Valuable Map Tool for Looking at the Fires

Want to get a close look at the fires? Here’s the best that we’ve found for getting an idea of the locations of the fires. Daniel C. Barton, PhD, who is an Assistant Professor of Quantitative Population Ecology at Humboldt State University sent us the following information,

There’s a valuable resource available, GeoMAC, from the U.S. Geological Survey for wildland fire support that includes satellite data, detailed topo map baselayers, and current fire perimeters (if mapped… most of these aren’t yet). The viewer requires a little bit of tweaking to provide you with useful data: you’ll need to 1) navigate tohttp://www.geomac.gov/viewer/viewer.shtml then 2) zoom in to our region then 3) add the MODIS thermal data layer using the tool on the left. That’ll yield an image that looks like this the image posted below.

Capture

The GeoMAC Data Layer button provides a dropdown which allows different sets of information to be accessed.

Note that the MODIS thermal data is *satellite* data. It does not indicate exact areas burned, just pixels (and thus places) that appear hot to a satellite. Don’t make life or limb or property decisions based on this stuff, it’s a tool that is no substitute for on-the-ground safe observations by pro firefighters.

UPDATE 11:51 a.m.: In addition, there is a map giving information about wildfires across the nation here. For the most accurate information, look at both maps.  Here’s another that some people prefer. Click here.

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[…] Looking for ways to understand where the fires are located. Here’s an excellent map tool to look closely at where individual fires are in relation to lan… […]

TT
Guest
TT
8 years ago

This map is hot!
Thanks Kym and Daniel C. Barton.

Willy Nilly Farms
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Willy Nilly Farms
8 years ago

You guys are a godsend. Can someone please post a current screenshot of the fires just north west of Hyampom? Can’t get it to load on our phone here. Trying to chat up firefighters as they go by our next best chance at info. Thanks !

Evie Gustafson
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Evie Gustafson
8 years ago

Thank you! This is a great map site. You rock, KIM

Dan Barton
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Dan Barton
8 years ago

FYI the GeoMAC site has now been updated with mapped perimeters of many of the fires in our region, which is better data than the MODIS satellite stuff.

Dan Barton
Guest
Dan Barton
8 years ago
Reply to  Kym Kemp

The MODIS satellites complete an orbit about every 100 minutes, and there are 2. Data is processed and available to fire resources / the public a few hours after each pass. Lots more (non-technical) detail here: http://modis.gsfc.nasa.gov/data/dataprod/nontech/MOD14.php

Ben from Bellsprings
Guest
8 years ago

Folks: Lots of good, updated information on http://www.wildlandfire.com. zoom in on the North America Map on the home page. You will be able to use this feature like google maps. if you locate Humboldt county, you can zoom in on the fires in Alderpoint and Blocksberg. You will see updated maps on exactly where the fire perimeters are at time of mapping (sometime this morning).
Good luck.

Dan Barton
Guest
Dan Barton
8 years ago

That’s the same data (GeoMAC + MODIS satellite), with a different interface provided by ESRI. Direct link here: http://www.arcgis.com/apps/PublicInformation/index.html?appid=0c12ac1e89c24075a2be145f4db6caf5

TT
Guest
TT
8 years ago

Ben,With GeoMac did you notice the DATA LAYER ? Click it. It lets you toggle from Topographic maps/imagery/or street maps with a blink of the eye.

Joseph Elfelt
Guest
8 years ago

Here is a version of the GeoMAC and MODIS data that is (1) presented with a Google map interface and (2) includes wind forecasts from NOAA for roughly 6hrs, 12hrs and 24hrs ahead. The wind forecasts are updated 4 times per day.

When the map opens it is centered over the Rocky fire in California and the layer with the wind forecast in roughly 6hrs is turned on.

http://www.mappingsupport.com/p/gmap4.php?ll=38.901184,-122.423032&z=11&t=h,MODIS_thermal,Fires,Wind_in_6_hrs&q=http://www.mappingsupport.com/p/fires/wildland_fires_basic.txt

The data you see on the map comes from several federal GIS (Geographical Information System) servers. Each time you open the map you will see the most recent information hosted on those servers.

The circles and red dots are the MODIS data. This data is from satellites that sense heat. Not all MODIS data represents actual fire. For example, maybe the satellites have sensed a very hot plume of smoke that has drifted away from the fire.

Yes, there is a map legend. To learn how to turn data layers on/off and to see the map legend, click “About this map” in the upper left corner. The map legend is simply a graphic that is hosted on the GIS server. Also settings on the GIS server determine which zoom levels display data. I have no control over those settings.

Pan the map to see other fires. To use the search feature do Menu ==> Search.
To turn on Geolocation (on mobile devices) do Menu ==> My location.
To save your own custom map link, first make the map look the way you want it to look, then click Menu ==> Link to this map.

The map is displayed by Gmap4 which is an enhanced Google map viewer I developed. If you are curious to know more, here is the Gmap4 homepage:
http://www.mappingsupport.com/p/gmap4.html

Joseph, the Gmap4 guy
Redmond, WA

TT
Guest
TT
8 years ago
Reply to  Joseph Elfelt

Thank You Gmap4 guy!

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