Calculate Burned Area #
The Calculate Burned Area can be used for calibration and projection of burned areas. In calculating burned area, setting parameters should be done before we proceed.
First, on the left corner, click “Calculate Burned Area” from the drop-down menu of the FLAM tab. This will open the FLAM Parameters window, where the pre-determined parameters for calculating the burned area are displayed.
The parameters, u_max and m_e, are set based on empirical data and model calibration to reflect the conditions under which fires typically occur. The u_max value 10.8 represents the maximum potential area that can burn under ideal conditions of high wind and low moisture. The m_e value is the critical moisture level above which a fire cannot continue to burn. The value of 0.35 is chosen based on observations that, for many fuel types, fires are unlikely to spread if the moisture content exceeds 35%. These values were chosen to avoid unrealistic burned area predictions. Note that these parameters can be adjusted based on the specific fire behavior, vegetation type, and regional characteristics of the area being modeled.
Once the parameters are set, click Save and the FLAM Calculate Burned Area window will appear. For historical data or calibration of burned area, you can pre-load the configured input data by clicking the button at the upper right corner. It is important to review each input field carefully to ensure that the data being used is correct. If you are using the tool for projections, you will need to replace the historical input files, such as wind speed and moisture, with those that correspond to the future scenario. Make sure that all files match the desired period and scenario, whether historical or projection, to maintain consistency. Any discrepancies in time periods or file paths can lead to errors or inaccurate results.
In the first line, the Start Date and End Date fields require you to specify the time range by setting. For historical analysis, use the period for which you have consistent fire occurrence and environmental data, for example, from 2001-01-01 to 2014-12-31. For predictions or projections, choose a future period that corresponds to your scenario data.
Most likely, the AFEIM is initially configured using historical data. Therefore, when processing projection scenarios, you should double-check and modify the input data accordingly, especially for the wind speed, moisture, and burned area label fields. These inputs should be based on your scenario data. For the Probability of Fire (P), use the final P data you have calculated for the same scenario you are processing. Additionally, if you have proceeded with the Create Label Data process and have daily fire frequency data available, use it. If not, you can leave the daily fire frequency field blank. Once all the data fields are verified and correctly set according to your projection scenario, click Run to start the calculation process. The model will generate folders for each output type:
a: Represents the potential burned area for each pixel.
A_burn: Represents the actual burned area based on the model’s calculations.
q: suppression efficiency values for each time step.