Prometheus is a deterministic wildland fire growth simulation model based on the Fire Weather Index (FWI) and Fire Behaviour Prediction (FBP) sub-systems of the Canadian Forest Fire Danger Rating System (CFFDRS). The model computes spatially-explicit fire behaviour and spread outputs given heterogeneous fuel, topography and weather conditions. All spatial outputs are compatible with Geographic Information Systems.
Users have considerable flexibility in how they provide inputs to the model. Ignitions can be specified as point, line or polygon. Weather streams can be provided in daily or hourly formats. Fuel and weather inputs can be easily modified with grid filters and patches to evaluate a variety of scenarios. Prometheus uses Microsoft's Common Object Model (COM) programming standard allowing easy integration with other software applications.
Potential Applications
- Forecasting wildland fire growth for operational decision support.
- Supplementing fire behaviour training and education programs.
- Providing forensic support for wildfire investigations.
- Planning prescribed burns.
- Studying the role of fire in establishing and maintaining landscape patterns.
- Assessing the effectiveness of alternative fuel management strategies.
- Providing spatial and temporal estimates of smoke emissions.
- Examining the impact of climate change scenarios on area burned.
Announcements
Prometheus 5.4.0 is now available for download. This version includes a spatial weather modeling option and numerous enhancements to the user interface. Slope and aspect are now calculated internally whenever an elevation grid has been provided. Backward compatiblity is no longer provided for FGM files created prior to version 5.0. Work is progressing on a new 2-D map view.