Canadian Wildland Fire Information System Natural Resources Canada Canadian Forest Service Ressources naturelles Canada Service canadian des forêts

Canadian WildlandFire Information

System

Canadian WildlandFire Information

System

Natural Resources CanadaCanadian Forest Service

Ressources naturelles CanadaService canadian des forêts

Presentation OutlinePresentation Outline

• Forest fires in Canada

• Canadian Forest Service – Fire Management Systems

• The Canadian Wildland Fire Information System – What is the CWFIS– Data flow diagram– Benefits of the system





Forest Fires in Canada

Forest Fires in Canada

Forest fires in CanadaForest fires in CanadaAverage year in Canada:

• 9000 fires burn

• 2.5 million hectares burned

• $500 - $800 million spent on fighting fires



Forest fires in CanadaForest fires in Canada



Lightn ingPeople

35% of fires are caused by lightning while 65% are

caused by people.

87% of the area burned is from lightning-caused

fires.

Lightning

People

Fire cause

Area burned

Large fire occurrence in CanadaLarge fire occurrence in Canada



with most fire activity occurring in the

boreal forest.

There is large annual variation in the fire numbers and area burned



Canadian Forest Service

Fire Management Systems

Canadian Forest Service

Fire Management Systems

Northern Forestry Centre Northern Forestry Centre

To help understand and manage wildland fires in Canada, the Canadian Forest Service has been conducting fire research for over 80 years.

The Northern Forestry Centre in Edmonton is the principal centre for fire research in Canada.



CFS MandateCFS Mandate

CFS’ mandate is to:

• Conduct research on the protection, management and use of Canada’s forests and forest products;

• Develop, recommend and implement national forest policies;• Enhance market access for Canadian forest products around

the world;• Champion Canadian scientific and technological capabilities;• Build consensus and promote cooperation among national and

international governments and non-governmental organizations;• Gather, compile, analyze, coordinate and disseminate

information; and• Encourage public cooperation in the protection and wise use of

the forests.



CFS MandateCFS Mandate

Fire management systems group:

• Conduct research on the protection, management and use of Canada’s forests and forest products;

• Develop, recommend and implement national forest policies;• Enhance market access for Canadian forest products around

the world;• Champion Canadian scientific and technological capabilities;• Build consensus and promote cooperation among national and

international governments and non-governmental organizations;• Gather, compile, analyze, coordinate and disseminate

information; and• Encourage public cooperation in the protection and wise use of

the forests.



Fire Management Systems Fire Management Systems

The Fire Management The Fire Management Systems group at the Systems group at the

Northern Forestry Centre Northern Forestry Centre focuses on the focuses on the

development and development and application of current application of current

research into decision research into decision support systems.support systems.

Our national monitoring system is the Canadian Wildland Fire Information System

(CWFIS)





Canadian Wildland Fire Information

System

Canadian Wildland Fire Information

System

What is the CWFIS?

What is the CWFIS?

A web-based fire information system that monitors forest fire conditions and fire

occurrences across Canada.



The CWFISThe CWFIS

• Displays daily maps and reports of forest fire conditions across Canada

• Aids public safety and awareness

• Contributes to the development of science and technology



CWFIS – Fire danger monitoringCWFIS – Fire danger monitoring



Weather observations are routed through the Anik satellite to a GIS, which produces the fire danger maps for Canada.

Fire Monitoring, Mapping, and Modeling System – FireM3Fire Monitoring, Mapping, and Modeling System – FireM3



Daily monitoring of hotspots and smoke from wildland fires using NOAA AVHRR and MODIS satellite imagery in near real time.

CWFIS map products

CWFIS map products

• Fire weather• Fire behaviour• Hotspots• Regional satellite images



Fire WeatherFire Weather



Weather observations are interpolated and then used as inputs for the FWI system to produce fire danger maps.

Fire BehaviourFire Behaviour



Using the FBP system,

potential fire behaviour maps are produced

based on fuels, topography

and weather.

HotspotsHotspots



Large fires are detected and mapped using NOAA/AVHRR and MODISsatellite imagery in near real time.

Regional ImagesRegional Images



Regional satellite images feature views of major wildfire and smoke events in Canada.

Additional CWFIS featuresAdditional CWFIS features

30 year climatology – historical normals



Large fire database

Feature publications

Background Information

SummarySummary



The CWFIS is a fire information system with products made available through the Internet in near-real time.

It provides a national perspective of the fire danger conditions in Canada.

It benefits provincial and federal agencies as well as the general public.

Where do we go from here?Where do we go from here?

http://cwfis.cfs.nrcan.gc.ca



http://cwfis.cfs.nrcan.gc.ca/

Where do we go from here?Where do we go from here?

http://cwfis.cfs.nrcan.gc.ca



Thank you!Thank you!

http://cwfis.cfs.nrcan.gc.ca/

Documents

Canadian Wildland Fire Information System Natural Resources Canada Canadian Forest Service Ressources naturelles Canada Service canadian des forêts