Static Maps
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Image Archive
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Data
Archive
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NFDRS Fuel Model Map
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US48
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US48
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National Fire Danger Rating fuel models (Deeming and others 1977, Bradshaw and others
1984) have been mapped across the lower 48 states at 1 km
resolution (Burgan and others 1998). The
map was derived from a combination of satellite imagery used to
create a land cover database for the conterminous U.S. (Loveland and others 1991), and ground data
sampled from across the U.S. (Burgan and
others 1997, Burgan and others 1999).
The data are available under "data archive" in ArcInfo format. A
conversion can be made to a grid using IMAGEGRID and displayed in
ARCPLOT with GRIDPAINT using the nfdrfuel.clr colormap file. The
archive file also contains a metadata text file that describes the
projection information for the map.
Not all 20 NFDRS models were mapped. Fuel model E (hardwoods
after leaf fall) was not used. Only model R was used for hardwoods
because the live load can be transferred between the live and dead
vegetation classes as a function of changes in vegetation greenness
as observed from satellites. The slash fuel models (I, J, and K)
were not used because the location, extent and condition of
activity fuels changes relatively quickly.
To construct the fuel model map, ground sample data
was obtained from 2560 1 km square plots scattered randomly across
the U.S., and an NFDR fuel model was assigned to each plot. This
data, combined with the landcover class data and an Omernick
Ecoregion map, permitted counting the number of times a fuel model
was assigned to each sampled landcover class within each ecoregion.
A computer program was written to use these assignments to prepare
a preliminary NFDR fuel model map. This preliminary map was then
revised by having at least one person from each Forest Service
Region come to the Fire Sciences Laboratory to review the map. This
person was well versed in the location and extent of vegetation in
the region, and what NFDR fuel models best represent it.
It must be kept in mind that this map is intended for use to
assess fire danger across the continental U.S., not for fire
behavior assessment at any specific site. Without doubt various
individuals will disagree with fuel model assignment for certain
small areas, but the purpose of the map must be remembered --
rating fire danger across large geographic areas.