind direction when the landscape is flat.
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Valid range: 0-360
SPREAD_DIRECTION_FROM_MAX: X where X represents the relative spread direction (azimuth) from the maximum.
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Valid range: 0-360
GRIDDED_WINDS_GENERATE: val where val is ‘Yes’ for generate gridded winds or ‘No’ for do not generate.
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NOTE: Gridded winds are calculated using the WindNinja model embedded within FLAM.
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NOTE: This switch will be ignored if the GRIDDED_WINDS_RESOLUTION is not present.
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Valid range: Yes, No
GRIDDED_WINDS_RESOLUTION: X where X is the desired resolution for the gridded winds in meters.
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NOTE: WindNinja requires a large amount of memory to run. To ensure runs are completed in a reasonable timeframe, the FMSF will adjust the GRIDDED_WINDS_RESOLUTION as needed. Initially, this adjustment will be 2 times the GeoTIFF landscape/fuelscape resolution. Subsequent FMSF adjustments to GRIDDED_WINDS_RESOLUTION may be required to keep the WindNinja grid below 1 million pixels. The GRIDDED_WINDS_RESOLUTION used to run the model can be found in the run metadata and in the input file returned when downloading the model outputs.
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Valid range: 30-10000
Canopy Characteristic Switches
FOLIAR_MOISTURE_CONTENT: 100
CROWN_FIRE_METHOD: Finney
FOLIAR_MOISTURE_CONTENT: X where X is the fuel moisture content in percent.
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Valid range: 2-200
CROWN_FIRE_METHOD: cfmethod where cfmethod is either ‘ScottReinhardt’ or ‘Finney’.
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Valid range: ScottReinhardt, Finney
Dead Fuel Moisture Conditioning Switches (Optional)
Conditioning dead fuel moistures is optional for FlamMap. When used, the following switches need to be present in the input file.
CONDITIONING_PERIOD_START: 06 04 1300
CONDITIONING_PERIOD_END: 06 13 1700
RAWS_ELEVATION: 6119
RAWS: 384
2012 6 4 0000 71 19 0.00 0 0 0
2012 6 4 0100 68 20 0.00 0 0 0
2012 6 4 0200 66 21 0.00 0 0 0
2012 6 4 0300 64 22 0.00 0 0 0
2012 6 4 0400 62 23 0.00 0 0 0
2012 6 4 0500 61 23 0.00 0 0 0
. . .
2012 6 19 2300 69 19 0.00 0 0 0
CONDITIONING_PERIOD_START: date/time where the date/time is the month, day, and military time (space delimited) for the start of the conditioning period. This is an optional input, if it is not supplied conditioning will start at the date/time of the first record following the RAWS switch.
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Valid range: MM = 1-12, DD = 1-31, HHRR = 0000-2400 (valid times within that range)
CONDITIONING_PERIOD_END: date/time where the date/time is the month, day, and military time (space delimited) for the end of the conditioning period.
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Valid range: MM = 1-12, DD = 1-31, HHRR = 0000-2400 (valid times within that range)
RAWS_ELEVATION: X where X is the elevation in feet of the RAWS (Remote Access Weather Station).
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Valid range: -1000-20000
RAWS: X where X is the number of sequential hourly weather data entries. Immediately following this line should be X lines of weather inputs.
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Valid range: >=1
Weather data entries must include the following 10 in order per line, space, or tab delimited:
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Year in the YYYY format.
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Valid range: Any
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Month in the M or MM format.
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Valid range: 1-12
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Day in the DD format.
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Valid range: 1-31
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Time of day (military) in HHMM format.
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Valid range: 0000-2400 (valid times within that range)
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Temperature in Fahrenheit at the time of the record.
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Valid range: -50-150
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Relative humidity as percent at the time of the record.
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Valid range: 0-100
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Hourly precipitation total for the hour ending at the time of the record in inches.
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Valid range: 0.00-10.00
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20 ft wind speed in MPH at the time of the record.
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Valid range: 0-150
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Azimuth of the 20 ft wind at the time of the record.
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Valid range: 0-360
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Cloud cover as percentage at the time of the record in percent.
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Valid range: 0-100
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Output Switches
FLAMELENGTH:
SPREADRATE:
CROWNSTATE:
MIDFLAME:
WINDVECTOR:
The FlamMap fire behavior model will produce up to 22 gridded outputs as well as a wind vector KMZ file. Some outputs are only created when gridded winds and/or dead fuel moisture conditioning are requested.
Outputs are requested by using the appropriate switch(s) in the input file (see the table for details). The order the switch(s) are listed in the input file correlate to the band order in the output GeoTIFF.
Grid outputs (part of the multi-band GeoTIFF)
|
Switch |
Output Layer |
Units |
Requires Gridded Winds |
Requires Conditioning |
|---|---|---|---|---|
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FLAMELENGTH: |
Flame Length |
meters |
|
|
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SPREADRATE: |
Rate of Spread |
m/min |
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|
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INTENSITY: |
Fireline Intensity |
kW/m |
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HEATAREA: |
Heat per Unit Area |
kJ/m2 |
|
|
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CROWNSTATE: |
Crown Fire Activity |
class* |
|
|
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SOLARRADIATION: |
Solar Radiation |
W/m2 |
|
Yes |
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FUELMOISTURE1: |
1 Hr Fuel Moisture |
percent |
|
Yes |
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FUELMOISTURE10: |
10 Hr Fuel Moisture |
percent |
|
Yes |
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FUELMOISTURE100: |
100 Hr Fuel Moisture |
percent |
|
Yes |
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FUELMOISTURE1000: |
1000 Hr Fuel Moisture |
percent |
|
Yes |
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MIDFLAME: |
Mid-Flame Wind Speed |
mph |
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|
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HORIZRATE: |
Horizontal Rate of Spread |
m/min |
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|
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MAXSPREADDIR: |
Max Spread Direction |
degrees |
|
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ELLIPSEDIM_A: |
Ellipse Dim A |
m/min |
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ELLIPSEDIM_B: |
Ellipse Dim B |
m/min |
|
|
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ELLIPSEDIM_C: |
Ellipse Dim C |
m/min |
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MAXSPOT: |
Maximum Spotting |
meters |
|
|
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CROWNFRACTIONBURNED: |
Crown Fraction Burned |
percent |
|
|
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MAXSPOT_DIR: |
Spotting Direction |
degrees |
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MAXSPOT_DX: |
Spotting Distance |
meters |
|
|
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WINDDIRGRID: |
Wind Direction |
degrees |
Yes |
|
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WINDSPEEDGRID: |
Wind Speed |
mph |
Yes |
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*Crown Fire Activity classes are ‘No Fire’ (0), ‘Surface Fire’ (1), ‘Passive Crown Fire’ (2), and ‘Active Crown Fire’ (3)
Non-grid outputs
|
Switch |
Description |
|---|---|
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WINDVECTOR: |
KMZ of wind vectors. Requires GRIDDED_WINDS_GENERATE: to be ‘yes’ |
Switches Not Currently Supported by the FMSF
The FMSF does not currently support all switches available within the FlamMap model. Those not supported are listed below.
CUSTOM_FUELS_FILE: Filename where filename is the name of the desired custom fuels file to use.
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The FMSF does not support custom fuel models currently.
WIND_SPEED_UNITS: X where X is the units of the WIND_SPEED: input (0 – MPH @ 20’, 1 - km/h @ 10m).
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The FMSF only accepts MPH
SPREAD_DIRECTION_FROM_NORTH: X where X is the azimuth to offset spread directions.
GRIDDED_WINDS_DIURNAL: val where val is either ‘Yes’ or ‘No.’
GRIDDED_WINDS_DIURNAL_AIRTEMP: X where X is the air temperature in degrees Fahrenheit.
GRIDDED_WINDS_DIURNAL_CLOUDCOVER: X where X is the percent cloud cover.
GRIDDED_WINDS_DIURNAL_LONGITUDE: X where X is the longitude in decimal degrees.
GRIDDED_WINDS_DIURNAL_DATE: mm dd yyyy where mm is the month, dd is the day of the month, and yyyy is the calendar year.
GRIDDED_WINDS_DIURNAL_TIME: ss mm hh tz where ss is seconds, mm is minutes, hh is hours, tz is time zone, indicates time zone offset from GMT.
GRIDDED_WINDS_DIRECTION_FILE: filename where filename is the path to an ASCII grid of wind azimuths.
GRIDDED_WIND_SPEED_FILE: filename where filename is the path to an ASCII grid of wind velocities in MPH.
RAWS_UNITS: X where X is either the string English or Metric indicating the units for the weather data in the RAWS section as well as the RAWS_ELEVATION.
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The FMSF only accepts English