Observed Canadian fire danger indexes

Updated 13:00 2013-05-09

Station °F RH P24I Wind FFMC DMC DC ISI BUI FWI
Agassiz 58 24 0.0 10 91.1 30.1 233.8 11.3 45.6 23.1
Badoura 52 65 0.0 11 85.9 18.3 105.0 5.8 25.5 10.3
Baudette 57 30 0.0 10 89.6 19.9 125.0 9.1 28.4 15.6
Bemidji 60 43 0.13 11 74.2 12.9 166.3 1.8 21.7 2.9
Bigstone 67 50 0.0 12 84.4 30.8 194.7 5.2 44.1 12.7
Brainerd 57 59 0.06 15 78.8 24.7 177.3 3.4 36.6 8.0
Camp Ripley/Little Falls 57 73 0.43 5 41.6 12.2 142.9 0.1 20.2 0.1
Carlos Avery 47 93 0.17 8 43.7 15.8 155.2 0.1 25.2 0.1
Cass Lake 55 52 0.18 7 63.7 13.2 129.3 0.9 21.0 0.8
Cutfoot 57 53 0.06 6 78.7 19.6 72.6 1.6 23.4 2.7
Detroit Lakes 63 44 0.0 9 89.6 21.7 147.7 8.4 31.7 15.5
Effie 56 45 0.19 8 65.8 11.7 102.5 1.0 18.2 0.9
Ely 50 53 0.0 9 88.6 28.6 77.0 7.2 29.6 13.3
Fernberg 52 42 0.02 6 87.3 19.9 61.3 4.7 21.9 7.9
Grand Portage 50 41 0.01 7 89.0 11.4 25.3 6.6 11.4 7.5
Hibbing 46 78 0.01 11 84.6 26.9 139.7 4.9 36.3 10.8
Hill City 47 80 0.0 7 84.0 30.5 104.0 3.3 35.2 7.5
Isabella 44 66 0.08 7 69.6 16.4 52.2 1.1 18.4 0.9
Itasca 59 49 0.12 7 71.8 14.7 50.8 1.2 17.0 1.0
Kelliher 59 35 0.0 11 90.9 20.0 191.4 12.0 31.7 20.1
Station °F RH P24I Wind FFMC DMC DC ISI BUI FWI
Litchfield 54 96 0.12 13 45.6 23.0 190.9 0.3 35.4 0.3
Littlefork 55 33 0.11 11 75.1 11.2 21.8 1.9 11.1 1.7
Meander USFS 55 33 0.1 7 76.4 18.4 60.1 1.5 20.8 2.1
MN Valley 60 85 0.14 13 58.9 15.2 61.0 1.1 18.7 1.0
Moose Lake 46 69 0.32 16 50.9 12.9 128.8 0.7 20.6 0.6
Mora 51 70 0.12 11 65.3 23.9 165.5 1.3 35.1 2.9
Orr 58 36 0.01 8 88.4 16.4 41.9 6.5 16.6 9.0
Redstn 55 100 0.42 13 2.6 4.3 168.6 0.0 8.0 0.0
Rice Lake 50 59 0.0 11 86.8 25.2 156.6 6.6 35.9 13.7
Roseau 54 25 0.0 17 90.6 25.6 165.0 18.5 36.9 29.5
Saginaw 46 70 0.0 11 85.7 44.9 156.9 5.6 52.3 15.0
Seagull Lake 54 36 0.0 11 90.6 22.0 74.6 11.5 25.4 17.5
Sherburne 49 86 0.17 8 49.7 21.0 163.3 0.3 31.8 0.4
St. Croix 45 84 0.33 6 38.1 15.5 167.5 0.0 25.2 0.0
Voyageurs/Kabnam 55 33 0.08 11 77.9 11.0 34.7 2.3 12.3 2.5

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.