NWCG Geospatial Data Layer Standard

NWCG Geospatial Data Layer Standard

Data Layer Standard Name Wildland Fire Locations (point)
Status (DSTS Use Only) Approved
Next Anticipated Review
Review Expiration
Approved 9/9/2014
Name & Description
Geospatial Data Layer Name Wildland Fire Locations (point)
Abbreviation WildlandFireLoc
Description Wildland Fire Location Points represent the final spatial locations of the fire occurrences. Fire
occurrences represent the ignition points (preferred), the polygon centroids, or more
generalized locations (least desirable) when the ignition points are not known or not
available.
Version 1
Contact Information
Data Standard Stewardship NWCG Geospatial Subcommittee
Group
Data Standard Steward (POC) Skip Edel, National Park Service, skip_edel@nps.gov
General Information
Source Standard Draft Point of Origin Geodatabase model, http://gis.nwcg.gov/gdbStandard.htm
System of Record DOI ‐ WFMI, USFS ‐ FACTS, USFWS ‐ FMIS, NPS ‐ Fire Geodatabase, others
Additional Text Much of the work done on this standard occurred in 2010 and 2011. The draft data standards
defined at that time, the feedback generated by that draft, and the changes implemented
based on that feedback will serve as the basis for this standard.

Change Management Process Change proposals for this standard should be submitted to the
NWCG Data Standards and Terminology Subcommittee Chair,
http://www.nwcg.gov/branches/et/itc/subcommittees/subcommittees.htm
Discussion Papers Text A discussion paper was developed to provide background related to the Fire History and
Point of Origin data standards. Both standards are documented in a single discussion paper
to clearly illustrate the relationship between the features and their application in capturing
historical fire events for fire reporting purposes.
Discussion Papers File 1. Discussion Paper ‐ Point of Origin & Fire History GIS Data Layers.pdf 2. Point of Origin &
Fire History Data Model.pdf 3. NWCG ‐ Point of Origin GIS Data Layer Standard ‐ Draft.doc 4.
NWCG_WildlandFireDataModel_PointOfOrigin_FireHistory_9July2010.zip. Files are located
here: http://gis.nwcg.gov/gdbStandard.htm

Geospatial Data
Background Fire occurrence information is a key measure of the workload of the interagency wildland fire
program. The Wildland Fire Location point is the spatial representation of that information. A
common standard for critical elements is required for interoperability of systems.

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NWCG Geospatial Data Layer Standard

Abstract A single wildland fire event is represented by one wildland fire location (occurrence) feature,
representing the best known information about the fire origin. Additionally, there may be
zero to many related fire history features, which define the mapped wildland fire
perimeter(s).
Purpose To create a set of minimum attributes for data exchange of wildland fire locations and fire
occurrence information between interagency systems and by including related features, to
best model fire ‘on the ground’.
Data Model The Wildland Fire Locations feature class represents the best known information about the
fire origin. Data are stored in a geodatabase feature class. Related feature classes (Wildland
Fire Perimeters) are part of the overall geodatabase data model and will be addressed in
separate standard documentation.
Other Notes All attribute field names conform to existing NWCG or IRWIN data standards where possible.
To avoid redundancy, the NWCG geospatial data layer standard core attributes NWCGUnitID,
NFIRSUnitID and GeometryID are NOT included in implementation of this standard. The
attributes POOResponsibleUnit and FireOccurID provide that information.

Related Layers The Wildland Fire Perimeters (polygon) geospatial data layer standard is related to this
standard via a relationship class in the geodatabase.
Horizontal and/or Vertical Standards for horizontal and vertical accuracies are detailed in Geospatial Positioning
Position Accuracy Accuracy Standards; Part 3: National Standard for Spatial Data Accuracy (NSSDA),
http://www.fgdc.gov/standards/projects/FGDC‐standards‐projects/accuracy/part3/chapter3.
NSSDA does not define threshold accuracy values. Agencies are encouraged to establish
thresholds for their product specifications and applications and for contracting purposes.
Ultimately, users identify acceptable accuracies for their applications. Data and map
producers must determine what accuracy exists or is achievable for their data and report it
(document) according to NSSDA.

Horizontal and/or Vertical Data layer projection parameters should be documented in a .prj file (shapefile format) or in
Spatial Reference a geodatabase projection definition. Or, specify the projection parameters via an EPSG code
Information (example EPSG code 4326 = WGS84), http://www.epsg‐registry.org . Projection parameters
file should include applicable attributes as specified in the FGDC Standards Reference Model,
4.1.2.1.23.

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Geospatial Data Layer Standard Attributes & Attribute Definitions

Standard Name* Alternate Name Required? Data Type Size/ Description Values Related NWCG
Width Standard
MapMethod Map_Method Yes String 25 Controlled vocabulary to define how the geospatial GPS‐Driven; GPS‐Flight; GPS‐Walked; GPS‐Walked/
MapMeth feature was derived. Map method may help define data Driven; GPS‐Unknown Travel Method; Hand Sketch;
DataSource quality. Digitized‐Image; Digitized‐Topo; Digitized‐Other; Image
Interpretation; Infrared Image; Modeled; Mixed
Methods; Remote Sensing Derived;
Survey/GCDB/Cadastral; Vector; Other
DateCurrent DateCrnt Yes Date The last edit, update, of this GIS record. Example: Date
EditDate mm/dd/yyyy
RevDate
Comments Notes No, but String 255 Additional information describing the feature. Free text
GIS_Note recommended
FireOccurID IRWINID Yes String 50 Globally Unique Identifier (GUID) assigned to the spatial Globally Unique Identifier (GUID)**
PtOriginLnk record. Primary key for linking geospatial objects with
other database systems. Required for every feature.
(IRWIN, http://www.doi.gov/pmb/owf/irwin.cfm
required as IRWINID) Note: This field replaces
GeometryID, a required core attribute in all other
NWCG Geospatial Data Layer Standards.
UniqueFireIdentifier IncidentID Yes String 22 Unique fire identifier is the Year‐Unit Identifier‐Local Unique Fire
UniqFireID Incident Identifier (yyyy‐SSXXX‐xxxxxx). SS = State Code Identifier
or International Code, XXX or XXXX = A code assigned to
an organizational unit, xxxxx = Alphanumeric with
hyphens or periods. The unit identifier portion
corresponds to the POINT OF ORIGIN RESPONSIBLE
AGENCY UNIT IDENTIFIER (POOResonsibleUnit) from the
responsible unit’s corresponding fire report. Example:
2013‐CORMP‐000001
FireYear Fire_Year Yes Integer 4 Calendar year in which the fire started. Example: 2013
CalYear
POOOwnerUnit UnitIDOwner Yes String 6 NWCG Unit Identifier of landowner agency at the point Unit Identifier
of origin of a fire. (NFIRS ID should be used only when
no NWCG Unit Identifier exists). Example: CORMP

POOLandOwnerCategory OwnerAgency Yes String 7 Agency or entity having the land management BIA; BLM; BOR; DOD; DOE; NPS; USFS; USFWS; Foreign; Point of Origin
LandOwnerCat responsibility at the point of origin. Tribal; City; County; State; Private Land Owner
Category
IncidentName FireName Yes String 50 The name assigned to an incident; assigned by Incident Name
responsible land management unit. (IRWIN required
http://www.doi.gov/pmb/owf/irwin.cfm) Officially
recorded name.
PointType Point_Type Yes String 50 Description of the type of point. Ignition; Center; General; Unknown

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Geospatial Data Layer Standard Attributes & Attribute Definitions

Standard Name* Alternate Name Required? Data Type Size/ Description Values Related NWCG
Width Standard
POOResponsibleUnit UnitIDProtect Yes String 6 NWCG Unit Identifier (Code used in interagency Point of Origin
wildland fire to uniquely identify a particular Responsible Unit;
organizational unit (office administratively responsible Unit Identifier
for either managing incidents/projects, providing
resources, or providing logistical services) within the
government or a non‐government organization
recognized by NWCG as a wildland fire cooperator) of
agency with primary fire protection responsibility at the
point of origin of a fire. National Fire Incident Reporting
System (NFIRS) ID (ID which uniquely identies a non‐
federal organizational unit) should be used only when
no NWCG Unit Identifier exists. Example: CORMP Note:
This field replaces NWCGUnitID, a required core
attribute in all other NWCG Geospatial Data Layer
Standards.

LocalIncidentIdentifier FireNum Yes String 10 Local incident identifier (dispatch number). A number or Local Incident
SOFireNum code that uniquely identifies an incident for a particular Identifier
local fire management organization within a particular
calendar year. Field is string to allow for leading zeros
when the local incident identifier is less than 6
characters. (IRWIN required). Example: 123456.

SourceAgency DataAgency Yes String 7 Land management agency with responsibility for BIA; BLM; BOR; DOD; DOE; NPS; USFS; USFWS; Foreign; Land Owner
creating and administering the data. Tribal; City; County; State; Private Category
FireCause Cause Yes String 15 Broad classification of the reason the fire occurred Natural; Human; Undertermined; False Alarm Fire Cause Kind
StatCause identified as human, natural or undetermined. (IRWIN (Assigned)
Required attribute
http://www.doi.gov/pmb/owf/irwin.cfm)
IncidentTypeCategory EventType Yes String 2 Incident Type Category is a sub‐group of the Incident DF; FA; RX; NO; VF; WF; WU Event Category
EventCat Type Kind "Fire" that describes the types of incident or (plus additional
planned event to which the interagency wildland fire codes)
community responded to. DF (Debris/Product Fire), FA
(False Alarm, NO (Natural Out), RX (Prescribed Fire), VF
(Vehicle Fire), WF (Wildfire), WU (Wildland Fire Use)
(WU for legacy data only). (IRWIN Required attribute
http://www.doi.gov/pmb/owf/irwin.cfm)
FireDiscoveryDateTime DiscoveryDate Yes Date The date the fire was confirmed to exist or was reported Fire Discovery
as discovered (IRWIN required). Time zone should be Date & Time
documented in metadata.
Example: YYYYMMDDhhmmss.ss

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Geospatial Data Layer Standard Attributes & Attribute Definitions

Standard Name* Alternate Name Required? Data Type Size/ Description Values Related NWCG
Width Standard
FireOutDateTime OutDate Yes Date The date when all observable combustion has ceased or Fire Out Date &
there is no risk of the fire again becoming active and Time
requiring additional control or management actions. All
management activities directly relating to suppression
(including mop‐up), monitoring, or burning efforts have
concluded; however, there may be secondary
management efforts, such as burned area rehabilitation
or hazard mitigation, still in process. In this
implementation, the fire out date may also capture the
date on which the fire was enveloped in the scenario
where multiple fires have merged together. Time zone
should be documented in metadata. Example:
YYYYMMDDhhmmss.ss

SizeClass SizeClassCode Yes String 1 A code identifying the fire size based on number of A‐L Fire Size Class
acres within the final fire perimeter. The value entered
should reflect the final fire acre quantity. A (> 0 but <=
0.25 Acres), B (0.26‐9.9 Acres), C (10.0‐99.9 Acres), D
(100‐299 Acres), E (300‐999 Acres), F (1000‐4999 Acres),
G (5000‐9999 Acres), H (10000‐49999 Acres), I (50000‐
99999 Acres), J (100000‐499999 Acres), K (500000‐
999999 Acres), L (1000000+ Acres)
PerimExtant PerimExist Yes String 1 Identifies if a related wildland fire perimeter polygon Y; N
PerimPoly exists for the wildland fire location point feature.

FinalAcres ReportedAcres Yes Double Number of acres within the final fire perimeter polygon Final Fire Acre
of a specific, individual incident, including unburned and Quantity
unburnable islands. For fires that have a fire perimeter
mapped in GIS, the final fire size reported should equal
the fire size calculated from the GIS perimeter (wildland
fire perimeter polygon). Total should include 1 decimal
place. (ArcGIS: Precision=10; Scale=1). Example: 14.1

POOLatitude LatDD83 Yes Double The latitude location of the wildland fire location point Latitude
specified in decimal degrees. Target level of precision is
5 decimal places. Format: DD.DDDDD (ArcGIS:
Precision=11; Scale=5). Example: 44.44444

POOLongitude LongDD83 Yes Double The longitude location of the wildland fire location Longitude
point specified in decimal degrees. Target level of
precision is 5 decimal places. Format: ‐ DDD.DDDDD
(ArcGIS: Precision=12; Scale=5). Example: ‐144.44444

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Geospatial Data Layer Standard Attributes & Attribute Definitions

Standard Name* Alternate Name Required? Data Type Size/ Description Values Related NWCG
Width Standard
MergeID Merge_ID Yes, if String 50 For the scenario where multiple fires have burned Globally Unique Identifier (GUID)**
applicable together, this attrribute identifies that a merge
occurred and is the merged fire’s FireOccurID. Example:
Fire A (with unique FireID) and Fire B (with unique
FireID) become Fire C (with unique FireID). The
MergeID field is required for Fire A and Fire B and is
populated with Fire C's FireID.
ComplexID ComplexIRWINP Yes, if String 50 For the scenario where multiple fires are managed as a Globally Unique Identifier (GUID)** or other unique ID
arentID applicable complex, identifies the complex by capturing a complex
ID.
ComplexName Yes, if String 50 For the scenario where multiple fires are managed as a Incident Name
applicable. complex, identifies the complex name which this fire
perimeter was part of. Officially recorded name.

*Standard field names should be used for the core attributes when possible. Alternate field name suggestions are given to accommodate database conflicts and legacy datasets. Alternate name use should be documented in the Other
Notes section above.
** GUIDs are unique specially formatted numeric strings generated by a “GUID generation tool.” GUIDs can be generated at http://www.guidgenerator.com/

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