What is WFDSS?
The Wildland Fire Decision Support System (WFDSS) is intended to assist line officers, fire managers and analysts in decision making, planning, and management of wildland fire incidents. The WFDSS project evolved from the need to streamline and improve wildland fire decision-making processes, as well as take advantage of improvements in technology, fire modeling, and geospatial analysis.
WFDSS is a web based system that documents decisions, supports analysis and allows for the completion of an operation plan. Textual and spatial information from land management and fire management plans are preloaded into WFDSS and provide the sidebars for the decision space. Fire behavior modeling, fire spread probability, value assessment and cost estimation tools are incorporated into the system. Information is spatially oriented and graphically displayed thereby reducing text input requirements.
The ease of access to planning documents, spatial data and modeling information provides an outlet for risk-informed decision making that is both analytical and deliberative. This process is now linear and no longer requires the use of alternative comparisons or the development of decision trees. Decision makers are able to follow a progressive decision process that can be scaled, adapted and otherwise responsive to changes in the wildland fire environment. Through WFDSS, information is assembled, consolidated and processed amongst decision makers in a system that fosters collaboration and, ultimately, provides the federal wildland fire organization the opportunity to provide significant improvements to large wildland fire strategic decision making.
The decision support system itself is constantly evolving, incorporating additional data and adding enhancements. As future technological advancements are made in the fields of wildland fire science and technology they will continue to be integrated into WFDSS.
The use of WFDSS is mandatory for all Federal Agencies. See agency specific direction and requirements.
To download the latest WFDSS poster (click here)
If you need to contact your Geographic Area editor the instructions on how to find and contact them can be found here
Need to update WFDSS data? (click here)
The WFDSS Geospatial Data Team is working to process spatial data for WFDSS. In an effort to better serve the field they have created a resource page that contains dynamic information and resources regarding spatial data. Please click on the link above to be taken to this resource page and learn how you can submit your data to WFDSS.
GA Editor Resources (Click Here)
WFDSS Training Calendar (Click Here)
