• Lessons in the Overview Unit address questions such as: What is BehavePlus? What can it do? Does it suit your needs? Is there a need for you to continue with training to learn more?
• Some Overview Lessons are optional.
• The course manager can select lessons to suit specific needs.

The BehavePlus Overview and Update lessons are a good place to start.

Other lessons in the Overview Unit are optional.

1. Define the relationship of BehavePlus to other fire behavior systems: FlamMap, FARSITE, and FSPro.
2. Examine the relationship of BEHAVE to BehavePlus.
3. Describe the fire modeling capabilities of BehavePlus.
4. Discuss the future of BehavePlus.

1. List the changes from version 3 to version 4.
2. Review the information available on www.firemodels.org.
3. Register for News.

1. Relate the application of BehavePlus to various fire and land management activities.

1. Identify what kind of information you should know and where you find it.
2. Differentiate the relative role of models and user experience and judgment.

1. Locate the nine different modules of BehavePlus.
2. Examine input options for each module.
3. Identify the outputs available from each module.
4. Discuss the five stand-alone tools available in BehavePlus.

1. Demonstrate the modeling capabilities of BehavePlus that can be applied to prescribed fire plans.
2. Acknowledge the role of models and of experience.
3. Identify the users’ responsibilities for proper application of models with all of their limitations.
4. Show the table shading option of BehavePlus which can be used to examine tradeoffs that lead to acceptable fire conditions.

• The four lessons must be completed in order to develop basic skills in program operation.
• The lessons in the Introduction Unit are required. They are prerequisite lessons for the Operation, Modeling, and Applications Units.
• The focus of this unit is on program operation and not on modeling concepts.
• The lessons address button pushing, which is a small part of the BehavePlus skill set.
• These four lessons can be used as pre-work for an instructor led course.

Required lessons.

Can be used as pre-work.

1. Enter values in a Worksheet.
2. View the information available in the help window.
3. Calculate a Run to produce tables and graphs.
4. Change inputs and produce new tables and graphs.
5. Apply BehavePlus to examine the effect of fuel model, fuel moisture, wind, and slope on rate of spread and flame length.

1. Relate the various program options that change the worksheet.
2. Develop a new worksheet.
3. Save a worksheet.
4. Load a worksheet.

1. Identify the various ways to enter inputs on a worksheet.
2. Save a Worksheet with inputs as a Run.

1. Produce results for single and multiple values for input variables.
2. Associate the differences in tables and graphs for continuous and discrete variables.
3. Modify table and graph appearances through selection of row, column, and x-axis variables.
4. Change graph and table appearance.

• The lessons in the Operations Unit go beyond those in the Introduction Unit and cover additional features offered by the program.
• When necessary, prerequisites are identified in each lesson.
• Many lessons are optional.
• A course manager or user can select from Operation lessons to meet specific needs.

1. Examine the User’s Guide.
2. View the contents of the Variables Paper.
3. Define additional publications about components of the BehavePlus fire modeling system.
4. Describe the program’s help system.
5. Find help on the web site: FireModels.org.

1. Demonstrate some of the features of the program.

1. Develop and save worksheets with changes in modules, options, units, decimal display, and appearance options.
2. Define a worksheet as the startup worksheet.
3. Open example worksheets that come with the program.

1. Demonstrate linked modules.
2. Compare linked and unlinked runs.

1. Capture and insert portions of BehavePlus results into a Word document.
2. Complete the Description lines and Notes Section for documentation.
3. Associate the importance of including the header on each BehavePlus page and of always attaching a complete list of inputs with the results.

1. Describe the BehavePlus file structure.
2. Define the components of a workspace.
3. Create a new workspace.
4. Open an existing workspace
5. Create and save files in a new workspace: worksheet, run, fuel model, and moisture scenario.
6. Use Microsoft Explorer® to move files within the BehavePlus file structure.

1. Switch between English and metric default units.
2. Change units and decimals and save as a custom units set.
3. Save a worksheet with custom units set.
4. Apply the Units converter Tool to convert individual values.

1. Practice implementation of the table shading option in BehavePlus.
2. Define acceptable fire conditions within the program.
3. Produce and interpret tables with crossed out and blank values.

1. Export results as an html file.
2. Open the html file as a spreadsheet for further analysis.
3. Save the file as a spreadsheet.

• Lessons in the Modeling Unit address various modeling capabilities of BehavePlus.
• Limitations and assumptions of the models are given.
• Relationships of input values to results are shown.
• These lessons assume that the trainee has skills with program operation.

1. List the mathematical models that form the basis of BehavePlus.
2. Recognize the models that are combined to form a system.
3. Compare the relationship of mathematical models to BehavePlus modules.

1. List the assumptions and limitations of Rothermel’s surface fire spread model.
2. Describe the inputs for surface fire spread: fuel, fuel moisture, wind speed, and slope.
3. Practice calculations using the SURFACE module.

1. Describe the methods of describing surface fuel—53 standard fuel models (13 + 40), custom fuel models, dynamic fuel models, two fuel model weighting options, and two special case fuel models.

1. Identify the standard fuel models and their use.
2. Describe the basics of dynamic fuel models.
3. Compare many fuel models in one Run.

1. Use a previously saved custom fuel model.
2. Change a standard fuel model and save it as a custom fuel model.
3. Compare a new custom fuel model to an existing fuel model.

1. Apply the intermediate output variables in SURFACE to develop and test custom fuel models.

1. Define ‘dynamic’ fuel models.
2. Show the load transfer function.
3. Describe the direct entry of curing level.

1. Describe the proper application of weighting of two fuel models.
2. Relate three methods of two fuel model weighting.

1. Identify the difference between a ‘special case’ fuel model and standard and custom fuel models.
2. List input values for the P-G fuel model.
3. Show output variables for the P-G model.

1. Identify the difference between a ‘special case’ fuel model and standard and custom fuel models.
2. List input values for the western Aspen fuel model.
3. Show output variables for the western Aspen model.
4. Calculate aspen mortality.
5. Contrast aspen curing level to curing level for dynamic fuel models.

1. Contrast the relative influence of 1-h, 10-h, and 100-h dead fuel moisture.
2. Define characteristic dead fuel moisture.
3. Apply the live and dead fuel moisture input option.
4. Estimate fine dead fuel moisture using the tables.

1. Evaluate the role of live fuel moisture in the surface fire spread model.
2. Examine the effect of live herbaceous fuel moisture in dynamic fuel models.
3. Identify the guidelines for live fuel moisture according to Rothermel (1983) compared to curing level guidelines.
4. Explain the role of foliar moisture in crown fire modeling.

1. Define a moisture scenario.
2. View the fuel moisture paramters of a moisture scenario.
   
3. Describe application of moisture scenarios.
4. Set the BehavePlus input option to use moisture scenarios.
5. Describe the moisture scenario sets that are available in BehavePlus.
6. Use the Scott and Burgan (2005) moisture scenarios to compare standard fuel models.
7. Develop and save a moisture scenario.
8. Load and use a saved moisture scenario.

1. Discuss the effect of slope on surface fire spread.
2. Describe why slope steepness is not used in the calculation of crown fire spread rate.
3. Calculate slope steepness from map measurements.
4. Calculate horizontal map distance from ground map distance and direction with respect to upslope.

1. Relate effect of wind on surface rate of spread.
2. Compare 20-ft, 10-m, and midflame winds.
3. Interpret maximum reliable wind speed.
4. Examine variation of wind speed and gusts.

1. Distinguish the different methods of applying a Wind Adjustment Factor in a BehavePlus run.
2. Examine how Wind Adjustment Factors are calculated.
3. Identify the inputs required to calculate a Wind Adjustment Factor.

1. Change input options for the direction of spread and wind.
2. Compare the results of different direction option selections.
3. Develop and save worksheets and runs for the two wind direction options.

1. Show the variables that describe the overstory in BehavePlus.
2. Describe the role of overstory variables in various modules.
3. Compare stand vs. tree descriptions.
4. Judge reality vs. models.

1. Identify how crown fire is modeled in BehavePlus.
2. Set up a Worksheet to produce a crown fire run.
3. Interpret BehavePlus crown fire runs.

1. Define safety zone sizes.
2. Calculate safety zone size for surface fire and for crown fire.

1. Calculate scorch height from surface fire.
2. Compare the role of wind in flame length calculation and in flame tilt.
3. Describe calculation of tree mortality from crown scorch.
4. Demonstrate mortality calculations.
5. Discuss bark thickness estimations.

1. Calculate spotting distance from torching trees, burning piles, or wind-driven surface fire.
2. Calculate probability of ignition from a firebrand.
3. Calculate probability of ignition from lightning.

1. Describe estimation of the size and shape of a point source fire.
2. Show how the containment model works, using diagrams for understanding.
3. Illustrate the appropriate application.

1. Convert distance to map distances.
2. Calculate slope steepness from map measurements.
3. Define wind direction.
4. Tell how to determine aspect.