NASA ARSET BAAQMD Training Fire Visualization Activity

September 10-12, 2013

Fire Products Visualization Activity

Explore the Fire Information for Resource Management System (FIRMS) website:

From the FIRMS homepage follow the link to the Web Fire Mapper.

  • Display fires for the last 7 days.
  • Zoom in on an area of high fire activity
  • Click on the “i” information icon and then click on an active fire to display information about the fires
  • Create a custom map for the period from June 20, 2008 to June 30, 2008.
  • Explore the information on the fires in Northern California during this period.

Visualize Fire Locations Identified by Satellite from the NOAA Hazard Mapping System

  • Click on the “(KML) Files” link near the top of the page, above the map.
  • A new webpage will open with a list of kml files for the past few months. Click on the “FIRE” link for today’s date and upload it to Google Earth.
  • Fire locations identified by satellites (MODIS and GOES) are represented by flame symbols. To see information about a fire, click on its symbol in the Google Earth map; a box will open with details about the fire.
  • Now, click on the “SMOKE” files. They provide a cartoon of the smoke plumes for the chosen day.
  • Explore the Interactive GIS HMS Product

Visualize Current Fire Activity from the USDA MODIS Active Fire Mapping Program

  • Click on the link that says “Download KMZ File,” which is under the map of Current Fire Incidents, on the right-hand side, next to the “Select a Fire” box.
  • Fire information is represented by a variety of different symbols. To remove a fire type from view, uncheck the appropriate box in the “Places” sidebar.
  • To see information about a fire, click on the symbol in the Google Earth map; a box will open with details about the fire. These files will NOT update automatically.
  • On the right hand side of the main page of the active fire mapping program is a link to a new

burn scar product. Follow this link and then download and display the KML file for July of 2011.

Fire Map Imagery from the Rapid Response Site

  • Scroll down and find the link to the global fire maps.

Display maps from the period from July 10 – July 19, 2011

or any period of your choice.

Experiment with maps of different resolutions.

  • Go back to the rapid response page.

Select “Hazards and Disasters” and then “Smoke Plumes”

  • Play with Worldview

Don’t forget that you can access older data by changing your system date.