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Canadian Forest Fire Danger Rating System

Canadian Forest Fire Behavior Prediction (FBP) System

Summary Information

The Canadian Forest Fire Behavior Prediction (FBP) System provides a systematic method of assessing fire behavior. The FBP System has 14 primary inputs that can be divided into 5 general categories: fuels, weather, topography, foliar moisture content, and type and duration of prediction. In the FBP System, these inputs are used to mathematically develop 4 primary and 11 secondary outputs. Primary outputs are generally based on a fire intensity equation, and secondary outputs are calculated using a simple elliptical fire growth model. The 4 primary outputs are fire Rate of Spread (ROS), Head Fire Intensity (HFI), Fuel Consumption (surface [SFC], crown [CFC] and total [TFC]), and a fire description code (surface, intermittent, or crown). The 11 secondary outputs are Flank and Back Fire Rate of Spread (FROS, BROS); Flank and Back Fire Intensity (FFI, BFI); Head, Flank, and Back Fire Spread Distances (HSD, FSD, BSD); Elliptical Fire Area; Fire Perimeter; Rate of Perimeter Growth; and Length-to-Breadth Ratio.

For detailed descriptions of the fuel types that are used in the FBP System, refer to the section FBP Fuel Types .

Data Characteristics

The FBP System is primarily empirical in nature; many of the relationships within the system are based on observations of actual fire behavior. A total of 495 fires are included in the FBP System database, of which 409 are experimental fires and 86 are well-documented wildfires. Experimental fires are generally small (0.3 ha), are intensively sampled by a team of researchers, and are usually conducted under low to moderate fire danger conditions. On the other hand, wildfires in the FBP System are usually large, high-intensity fires that have made major fire runs. Wildfires are never sampled as intensively as experimental fires; however, they do provide valuable information about many aspects of extreme fire behavior.

Structure

FBP System Fuel Type	FFMC, ISI, BUI, Wind Speed & Direction	Percent Slope, Up Slope Direction	Elevation, Latitude/ Longitude, Date	Elapsed Time, Point or Line Ignition
Fuels	Weather	Topography	Foliar Moisture Content	Type & Duration of Prediction
	Canadian Forest Fire Behavior Prediction (FBP) System
Primary Outputs			Secondary Outputs
Rate of Spread Total Fuel Consumption Head Fire Intensity Fire Description (Crown Fraction Burned and Fire Type			Head, Flank, and Back Fire Spread Distances Flank and Back Fire Rates of Spread Flank and Back Fire Intensities Elliptical Fire Area and Fire Perimeter Rate of Perimeter Growth Length-to-Breadth Ratio