Remotely Sensed Wildland Fire Data and Information Product

151 Pages·2004·4.88 MB·English

by  David G Brown

Remotely Sensed Wildland Fire Data
and Information Product Processing
and Delivery Report

December 2003

Prepared By:
The Institute for the Application of Geospatial Technology
Cayuga Community College
199 Franklin Street
Suite 300
Auburn, NY 13021

Prepared for:
Rochester Institute of Technology
Center for Imaging Science
54 Lomb Memorial Drive
Rochester, NY 14623
AUTHORS
This report was developed for the RIT Center for Imaging Science by Mr. Vincent
Ambrosia and Ms. Sally Buechel, with support from the Institute for the Application of
Geospatial Technology (IAGT) at Cayuga Community College.

SUGGESTED CITATION
Ambrosia, Vincent and Sally Buechel, 2003. Remote Wildland Fire Detection Data and
Information Product Delivery Report. Auburn, New York: The Institute for the
Application of Geospatial Technology (IAGT) at Cayuga Community College.

KEYWORDS
Satellite remote sensing, airborne remote sensing, incident command, communications,
forest fire, wildland fire, fire data processing, fire data products, data development, data
product delivery, telemetry, infrared imaging, data sharing, imaging systems,
instrumentation, non-imaging systems.

CREDITS AND DISCLAIMER
This material is based upon work supported by the National Aeronautics and Space
Administration under award No. NAG5-10051. Any opinions, findings, conclusions or
other statements expressed in this material are solely those of the authors and do not
necessarily reflect the views of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration.

Due to the quickly-changing nature of various websites referenced in this report, some
HTTP locations may not be accurate over time.
The Institute for the Application of Geospatial Technology
TABLE OF CONTENTS

Executive Summary............................................................................................................1
1.0 Summary of Current Incident Command Data and Information Integration...............2
1.1 Summary of the Incident Command Structure........................................................3
1.2 Information needs..................................................................................................4
1.2.1 Current Product Standards................................................................................5
1.2.2 Data Presentation..............................................................................................5
1.2.3 Base Map Information (Static)..........................................................................6
1.3 Current communications - Chain of Command Issues............................................6
1.3.1 Voice Communications.....................................................................................7
1.4 Current Geospatial Information Technology Capabilities.......................................7
1.4.1 Trends...............................................................................................................8
1.5 Historical and Current Real-Time Data Delivery....................................................9
1.6 Perceived Needs (cid:150) The WASP Specifications.......................................................10
2.0 Current Airborne Fire Imaging Systems....................................................................12
2.1 Research Instrumentation.......................................................................................12
2.1.1 Airborne Infrared Disaster Assessment System (AIRDAS)...........................12
2.1.2 California Department of Forestry - AIRIS....................................................18
2.1.3 FireMapper(cid:153)..................................................................................................20
2.1.4 DACS / Terra-Mar..........................................................................................22
2.1.5 MODIS Airborne Simulator (MAS)...............................................................23
2.1.6 MODIS / ASTER Airborne Simulator (MASTER)........................................28
2.2 Operational Instrumentation..................................................................................31
2.2.1 Infrared Typing System..................................................................................32
2.2.2 Type 1 Systems Overview..............................................................................33
2.2.3 Type 2 Systems Overview..............................................................................33
2.2.4 Type 3 Systems Overview..............................................................................33
2.2.5 Type 1 Systems: USDA-Forest Service Phoenix System...............................35
2.2.6 Type 1 Systems: FLAME System...................................................................36
2.2.7 Type 1 Systems: FireFly System....................................................................36
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2.2.8 Type 1 Systems: Phoenix System...................................................................37
2.2.9 Type 1 Systems: FireMapper (Operational Mode).........................................40
2.2.10 Type 1 Systems: AIRDAS (Operational Mode)..........................................41
2.2.11 EarthData International of Md: Airborne Bispectral Scanner (ABS)...........44
2.2.12 Type 2 Systems: Airborne Data Systems (ADS) Spectra-Viewfi................45
2.2.13 Type 2 Systems: Blue Skies Consulting, LLC..............................................48
2.2.14 Type 2 Systems: Range and Bearing Environmental Resource Mapping
Corporation AWIS System.......................................................................................52
2.2.15 Type 2 Systems: SennaBlue LLC Long-wave thermal frame imager..........53
2.2.16 Type 2 Systems: VeriMAP PLUS, Mitsubishi IR-M700 system.................55
2.2.17 Type 3 Systems: Angiel EnviroSafe, Inc., Daedalus ABS...........................58
2.2.18 Type 3 Systems: Fireball Information Technologies (Wescam 12-DS90)...59
2.2.19 Type 3 Systems: Mid-Valley Helicopters.....................................................63
2.2.20 Type 3 Systems: San Joaquin Helicopter......................................................65
2.2.21 Type 3 Systems: Ventura County Sheriff Aviation Unit / SAR...................67
2.2.22 Type 3 Systems: Vision Air Research..........................................................67
2.2.23 Type 3 Systems: Helicopter Applicators Inc................................................69
2.2.24 Type 3 Systems: Oilton Remote Detection Technologies AIRDS Sensor...70
2.2.25 Type 3 Systems: Advanced Building / M.I.R.S. (Raytheon IR 400DX Pro)71
2.2.25 Type 3 Systems: John Newman (IR Mapping).............................................73
3.0 Delivery Systems.......................................................................................................76
3.1 Telemetry...............................................................................................................76
3.1.1 Satellite Telemetry Communication...............................................................76
3.1.2 Direct From Acquiring Aircraft to (cid:147)Ground Receiving Location(cid:148).................86
3.2 Data and Information Sharing Via the Internet......................................................92
3.2.1 GeoMAC.........................................................................................................93
3.2.2 Automated Flight Following (AFF)................................................................93
3.2.3 CDF Incident Web Site...................................................................................93
3.2.4 California Type 1 Interagency Incident Management Team 1.......................93
3.2.5 AIRDAS FiRE Web Site................................................................................94
4.0 Non-imaging systems.................................................................................................95
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4.1 Weather Information..............................................................................................95
4.2 Remote Event Monitoring......................................................................................96
4.3 Asset Tracking.......................................................................................................97
4.4 Integration into Products........................................................................................97
5.0 New Technologies for Data Delivery........................................................................99
5.1 Data Transfer.........................................................................................................99
5.1.1 Satellite Systems.............................................................................................99
5.1.2 Wireless LAN(cid:146)s............................................................................................100
5.1.3 Handheld Systems (PDA, Cell Phones, Satellite Phones)............................103
5.2 Information Access (cid:150) The Internet......................................................................104
5.3 Issues Affecting Dissemination Options/Choices................................................104
6.0 Data Processing and Delivery Scenarios for WASP................................................106
6.1 Issues Related to Processing and Delivery..........................................................106
6.1.1 Data/Information Characteristics..................................................................106
6.1.2 Data Volume/Format Issues..........................................................................108
7.0 Case Studies.............................................................................................................112
7.1 Biscuit Fire Summary..........................................................................................112
7.1.1 Situation Description....................................................................................113
7.1.2 Data Processing and Delivery.......................................................................116
7.2 The Croy Fire.......................................................................................................118
7.2.1 Situation Description....................................................................................118
7.2.2 Data Processing and Delivery.......................................................................118
8.0 WASP Scenarios......................................................................................................122
8.1 Delivery Location................................................................................................122
8.2 Data Processing....................................................................................................124
8.3 Data Products.......................................................................................................124
8.4 Flexibility in Processing and Delivery Options...................................................125
9.0 Summary/Conclusions.............................................................................................126
10.0 BIBLIOGRAPHY, REFERENCES AND WORKS CITED.................................128
11.0 RELAVENT FIRE WEBSITES AND URL INFORMATION.............................134
11.1 Federal Agency Sites..........................................................................................134
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11.2 State, Local, and University, Research Institutes and Private Sites....................137
11.3 Imaging Systems Sites........................................................................................138
11.4 Data Communication and Telemetry Sites........................................................140

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LIST OF FIGURES

Figure 1. The Minnesota DNR Mapmobile.......................................................................8
Figure 2. Lakeview Fire Complex...................................................................................10
Figure 3. Lakeview Fire Complex ICC............................................................................10
Figure 4a and 4b. AIRDAS Engineer Control Station (a) Onboard the USFS Navajo and
(b) Control Electronics and Scan Head Onboard the General Atomics ALTUS UAV
...................................................................................................................................14
Figure 5. Typical Three-Band Color Composite of AIRDAS Data.................................15
Figure 6. Geo-Rectified and Terrain-Corrected AIRDAS Image....................................16
Figure 7. Geo- and Terrain-Corrected Mosaic of Four Flight Lines of AIRDAS Data...17
Figure 8. The NERA World Communicator M4 Flat Panel Antenna Modified for
Telemetry Options....................................................................................................18
Figure 9. AIRIS Fire Perimeter Data Overlain on Map (at Left). AIRIS Thermal / CIR
Composite Showing Sudden Oak Death Mission Data Over California (at Right)..19
Figure 10. The FireMapper Microbolometer Instrument.................................................21
Figure 11. FireMapper Thermal / Visible Color Composite of the Pines Fire, Southern
California..................................................................................................................22
Figure 12. The Scan Head of the NASA MODIS Airborne Simulator (MAS) Scanning
Instrument.................................................................................................................23
Figure 13. MAS Data Collected Over the Curve and Williams Fire Area in Southern
California..................................................................................................................26
Figure 14. The NASA ER-2 High Altitude Aircraft........................................................27
Figure 15. Processing Diagram for the ER-2 STARLINK Data Telemetry System.......28
Figure 16. Thematic Mapper Simulator (TMS) Data......................................................28
Figure 17. The Scan Head of the NASA-Ames Operated MODIS / ASTER Airborne
Simulator (MASTER) Scanning Instrument.............................................................29
Figure 18. MODIS / ASTER (MASTER) Airborne Simulator Data...............................31
Figure 19. The Phoenix System Fire Scanner..................................................................37
Figure 20. The Two Main NIROPS Used for Fire Imaging............................................38
Figure 21. Phoenix Data Collected Over a Fire During a 2003 Test Mission.................39
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Figure 22. FireMapper Mosaic Flight Line Data Overlain on a Topographic Map Base40
Figure 23. The Sky Research Cessna Caravan Aircraft...................................................42
Figure 24. The AIRDAS in the Sky Research Cessna Caravan Aircraft.........................42
Figure 25. Sky Research-Acquired AIRDAS Data Collected Over the Beaver Fire,
Montana on 4 September 2003.................................................................................43
Figure 26. Airborne Data Systems Spectra-View Imaging System.................................46
Figure 27. Airborne Data Systems Spectra-View Near-IR / TIR Frame Composite.......47
Figure 28. Blue Skies Consulting Aircraft Fleet..............................................................49
Figure 29. The Kestrel Corporation (a Partner of Blue Skies Consulting) Multi-Spectral
AirCam Instrument...................................................................................................50
Figure 30. AWIS Imagery for Fire Detection..................................................................52
Figure 31. SennaBlue Thermal Frame Imager Composite Data of an Active Fire...........54
Figure 32. The Mitsubishi IR-M700 Thermal Camera....................................................56
Figure 33. VeriMAP Fire Product Generated from the Mitsubishi IR-M700 Thermal
Imager.......................................................................................................................57
Figure 34. The Angiel EnviroSafe, Inc. Daedalus (now SenSyTech) Airborne Bispectral
Scanner......................................................................................................................58
Figure 35. The Wescam 12-DS90....................................................................................59
Figure 36. Fireball Information Technologies Wescam 12-DS90 Derived Paper Map
Product......................................................................................................................60
Figure 37. Fireball Information Technologies Wescam 12-DS90 Derived Paper Map
Product (cid:147)Zoom-In(cid:148) for Use in Mop-Up Operations by Crews.................................61
Figure 38. RAM Gimbal-Mounted Agema 1000 Radiometric Infrared Camera System 63
Figure 39. The RAM Mobile GIS Lab trailer at the Curve Fire, Angeles National Forest,
September, 2002.......................................................................................................64
Figure 40. Video Frame Grab of Fire Data Collected from the FLIR Systems Model
2000AB (on Left) and the GIS-Derived Map (on Right).........................................66
Figure 41. PolyTech Kelvin 350 II Gimbaled Infrared System.......................................68
Figure 42. The Oilton Remote Detection Technologies Sensor, Composing the Airborne
Infrared Detection System (AIRDS).........................................................................70
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Figure 43. The Advanced Building MIRS (Raytheon IR 400DX Pro) Handheld Thermal
IR Camera System....................................................................................................71
Figure 44. Fire Perimeter Map Derived from the MIRS System Handheld Device........72
Figure 45. The MIRS Mobile GIS Lab Trailer and the Interior of the Lab.....................72
Figure 46. The Raytheon Digital PalmIR 250 Thermal Camera.....................................74
Figure 47. Artist Rendering of the Inmarsat Series III Communications Satellite in Geo-
Synchronous Orbit....................................................................................................77
Figure 48. Inmarsat-3 Global Coverage Map..................................................................78
Figure 49. NERA Telecommunications M4 World Communicator Portable Satellite
Terminal, Phased-Array Antenna.............................................................................80
Figure 50. The NERA WorldPhone Voyager and the NERA WorldPhone Marine Model
...................................................................................................................................82
Figure 51. NERA Saturn BT2 Satellite Communication Equipment..............................82
Figure 52. Thrane & Thrane TT-3024A INMARSAT-C Aeronautical Capsat System..83
Figure 53. Thrane and Thrane Aero-HSD+ Aeronautical Satellite Communications
System.......................................................................................................................84
Figure 54. Example of Aeronautical Radome Mount for Use with Various EMS Tracking
Antenna for Satellite Telecommunications...............................................................85
Figure 55. TDRSS Communication Satellite Schematic for Data Flow..........................86
Figure 56. Directional Tracking Antenna Assembly for Imaging Payload Command-and-
Control......................................................................................................................88
Figure 57. FreeWave Technologies FGR-115, 900 MHz Spread Spectrum Wireless
Radio.........................................................................................................................89
Figure 58. The Aero Telemetry Corporation, Single-Hop FTSAT Ground Station
Antenna.....................................................................................................................91
Figure 59. RAWS Distribution of Sites in Northern California.....................................95
Figure 60. RAWS Field Unit..........................................................................................96
Figure 61. Coyote Fire Briefing Map............................................................................101
Figure 62. Terra-Mar GDC............................................................................................110
Figure 63. IAGT(cid:146)s IDAS...............................................................................................111
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Figure 64. Biscuit Fire View of the General Landscape (on left) and a Fire Line Being
Built (on right)........................................................................................................112
Figure 65. Gold Beach ICP.............................................................................................113
Figures 66 and 67. Briefing at Gold Beach and Lake Selmac ICP...............................114
Figure 68. Biscuit Fire Vicinity Map.............................................................................115
Figure 69. GeoMAC Web Page of the Active Fire Perimeters of the Biscuit Fire, OR/CA
.................................................................................................................................116
Figure 70. An AIR-OPS Map From the CIIM Team 1 Web Site..................................117
Figure 71. Croy Fire Perimeter from AIRDAS (in Red)...............................................119
Figures 72 and 73. The Croy Fire from the Air.............................................................120
Figure 74. The Croy Fire in Relation to the ICP..........................................................120
Figure 75. The Croy Fire Briefing Map........................................................................121
Figure 76. Scenario 1 (cid:150) Centralized Delivery................................................................123
Figure 77. Scenario 2 (cid:150) Direct to ICC...........................................................................123

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