Fuel

Subject: NE Fuel Disturbance 2010 (FDIST10) was updated due to a processing error.

Users are advised to delete local copies of this layer downloaded prior to October 19, 2016 and download the updated version.

Subject: Updates to LANDFIRE 2012 Alaska canopy layers

Date: June 2, 2015

Reason for alert: An issue occurred in the canopy values for Boreal Floodplain Existing Vegetation Type (EVT) 2763.

LANDFIRE version(s): LANDFIRE 2012 (1.3.0)

Updated product(s) or information: The following LANDFIRE 2012 (LF 1.3.0) Alaska canopy layers were updated:

Problem or issue description: When the canopy values for Boreal Floodplain Existing Vegetation Type (EVT) 2763 were calibrated they were two EVT's - 2014 and 2015 - and both had a canopy value of 0. However, these two EVT's were aggregated into one - EVT 2763 - with three lifeforms and the 0 canopy value was retained for LF National through LF 2012. Tree pixels with an EVC were not assigned CC because of the 0 canopy value. This issue has been corrected in LF 2012 for CC, CH, CBH, and CBD.

Advice to users: Users are advised to delete local copies of these layers downloaded prior to June 1, 2015 and download the updated versions. We regret any inconvenience this may cause. Please contact the LANDFIRE Help Desk with any questions.

LANDFIRE 2012 (LF_1.3.0) layers for the Northwest (NW) GeoArea were updated 4/9/2015 with corrected input layers. Updated layers include:
Existing Vegetation Type (EVT)
Existing Vegetation Height (EVH)
Existing Vegetation Cover (EVC)
Canopy Bulk Density (CBD)
Canopy Base Height (CBH)
Canopy Cover (CC)
Canopy Height (CH)
Fire Behavior Fuel Models 13/40 (FBFM13/40)
Disturbance 2012 (D2012)
Fuel Disturbance 2012 (FDIST2012)
Vegetation Disturbance 2012 (VDIST2012)
Vegetation Transition Magnitude (VTM2012)

Users are advised to download the updated versions and delete local copies of these layers that were downloaded prior to April 8, 2015. We regret any inconvenience this may cause.

LANDFIRE 2008 (LF_1.1.0) Fire Behavior Fuel Models 40 (FBFM40) for Hawaii, zone 79, was updated 6/5/12. The FBFM40 layer was updated due to an updated disturbance layer.

Users are advised to delete local copies of these layers downloaded prior to June 5, 2012 and download the updated versions. We regret any inconvenience this may cause.

LANDFIRE 2008 (LF_1.1.0) fuel layers for zones 10, 19, 41, 37, 46, 48, 54, 98, and 99 are updated 5/1/12. The fuel layers were updated due to corrected input layers. Updated layers are Canopy Bulk Density (CBD), Canopy Base Height (CBH), Canopy Cover (CC), Canopy Height (CH), Fire Behavior Fuel Models 13/40 (FBFM13/40), and Fuel Characteristic Classification System Fuelbeds (FCCS).

Users are advised to delete local copies of these layers downloaded prior to May 1, 2012 and download the updated versions. We regret any inconvenience this may cause.

Fuel Loading Models (FLM) versions 1.0.5/1.1.0 (Refresh 2001/2008) for the Southeast (SE) GeoArea are updated as of 1/30/12. LF_1.0.5/1.1.0 was delivered incrementally over the course of a year beginning in April 2010 with the SE GeoArea (zones 37, 46, 48, 54, 55, 56, 98, and 99). Remaining GeoAreas were completed over the course of the next eighteen months and methods for completing these data were refined, including improved agricultural, urban, and riparian/wetland mapping. LANDFIRE has now implemented these refinements in the SE GeoArea.

Users are advised to delete local copies of the FLM layer for the SE GeoArea LF_1.0.5/1.1.0 downloaded prior to 1/30/12 and download the updated versions. We regret any inconvenience this may cause.

A problem with LF_1.1.0 (Refresh 2008) zone 7 was recently identified. Areas in zone 7 were misclassified, affecting six fuel layers:

zone 7 LF_1.1.0
Canopy Bulk Density (CBD)
Canopy Base Height (CBH)
Canopy Cover (CC)
Canopy Height (CH)
13 Anderson Fire Behavior Fuel Models (FBFM13)
40 Scott & Burgan Fire Behavior Fuel Models (FBFM40)

Users are advised to delete any local copies of these layers downloaded prior to 12-20-11 and download the current versions. We regret any inconvenience this may cause.

A problem with LF_1.0.5 (Refresh 2001) zone 30 was recently identified. Areas in zone 30 were misclassified, affecting two fuel layers:

zone 30 LF_1.0.5
13 Anderson Fire Behavior Fuel Models (FBFM13)
40 Scott & Burgan Fire Behavior Fuel Models (FBFM40)

Users are advised to delete any local copies of these layers downloaded prior to 12-20-11 and download the current versions. We regret any inconvenience this may cause.

Fuel layers for the Southeast (SE) GeoArea versions 1.0.5/1.1.0 (Refresh 2001/2008) are updated as of 12-20-11. LF_1.0.5/1.1.0 was delivered incrementally over the course of a year beginning in April 2010 with the SE GeoArea (zones 37, 46, 48, 54, 55, 56, 98, and 99). Remaining GeoAreas were completed over the course of the next eighteen months. Methods for completing these data were refined, including improved agricultural, urban, and riparian/wetland mapping. LANDFIRE implemented these refinements in the SE GeoAreas.

The updated LF_1.0.5/1.1.0 fuel layers for the SE GeoArea include:

Canopy Bulk Density (CBD)
Canopy Base Height (CBH)
Canopy Cover (CC)
Canopy Height (CH)
13 Anderson Fire Behavior Fuel Model s (FBFM13)
40 Scott and Burgan Fire Behavior Fuel Models (FBFM40)
Fuel Characteristic Classification System Fuelbeds (FCCS)

Users are advised to delete local copies of these SE GeoArea LF_1.0.5/1.1.0 layers downloaded prior to 12-20-11 and download the updated versions. We regret any inconvenience this may cause.

A minor problem was recently identified with Canopy Bulk Density, Canopy Base Height, Canopy Cover, and Canopy Height for map zone 60. While affected acreage is small, users are advised to delete any local copies of these four layers downloaded prior to August 3, 2011 and download the updated versions. We regret any inconvenience this may have caused.

A problem with LF_1.1.0 (Refresh 2008) zones 1 - 25, 28 - 31, 39 -41 was recently identified. Areas in mechanical disturbances were misclassified. Affected layers include: Canopy Bulk Density, Canopy Base Height, Canopy Cover, Canopy Height, 13 Anderson Fire Behavior Fuel Models, 40 Scott & Burgan Fire Behavior Fuel Models, and Fuel Characteristic Classification System Fuelbeds. While the affected acreage varies depending on the amount of mechanical disturbance found in any given zone, users are advised to delete any local copies of these layers downloaded prior to May 12, 2011 and download the current versions. We regret any inconvenience this may cause. To read an expanded explanation concerning this Vegetation Transition Error click here.

The following fuel layers for zone 79 were updated February 23, 2011 to reflect the changes made during a recent vegetation/ fuel workshop in Honolulu, Hawaii: Canopy Bulk Density, Canopy Base Height, Canopy Cover, Canopy Height, 13 Anderson Fire Behavior Fuel Models, and 40 Scott & Burgan Fire Behavior Fuel Models. Users are strongly encouraged to use this updated version of the fuel suite.

The first version of the Aspect layer for Hawaii, mapping zone 79, was delivered on the National Map in a binned format. Users are advised to delete any local copies of this layer downloaded prior to April 29, 2010 and download the updated unbinned version as of April 29, 2010. We regret any inconvenience this may have caused.

The following fuel layers for zones 42, 47, 49, 52, 53, 57, and 59 were updated 09/29/09 to reflect the changes made during our most recent fuel calibration exercise held in Marion, Illinois and London, Kentucky: Canopy Bulk Density, Canopy Base Height, Canopy Cover, Canopy Height, 13 Anderson Fire Behavior Fuel Models, and 40 Scott & Burgan Fire Behavior Fuel Models. Users are strongly encouraged to use this updated version of the fuel suite.

The following fuel layers for zones 31, 32, 35, 36, 38, 38, 40, and 43 were updated 08/20/09 to reflect the changes made during our most recent fuel calibration exercise held in Decatur, TX and Pierre, SD: Canopy Bulk Density, Canopy Base Height, Canopy Cover, Canopy Height, 13 Anderson Fire Behavior Fuel Models, and 40 Scott & Burgan Fire Behavior Fuel Models. Users are strongly encouraged to use this updated version of the fuel suite.

The following fuel layers for zones 12, 16, 17, and 23 were updated July 21, 2009 to reflect the changes made during our most recent fuel calibration exercise held in Salt Lake City, UT: Canopy Bulk Density, Canopy Base Height, Canopy Cover, Canopy Height, 13 Anderson Fire Behavior Fuel Models, and 40 Scott & Burgan Fire Behavior Fuel Models. Users are strongly encouraged to use this updated version of the fuel suite.

The following fuel layers for zones 14, 15, 24, and 28 were updated June 19, 2009 to reflect the changes made during our most recent fuel calibration exercise held in Phoenix, AZ: Canopy Bulk Density, Canopy Base Height, Canopy Cover, Canopy Height, 13 Anderson Fire Behavior Fuel Models, and 40 Scott & Burgan Fire Behavior Fuel Models. Users are strongly encouraged to use this updated version of the fuel suite.

The following fuel layers for zones 10, 18, 19, 37, 44, 45, 46, 48, 54, 98, and 99 were updated to reflect the changes made during the most recent fuel calibration workshops held in Missoula, MT; Atlanta, GA; and Jackson, MS: Canopy Bulk Density, Canopy Base Height, Canopy Cover, Canopy Height, 13 Anderson Fire Behavior Fuel Models, and 40 Scott & Burgan Fire Behavior Fuel Models. Users are strongly encouraged to use these updated versions of the fuel suite.

The following fuel layers for zones 60, 61, 62, 63, 64, 65, and 66 were updated December 22, 2008, to reflect the changes made during our most recent fuel calibration exercise held in Pennsylvania and New Hampshire: Canopy Bulk Density, Canopy Base Height, Canopy Cover, Canopy Height, 13 Anderson Fire Behavior Fuel Models, and 40 Scott & Burgan Fire Behavior Fuel Models. Users are strongly encouraged to use this updated version of the fuel suite.

A problem was recently identified with the Canopy Bulk Density (cbd) layer for mapping zones 26, 33, and 34. Development of cbd was mistakenly inconsistent with surrounding zones and has been subsequently reprocessed to maintain inter-zone consistency. Users are advised to delete any local copies of this layer for these three zones and download the updated versions as of October 20, 2008. We regret any inconvenience this may have caused.

The following fuel layers for zones 41, 50 and 51 were updated spring 2008 to reflect the changes made during our most recent fuel calibration exercise held in Minneapolis, Minnesota: Canopy Bulk Density, Canopy Base Height, Canopy Cover, Canopy Height, 13 Anderson Fire Behavior Fuel Models, and 40 Scott & Burgan Fire Behavior Fuel Models. Users are strongly encouraged to use this updated version of the fuel suite.

The following fuel layers for zones 55, 56 and 58 were updated winter 2008 to reflect the changes made during our most recent fuel calibration exercise held in Lake City, Florida and Charleston, South Carolina: Canopy Bulk Density, Canopy Base Height, Canopy Cover, Canopy Height, 13 Anderson Fire Behavior Fuel Models, and 40 Scott & Burgan Fire Behavior Fuel Models. Users are strongly encouraged to use this updated version of the fuel suite.

A problem was recently identified with the Aspect layer from Mapping Zone 41. The original version of Aspect was missing Isle Royale in the northeastern region of the zone. Aspect was recalculated to include the island. Customers are advised to delete any local copies of this Aspect layer downloaded prior to March 21, 2008, and download the current version. We regret any inconvenience this may have caused.

The following fuel layers for zones 25, 26, 27, 33 and 34 were recently updated to reflect the changes made during our most recent fuel calibration exercise held in Albuquerque, New Mexico: Canopy Bulk Density, Canopy Base Height, Canopy Cover, Canopy Height, 13 Anderson Fire Behavior Fuel Models, and 40 Scott & Burgan Fire Behavior Fuel Models. Users are strongly encouraged to use this updated version of the fuel suite.

The following fuel layers for zones 9 and 24 were updated July 20, 2007 to include canopy characteristics changes: Canopy Bulk Density, Canopy Base Height, Canopy Cover, Canopy Height, 13 Anderson Fire Behavior Fuel Models, and 40 Scott & Burgan Fire Behavior Fuel Models. Affected acreage is small. Users are encouraged to use this updated version of the fuel suite.

The following fuel layers for zones 29 and 30 were updated July 20, 2007 to reflect the changes made during our most recent fuel calibration exercise held in Rapid City, South Dakota: Canopy Bulk Density, Canopy Base Height, Canopy Cover, Canopy Height, 13 Anderson Fire Behavior Fuel Models, and 40 Scott & Burgan Fire Behavior Fuel Models. Users are strongly encouraged to use this updated version of the fuel suite.

A minor problem was recently identified with the Canopy Bulk Density and Canopy Base Height layers for mapping zones 55 and 29. Users are advised to delete any local copies of these two layers downloaded prior to July 3, 2007 and download the current versions. We regret any inconvenience this may have caused.

All updated fuel layers for the western mapping zones are available as of May 31, 2007. These updates were conducted to: 1) implement all refinements identified during the calibration workshops, 2) update the fuel layers in response to planned revisions of vegetation products, 3) include data from more plots in the formulation of canopy fuel products, 4) include key deciduous species in the formulation of canopy fuel products, and 5) leverage a new exotics data product to identify annual grasses pervasive throughout much of the western United States.

For more information, please visit the Fire Behavior Fuel Model Calibration page.