Forecast Canadian fire danger indexes

Forecast for 13:00 2013-05-10

Station °F RH P24I Wind FFMC DMC DC ISI BUI FWI
Agassiz 61 44 0.0 18 89.7 32.6 239.1 18.3 48.7 33.2
Badoura 58 37 0.0 9 88.1 20.9 110.0 6.7 28.3 12.3
Baudette 58 39 0.0 16 89.6 22.4 130.0 15.1 31.3 23.6
Bemidji 56 38 0.0 11 84.7 15.3 171.2 5.1 25.0 9.2
Bigstone 60 42 0.0 4 87.0 33.4 200.0 3.8 47.1 10.4
Brainerd 56 37 0.01 6 85.7 27.2 182.2 3.7 39.6 9.1
Camp Ripley/Little Falls 57 38 0.12 3 58.4 11.3 144.5 0.5 18.9 0.4
Carlos Avery 58 40 0.05 2 64.9 18.3 160.3 0.6 28.5 0.7
Cass Lake 54 35 0.0 11 81.6 15.5 134.0 3.4 24.1 6.2
Cutfoot 54 33 0.0 11 86.5 22.0 77.3 6.6 25.7 11.4
Detroit Lakes 60 40 0.0 12 89.6 24.3 152.9 11.2 34.8 20.1
Effie 56 31 0.0 11 83.3 14.3 107.3 4.3 21.5 7.1
Ely 52 27 0.0 10 89.9 31.0 81.4 9.7 31.7 17.3
Fernberg 52 25 0.0 11 89.9 22.3 65.7 10.7 24.1 16.3
Grand Portage 42 32 0.0 9 89.0 12.7 28.8 8.0 12.6 9.4
Hibbing 54 29 0.0 10 88.7 29.4 144.4 8.2 39.0 16.9
Hill City 54 32 0.0 9 88.0 33.0 108.7 6.8 37.5 14.3
Isabella 47 28 0.0 11 83.1 18.2 56.1 4.1 20.1 6.7
Itasca 58 36 0.0 12 84.8 17.3 55.9 5.4 19.5 8.4
Kelliher 56 37 0.0 11 90.5 22.5 196.3 10.9 34.9 19.7
Station °F RH P24I Wind FFMC DMC DC ISI BUI FWI
Litchfield 59 40 0.04 1 66.5 25.5 196.0 0.6 38.5 0.9
Littlefork 58 29 0.0 13 90.2 43.7 119.8 12.5 45.7 24.9
Meander USFS 54 28 0.0 10 86.6 20.9 64.7 6.0 23.2 10.1
MN Valley 58 45 0.05 2 70.1 17.5 66.0 0.8 21.1 0.7
Moose Lake 54 34 0.15 7 61.6 10.8 128.3 0.8 17.8 0.7
Mora 57 36 0.18 3 60.6 18.2 163.0 0.6 28.5 0.6
Orr 55 31 0.0 11 89.5 19.0 46.7 10.1 19.0 13.8
Redstn 59 46 0.06 6 43.6 6.2 173.7 0.1 11.4 0.1
Rice Lake 54 38 0.07 7 78.9 25.6 161.3 1.8 36.6 4.3
Roseau 61 42 0.0 18 89.8 28.2 170.3 18.5 39.9 30.5
Saginaw 52 35 0.04 10 85.2 47.0 161.3 5.0 54.4 13.8
Seagull Lake 51 24 0.0 10 90.9 24.4 79.0 11.2 27.5 17.9
Sherburne 60 35 0.06 1 66.9 23.3 168.6 0.6 34.6 0.8
St. Croix 56 37 0.06 6 64.3 16.9 172.4 0.8 27.2 0.9
Voyageurs/Kabnam 54 35 0.0 11 85.9 13.3 39.4 6.0 14.4 7.9

Interpretation

The following chart is a statewide generalized fire danger rating chart for the Canadian Fire Weather Index. It is based on a five class danger rating system, i.e., low, moderate, high, very high , and extreme. The distribution is based on weather records from 1985 - 1998. Low days occurred 45% to 50% of the time, moderate - 30 %, high days - 12% to 15%, very high days occurred 7%-8% of the time, and extreme days were 2%-3%. This is not meant to be used as a staffing guide . Each area needs to look at its own weather data coupled with its fire occurrence data. For instance, if you have a drought code of 380, it does not mean you are in extreme fire danger. It means that the drought code only gets that high on 2% of the days between April 1 and November 1.

Index Low Moderate High Very High Extreme

FFMC

0.0 - 80.9

81.0 - 87.9

88.0 - 90.4

90.5 - 92.4

92.5+

DMC

0.0 - 12.9

13.0 - 27.9

28.0 - 41.9

42.0 - 62.9

63.0+

DC

0.0 - 79.9

80.0 - 209.9

210.0 - 273.9

274.0 - 359.9

360.0+

ISI

0.0 - 3.9

4.0 - 7.9

8.0 - 10.9

11.0 - 18.9

19.0+

BUI

0.0 - 18.9

19.0 - 33.9

34.0 - 53.9

54.0 - 76.9

77.0+

FWI

0.0 - 4.9

5.0 - 13.9

14.0 - 20.9

21.0 - 32.9

33.0+

Definitions

Fine Fuel Moisture Code (FFMC)

This provides a relative indicator of the moisture in the fine fuels. Like the 1 hour fuel moisture, it reacts directly with the air temperature and relative humidity.

Duff Moisture Code (DMC)

This is an index of the moisture of the loosely compact organic layers at a depth of 2-4 inches.

Drought Code (DC)

This measures long term dryness in the fuels. It is a longer term index than the NFDRS 1000 fuel moisture. It doesn't reflect the probability of fire occurrence by itself, but can be useful in predicting the level of mop up needed and the consumption of large fuels. It should be looked at in relation to peat fire starts.

Initial Spread Index (ISI)

This is based on the FFMC and the wind speed. It provides a relative numerical rating of the expected rate of spread. This is similar to the NFDRS Spread Component.

Buildup Index (BUI)

This index is based on the DC and the DMC. It provides a relative indication of the amount of fuel available for combustion. This is somewhat similar to the NFDRS Energy Release Component. It doesn't predict what a given day might be like, but does relate well to the dryness of the fuels.

Fire Weather Index (FWI)

This combines the BUI and the ISI to give a relative numerical rating of fire intensity. It can be compared to the NFDRS Burning Index.