System Requirements

While FlamMap v2.00 is currently not as math intensive as Farsite, it typically will be used on much larger landscapes. And planned features in FlamMap will be very math intensive. Your choice of hardware will strongly affect its performance time, a more powerful computer will always work better. FlamMap v2.00 is mutli-threaded to take advantage of hyper-threaded processors. It also scales well so it can take advantage of any number of processors.

Computer systems for running FlamMap v2.00 are listed below in minimum, recommended, and performance categories. Advances in computer technology will alter these every year, with performance systems always at the very top end of available hardware. The major criteria in choosing a system is the size of landscapes to be analyzed. Landscapes in the order of tens of thousands of acres run in less than a minute on the recommended hardware.

Three D Viewing

To use FlamMap's 3-D window Microsoft DirectX 9.0b needs to be installed on your computer. This is a free upgrade and can be downloaded from http://www.microsoft.com/windows/directx/default.aspx. When you start FlamMap it checks to see if you have the correct version of DirectX installed. If not, you can still use FlamMap, just not the 3D feature.

Data Requirements

FlamMap uses the same spatial and tabular data as FARSITE, a Landscape (.LCP) File, Initial Fuel Moistures (.FMS) File, as well as optional Custom Fuel Model (.FMD), Conversion (.CNV), Weather (.WTR), and Wind (.WND) Files.

Landscape (.LCP) File Required Raster Themes

• elevation
• slope
• aspect
• surface fuel model (1-13 or custom
• canopy cover 

Optional raster themes for simulating torching and crown fire

• canopy height 
• crown base height
• crown bulk density

 Other non-raster data

A FARSITE format Intial Fuel Moisture (.fms) File is required. FARSITE format Weather (.wtr) and Wind (.wnd) Files are needed to use the optional conditioning period feature. Also, any custom models in the surface fuel model theme need a Custom Fuel Model (.fmd) File.