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Fireline Intensity

Not all fires burn the same. Fireline Intensity shows how intense a fire front is, helping teams gauge risk and plan smarter. Here’s how it works in WFS.

What Is Fireline Intensity?

  • Definition: Fireline intensity (also known as Byram’s Fireline Intensity) quantifies the rate of energy release per unit length of the active fire front, expressed in kW/m (kilowatts per meter).
  • Why it matters: It is a good predictor  of how difficult a fire will be to suppress,  the higher the value, the more extreme the fire behavior.

 How Is Fireline Intensity Used in Operations?

  • 🔄 Helps determine resource allocation (e.g. air support vs ground crews).
  • 🚫 Thresholds (eg., 10,000 kW/m+) often indicate fires are unsuppressible with direct attack.
  • 🧭 Used to prioritize simultaneous fires during surge periods.

fire intensity

Can Fireline Intensity Be Measured from Space?

  • Yes: indirectly, via satellite-derived Fire Radiative Power (FRP) and rate of spread
  • FRP (in MW) quantifies the energy a fire is radiating; while not the same as fireline intensity, it's correlated.

Fireline Intensity in Cluster Details

WFS displays Byram’s Fireline Intensity (kW/m) directly in the Cluster Details panel, helping you assess how intense and difficult a fire may be to control.

  • What it shows:
    • Max fireline intensity observed (from VIIRS)
    • Intensity evolution chart over time
  • Why it matters:
    Helps teams quickly gauge operational risk, anticipate suppression difficulty, and prioritize high-risk fires.
  • How it works:
    Combines Fire Radiative Power (FRP) with an estimated Rate of Spread (ROS) to calculate energy released per meter of fire front.

fireline intensity 2fireline intensity3

Note: 🧪 This feature is in BETA and available to all users.

 FAQs

  • Can I download intensity maps?
     Not yet, but you can download FRP-based hotspot data and visualize intensity trends per cluster.
  • How do I know if a fire is getting stronger?
     Watch the FRP chart over time in the Cluster Panel. Rising values indicate intensifying flames.

🎯 Conclusion

Understanding and acting on fire intensity means smarter suppression, safer crews, and better use of limited resources. WFS gives you the tools to monitor this in real-time even in remote regions or at night.