Overview

FireFamilyPlus is a comprehensive Windows-based program that analyzes and summarizes an integrated database of fire weather and fire occurrence.

• Introduction
• What's new in version 4.1?

FireFamilyPlus Introduction

FireFamilyPlus is a comprehensive Windows-based program that analyzes and summarizes an integrated database of fire weather and fire occurrence. It combines the functionality of the programs PCFIRDAT, PCSEASON, FIRES, and CLIMATOLOGY. FFP can be used to calculate fire danger rating indices and components, summarize both fire and weather data, and offers options to jointly analyze fire and weather data. The program can display data, compute values, and statistically analyze data in graph or report form.

• Uses of FireFamilyPlus include:
  • FireFamilyPlus can be used to compute indices and components of the National Fire Danger Rating System (NFDRS), and the Canadian Forest Fire Danger Rating System from weather climatology data.
  • FFP can summarize weather climatology to produce climatological breakpoints for fire management decision making.
  • Combining the fire occurrence record in the analysis displays the historical relationships between weather conditions and increasing fire occurrence which can be used to set fire business thresholds and track seasonal progression of Fire Danger.
  • Analysis of specific weather information helps in estimating fire potential for an ongoing fire’s continued growth. For example, analyzing the precipitation record can assess the likelihood of an adequate amount of rain occurring by specific points in time to slow or stop fire growth. Examining the wind record can help with determining the most likely direction for long term fire growth.

What's new in version 4.1?

A Term module (Weather > Term) has been added which duplicates the functionality of the Waiting Time functions in the RERAP program. Existing Term files can be imported into FireFamilyPlus and any number of files stored in the database. Files in the database can be edited or deleted. Finally results from the Event Locator can be used to provide initial dates for a term file.

Enhancements have been made to the Interactive Batch function. User Variables and Overlay Years are available and Existing Dates in the Working Set are now used instead of all available dates. Any changes to the Working Sets in Interactive Batch mode are saved in the active working set.

• Error fixes include:
  • Multiple FW9 Files can now be imported.
  • State Fire Cause Codes have been corrected.
  • NFDR Calculations now allow corrected green up at certain warm climate stations where X1000 was previously not reset to FM1000.
  • Finally, view Observations Window is now MDI and can be minimized.