Observed Canadian fire danger indexes

Updated 13:00 2013-06-06

Station °F RH P24I Wind FFMC DMC DC ISI BUI FWI
Agassiz 67 36 0.0 6 84.9 15.1 143.8 3.4 23.9 6.1
Badoura 56 78 0.01 4 38.1 4.5 69.9 0.0 7.8 0.0
Baudette 68 38 0.0 8 89.5 27.8 49.3 7.7 27.7 13.5
Bemidji 60 62 0.02 10 59.3 10.9 131.3 0.9 18.0 0.7
Bigstone 59 73 0.06 7 69.7 12.6 207.0 1.1 21.9 1.3
Brainerd 53 84 0.15 7 27.0 3.0 101.6 0.0 5.6 0.0
Camp Ripley/Little Falls 56 78 0.09 5 28.0 3.1 30.7 0.0 4.9 0.0
Carlos Avery 54 91 0.12 5 26.9 4.9 106.7 0.0 8.9 0.0
Cass Lake 58 68 0.18 8 42.9 6.3 85.7 0.1 10.6 0.1
Cutfoot 57 76 0.12 5 35.2 6.6 95.3 0.0 11.3 0.0
Detroit Lakes 62 58 0.0 7 60.6 6.9 63.2 0.7 10.8 0.5
Effie 55 74 0.02 4 50.0 9.8 149.0 0.2 16.9 0.2
Ely 54 76 0.0 7 83.1 13.7 82.4 2.9 19.4 4.6
Fernberg 56 70 0.01 3 81.6 23.7 122.6 1.7 32.0 3.8
Grand Portage 56 58 0.0 6 86.0 13.0 55.7 4.0 16.4 5.7
Hibbing 54 78 0.0 7 59.7 11.0 175.7 0.7 19.0 0.6
Hill City 53 82 0.09 5 30.9 5.6 88.6 0.0 9.6 0.0
Isabella 49 90 0.06 5 66.1 11.5 79.6 0.8 16.8 0.7
Itasca 59 66 0.11 5 41.4 5.5 38.4 0.1 8.0 0.0
Kelliher 58 65 0.05 7 59.3 11.4 221.8 0.7 20.3 0.6
Station °F RH P24I Wind FFMC DMC DC ISI BUI FWI
Litchfield 56 79 0.0 8 59.9 10.0 184.7 0.8 17.6 0.7
Littlefork 61 60 0.0 7 86.7 18.4 63.3 4.7 21.3 7.8
Meander USFS 53 77 0.06 4 70.1 14.0 56.8 0.9 17.3 0.7
MN Valley 55 96 0.22 6 31.9 8.5 66.2 0.0 12.9 0.0
Moose Lake 51 87 0.02 8 31.1 7.3 120.6 0.0 12.7 0.0
Mora 54 80 0.45 7 26.5 4.4 83.5 0.0 7.8 0.0
Orr 56 71 0.04 4 71.3 22.4 109.7 0.9 29.7 1.3
Redstn 57 89 0.0 7 56.5 5.6 209.7 0.6 10.6 0.3
Rice Lake 51 86 0.26 9 23.3 2.0 33.2 0.0 3.5 0.0
Roseau 69 34 0.0 13 89.9 18.9 85.7 12.1 24.3 17.9
Saginaw 52 80 0.04 9 43.6 6.2 18.3 0.1 6.7 0.1
Seagull Lake 57 60 0.0 7 87.0 19.8 104.3 4.9 26.8 9.2
Sherburne 54 85 0.03 5 67.7 26.1 184.4 0.9 38.6 1.8
St. Croix 54 83 0.46 4 22.5 4.0 119.2 0.0 7.3 0.0
Voyageurs/Kabnam 59 63 0.0 6 86.2 18.7 73.9 4.1 22.9 7.1

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.