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
Natural Resources CanadaCanadian Forest Service
Ressources naturelles CanadaService canadian des forêts
Natural Resources CanadaCanadian Forest Service
Ressources naturelles CanadaService canadian des forêts
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
Natural Resources CanadaCanadian Forest Service
Ressources naturelles CanadaService canadian des forêts
Forest fires in CanadaForest fires in Canada
Natural Resources CanadaCanadian Forest Service
Ressources naturelles CanadaService canadian des forêts
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
Natural Resources CanadaCanadian Forest Service
Ressources naturelles CanadaService canadian des forêts
with most fire activity occurring in the
boreal forest.
There is large annual variation in the fire numbers and area burned
Natural Resources CanadaCanadian Forest Service
Ressources naturelles CanadaService canadian des forêts
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.
Natural Resources CanadaCanadian Forest Service
Ressources naturelles CanadaService canadian des forêts
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.
Natural Resources CanadaCanadian Forest Service
Ressources naturelles CanadaService canadian des forêts
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.
Natural Resources CanadaCanadian Forest Service
Ressources naturelles CanadaService canadian des forêts
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)
Natural Resources CanadaCanadian Forest Service
Ressources naturelles CanadaService canadian des forêts
Natural Resources CanadaCanadian Forest Service
Ressources naturelles CanadaService canadian des forêts
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.
Natural Resources CanadaCanadian Forest Service
Ressources naturelles CanadaService canadian des forêts
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
Natural Resources CanadaCanadian Forest Service
Ressources naturelles CanadaService canadian des forêts
CWFIS – Fire danger monitoringCWFIS – Fire danger monitoring
Natural Resources CanadaCanadian Forest Service
Ressources naturelles CanadaService canadian des forêts
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
Natural Resources CanadaCanadian Forest Service
Ressources naturelles CanadaService canadian des forêts
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
Natural Resources CanadaCanadian Forest Service
Ressources naturelles CanadaService canadian des forêts
Fire WeatherFire Weather
Natural Resources CanadaCanadian Forest Service
Ressources naturelles CanadaService canadian des forêts
Weather observations are interpolated and then used as inputs for the FWI system to produce fire danger maps.
Fire BehaviourFire Behaviour
Natural Resources CanadaCanadian Forest Service
Ressources naturelles CanadaService canadian des forêts
Using the FBP system,
potential fire behaviour maps are produced
based on fuels, topography
and weather.
HotspotsHotspots
Natural Resources CanadaCanadian Forest Service
Ressources naturelles CanadaService canadian des forêts
Large fires are detected and mapped using NOAA/AVHRR and MODISsatellite imagery in near real time.
Regional ImagesRegional Images
Natural Resources CanadaCanadian Forest Service
Ressources naturelles CanadaService canadian des forêts
Regional satellite images feature views of major wildfire and smoke events in Canada.
Additional CWFIS featuresAdditional CWFIS features
30 year climatology – historical normals
Natural Resources CanadaCanadian Forest Service
Ressources naturelles CanadaService canadian des forêts
Large fire database
Feature publications
Background Information
SummarySummary
Natural Resources CanadaCanadian Forest Service
Ressources naturelles CanadaService canadian des forêts
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
Natural Resources CanadaCanadian Forest Service
Ressources naturelles CanadaService canadian des forêts
Where do we go from here?Where do we go from here?
http://cwfis.cfs.nrcan.gc.ca
Natural Resources CanadaCanadian Forest Service
Ressources naturelles CanadaService canadian des forêts
Thank you!Thank you!