Non-LANDFIRE Data: California Landscape Data v 082710

Last updated on 8/16/2011 11:40:45 AM.

Introduction

WFDSS uses the aspect, slope, elevation, fuel model, canopy cover, canopy base height (CBH), canopy bulk density (CBD), and stand height layers to a create landscape file that displays fuels, topography and canopy information simultaneously. Landscape data can be viewed for any point on a map display by clicking the Info sub-tab > selecting the tool > and then clicking on the landscape. The default Landscape Data Source for incidents is the most current source available, but this can be changed for an incident on the Incident Information tab.

Landscape data in WFDSS is sourced from LANDFIRE and a multi-partner wildland fire and wildland fuel mapping project in the state of California. All values are measured with the metric system:

Variable	Unit of Measure
aspect	degrees
slope	degrees
elevation	meters
canopy base height	meters
canopy bulk density	kg/m3
canopy cover	percent
stand height	meters

The California landscape 2010 data set is an annual, multi-partner wildland fire and wildland fuel mapping project within the state of California. The California fuels data are supported by the California Fire and Resource Assessment Program (FRAP), US Department of Agriculture (USDA) Forest Service Region 5 Fire and Aviation Management, the US Department of Interior (US DOI) Bureau of Land Management and DOI National Park Service. California fuel data tasks are completed by the USDA Region 5 Remote Sensing Lab.

Non-LANDFIRE Data: California Landscape Data 2010

The California Landscape 2010 fuel data describe the composition and characteristics of both surface and canopy fuel. Specific products include the following:

• 40 fire behavior fuel models (Scott and Burgan 2005)
• canopy bulk density (CBD)
• canopy base height (CBH)
• canopy cover (CC)
• canopy height (CH)

The California Landscape 2010 is not the same as the LANDFIRE data. These data use the annually updated, comprehensive CALVEG (Classification and Assessment with LANDSATTM of Visible Ecological Groupings) vegetation data (http://www.fs.fed.us/r5/rsl/projects/mapping/accuracy.shtml) to classify fuels. The extent of this landscape includes California and some adjacent areas of Nevada, Oregon, and the Californian Islands. Slope, aspect, and elevation are provided by the EROS data center to create a complete landscape file.

Canopy fuel algorithms from the Fire and Fuels Extension of the Forest Vegetation Simulator (FFE-FVS) were used to compute canopy bulk density (CBD), canopy base height (CBH), canopy cover (CC), and canopy height (CH). Areas on U.S. Forest Service lands apply Forest Inventory and Analysis (FIA) plots computed with FFE-FVS. Canopy values are modified based on disturbance severity recorded in the Forest Service Activity Tracking System (FACTS) database. Non-Forest Service areas use values from LANDFIRE National v1.0.0.

• Canopy bulk density (CBD) values may be reduced from their initial computed values, depending on the severity of the disturbance (as recorded in FACTS).
• Canopy Base Height (CBH) values may be increased from its initially computed value based on disturbance severity (as recorded in the FACTS database).
• Canopy cover (CC) values may be decreased based on disturbance severity (as recorded in the FACTS database). Canopy cover is automatically capped at 60% for the entire dataset, although there still may be some canopy cover values in excess of 60% where LANDFIRE is used to supplement the data.
• Canopy Height (CH) values may be increased or reduced from its initially computed value depending on the severity of the disturbance.

Only the 40 fire behavior fuel models (Scott and Burgan 2005) are used in this landscape. Fuel model data were cross-walked from the CalVeg data set (vegetation type, size, density), aspect (wet & dry), and four elevation classes. After assignment, the fuel models may have been modified based on fire history, burn severity, mortality, timber harvesting, or the disturbance severity data from the FACTS database.

• No custom fuel models are included with these data.
• Non-burnable fuels are denoted by values 91, 92, 93, 98 and 99, which characterize urban/developed, snow/ice, agriculture, water, and bare ground, respectively.
• Burnable fuel models in California include 101, 102, 104, 107, 121, 121, 122, 141, 142, 145, 147, 161, 164, 165, 181, 182, 183, 184, 185, 186, 187, 188, 189, 201, and 202.