Driven to address the dangers brought by excessive heat and drought, the Western Fire Chiefs Association (WFCA) introduces Fire Map. The online tool provides near real-time information about active and recent wildfires within the western United States and Alaska.
As of late, wildfires have been wreaking havoc all over the United States. The destruction these fires leave in their wake is immense, and it’s important to be as informed as possible about them to stay safe.
Through Fire Map, the association aims to provide information about active and recent wildfires in near real-time.
“The WFCA is committed to [providing] an even deeper level of intelligence around wildfires as they happen,” Chief Mark Niemeyer, fire chief of the Boise Fire Department and vice president of the WFCA, said in a press statement.
To track the current path of wildfires, Fire Map pulls information from PulsePoint’s near real-time 911 dispatch call data. It also uses emerging and ongoing wildland fire location and boundary information from the feeds of the National Interagency Fire Center IRWIN.
The map is color-coded, with fire boundaries depicted in red, orange, and brown to represent active burning from the past 12 hours, 12-24 hours, and over 24 hours, respectively.
The WFCA Fire Map is a step in the right direction when tracking a wildfire’s path. This is the first of its kind to be mobile-friendly, allowing people to access the map from their phones quickly. Campers will find this especially useful when planning their next trip.
For the camping industry, the map means more than just receiving information.
“Having access to the WFCA Fire Map will allow campground managers and campers alike to receive information in near real-time,” Brent VanKeulen, Deputy Director of the Western Fire Chiefs Association, told Modern Campground in an emailed statement.
“The fact that you can pull up the map on your mobile phone adds another layer of accessibility and allows managers to make quick, life-saving decisions,” he added.
WFCA partnered with the US Forest Service, PulsePoint Foundation, and Mapbox to bring the project to fruition in an effort to save lives and land.
In the coming years, Fire Map will be further developed to include 3D and predictive mapping models, air quality and weather data, and text message notifications.
It must be noted, however, that while Fire Map is a valuable tool that will help keep people safe, data from the fire dispatch and location systems are approximate. Moreover, there is no representation or warranty as to the accuracy, timeliness, or completeness of the data.
Pursuing the protection of life and property, the Western Fire Chiefs Association represents career and volunteer leaders of fire-related emergency service organizations throughout its member states and the Western Pacific Islands.
To learn more about Fire Map, visit https://fire-map.wfca.com/. To learn more about WFCA, visit https://wfca.com/.