smartphone appliCations For data ColleCtion, dynamiC modeling, and Visualization in the Wildland Fire enVironment Jim Riddering, Zachary A. Holden, W. Matt Jolly, and Allen Warren
Introduction apid advances in cellular phone Perhaps the most obvious use of mobile technology have transformed technologies in fire management is in the Rportable telephones into collection and sharing of weather information. “smart” phones; powerful, portable For firefighters, the ability to quickly receive personal computers equipped with Global Positioning System (GPS), the latest weather information is critical to cameras, and a suite of tools for safely execute their mission. accessing and storing information. Smartphones offer the ability to connect to large servers via both have developed and promoted to weather forecasts, observations, cell and wireless networks with an app called mPING (precipita and supplemental environmental a speed and power that is truly tion information near the ground, data have the potential to greatly remarkable when compared with http://www.nssl.noaa.gov/projects/ enhance situational awareness and what was available only 10 years ping/) for collecting information firefighter safety. ago. The sheer numbers of smart- about the form (e.g., hail, snow, phones being used globally make rain) and timing of precipitation. Weather observations are also a them a potent tool for distributing, Other applications in environ critical information source for as well as collecting, information mental sciences include collecting supporting wildland fire manage (Kwok 2009). of epidemiological information ment decisions. Currently, weather (Aanensen et al. 2009) and identify information during wildland fire Smartphone applications (apps) ing and recording the location of incidents comes primarily from are rapidly being embraced as a bird species (Wood et al. 2011). Remote Automated Weather tool for collecting data across a Stations (RAWS). Data from the range of disciplines in the earth sci Perhaps the most obvious use of nearest RAWS are often used to ences (Kwok 2009). Equipped with mobile technologies in fire man model fuel moistures and predict GPS, local time information, and a agement is in the collection and fire behavior during an incident. camera, smartphones can be a tool sharing of weather information. For However, stations may be located for collecting and storing environ firefighters, the ability to quickly 31 miles (50 km) or more from the mental data. For example, weather receive the latest weather informa incident and are typically placed on modelers at the National Oceanic tion is critical. Historically, weather south-facing, low-elevation slopes and Atmospheric Administration observations were collected and to capture “worst case” condi shared via radio communications. tions. Thus, much of the spatial The rise of mobile computing variability in fuel moisture and Jim Riddering is a research scientist for allows for digital sharing of weather fire danger is typically ignored the Center for Landscape Fire Analysis at observations and allows firefighters (Holden and Jolly 2011). Secondary the University of Montana. Zack Holden is a scientist for the Forest Service in the to access different sources of weath weather information comes from Northern Region. Matt Jolly is a research er information through the variety wildland firefighters who measure ecologist at the Missoula Fire Sciences of weather applications available and report hourly weather condi Laboratory. Allen Warren is a computer scientist at the University of Montana. for mobile devices. Rapid access tions in the field during active fire
10 incidents. While weather observa interpreting clouds. In fire, how described above, this application tions from firefighters in the field ever, the ability to use a mobile allows users to enter a suite of may be less accurate than weather device to more efficiently calcu fire weather observations that are measured at RAWS, the ability to late fire weather parameters and normally collected on incidents. rapidly collect and disseminate subsequently share those observa These observations, as well as the weather information may outweigh tions has lagged behind. The Fire time and location, are sent directly any potential reductions in data Weather Calculator, developed by to the TOPOFIRE server, where quality (Goodchild and Glennon the National Center for Landscape they are permanently archived and 2010). These weather observa Fire Analysis, is one example of a can be made available to users and tions are typically reported back mobile app designed to add value fire weather forecasters. Weather to a central dispatcher via radio. to traditional weather observa information entered into the phone They are sometimes used by spot tions. This application allows the can then be used to parameterize fire weather forecasters, but typi user to input traditional observa the WindNinja simulation model, cally remain in paper form, where tions (e.g., dry bulb, wet bulb, etc.) using either current observations they are largely inaccessible for and have the application calculate or gridded data from the Real-Time further analysis after the incident. critical information, such as rela Mesocale Analysis dataset (RTMA). The observations, accumulated over tive humidity and probability of Users can also request forecasts for time, represent a potentially rich ignition, which both saves time the next 3 to 12 hours, using data but untapped source of weather and and ensures consistency between from the National Digital Forecast climate information. By embracing weather observers. More important Database. Model simulations are digital mobile technologies to col ly, however, is the ability to archive then run on the TOPOFIRE server, lect and share weather information, and share these digital observations and outputs are returned to the we can improve decisionmaking with other users and managers in user’s phone in the form of a key and efficiency in fire management. real time. This application allows hole markup language (.KML) file for more streamlined management that can be opened on the phone Methods of weather information, a critical on GoogleEarth. Although not cur aspect of any fire event. The ability rently enabled, additional weather A number of smartphone applica to share observations, particularly variables can also be blended with tions have been developed to sup if many users are archiving their the RTMA gridded weather model port wildland fire management. In observations, will lead to a very data to provide spatially corrected this article, we will discuss a few useful archive of crowd-sourced data for the domain around the specific developments designed to data that will be used to create fire incident using data collected help managers and firefighters bet value-added products, such as onsite. Again, this type of two-way ter monitor, share, and understand the calculations of 3-dimensional interface between phone users and the fire environment. This list is weather fields that could be shared a computer modeling environ not intended to be comprehensive, with personnel to increase their ment demonstrates the potential but rather, to illustrate a few spe situational awareness. for development of an operational cific examples currently in use and environment whereby wildland explore what the future may hold. firefighters dynamically inform and It includes mobile-specific develop The Topofire Weather retrieve models of the fire environ ment, as well as existing science App ment in real time. Further, these programs that are being modified The low cost of high-performance data could be provided immedi for use in mobile environments. computing offers the potential ately upon collection to the fire to expand smartphone applica behavior analysts who are charged Fire Weather tions in wildland fire from simple with observing and forecasting Calculator data recorders to the frontier fire behavior and who typically of real-time modeling and eco The number of weather applica provide local weather observations logical forecasting. One example tions available for mobile devices to the National Weather Service of this type of application is the is stunning. These cover anything to improve their incident Spot TOPOFIRE application. Similar to from sharing forecast data to Weather Forecasts. the Fire Weather Calculator app
11 Figure 1. The TOPOFIRE smartphone application assimilates weather observations and photographs from wildfire incidents, which can be used by fire managers and fire weather forecasters. Users can also request WindNinja simulation and fire danger forecasts via phone in real time.
The TOPOFIRE to collect images and videos with a ed, can be used for multiple inde Photologger App smartphone and send them directly pendent observations. The native to a central server where they can digital format allows for embedded Photographs and videos are another be queried spatially and viewed error checking, ease of transfer, and key source of information collected almost instantly by others. subsequent access. Gone are the during fire incidents. Firefighters days of transcription from paper are often asked to take pictures Open Data Kit (ODK) to digital media and the inherent or videos of fire behavior to problems associated with the man Applications like ODK (http:// share with incident commanders. agement of those systems. Development of tools for rapidly opendatakit.org/) allow users to translate standard “form” informa sharing images could dramatically Future Challenges improve communication and could tion to digital formats for use on potentially improve situational mobile devices. Any kind of form Despite the clear potential for inte awareness at every operational level that managers and firefighters cur grating mobile computing technol within an incident. Mobile phones rently use can be converted and ogies into operational fire manage now routinely embed location and modified to be easily read and filled ment, a number of organizational, accurate timestamps into photo on a mobile device. For example, technical, and logistical challenges graphs, facilitating the integration smoke-management observations, lie ahead. of these resources into Geographic critical to many aspects of fire Information System applications. management, can be implemented Arguably, the largest impedi One example currently under in a digital framework that allows ment to wide-spread adoption of development is the TOPOFIRE pho for simplified data collection and mobile technologies is the issue of tologger app, which allows users archiving. The form, once convert operating-system specificity (iOS,
12 Android, etc.) and central infor The Way Forward Nearly every “smart” mobile device mation technology (IT) issues. An on the market is now equipped Collecting, managing, and distrib ongoing debate is which device fire with a GPS, making each device uting weather information is just managers should embrace as the spatially aware. A new frontier for one example of how mobile devices default. The merits for picking one fire management lies in the ability can and will revolutionize wildland operating system over another are of a central server to send or “push” fire operations and management. beyond the scope of this article. In critical information about changing As mobile devices become more reality, devices that use Android conditions to mobile devices. For powerful and data coverage increas and iOS operating systems are example, Fire Weather Watches and es, mobile computing will truly widely used and are unlikely to Red Flag Warnings are commonly become a vital technology. Mobile disappear. We suggest fire manag issued by the National Weather devices will allow better collection ers consider the decision made by Service to highlight regions where of critical fire and environmental the U.S. Department of Defense and wildfire weather conditions may data while simultaneously allowing embrace the idea of device agnos promote intense fire behavior data to be converted and quickly ticism (USDOD, CIO 2013). This (Figure 2). Future systems could shared. idea dictates that the fire organiza send this critical information as tion would not choose a specific soon as a Watch or Warning is In an era where computing power operating system as a standard. issued to any person who has a has become relatively cheap and Committing to a single operating phone and is within these areas. widely available, a dynamic two- system/company could lessen the This rapid dissemination of this way interface between phone users chance for innovation through information could be life saving. and computer models running in competitive development. real time is now possible. Fast con Mobile devices are also powerful nectivity via broadband wireless Instead of setting standards for mapping tools. We are already see networks allows rapid sending and devices, fire managers would be ing how these devices are changing retrieval of remotely generated data. better served setting standards the way managers use spatial infor This dynamic link between phones for data acquisition and manage mation in the fire environment. and computers has the capacity to ment. What are the important data From portable document format expand smartphone applications in sources? How should those sources (PDF) maps that provide real time environmental sciences from simple be used and managed? What are context and location information, data recording and sharing into the the true efficiency and informa to geotagging of photographs and next frontier of real-time modeling tion gains? Once those are decided, field data, there is obvious potential and forecasting. applications should be developed to use portable devices to provide to support all mobile devices. The spatial data about the firefight One example of using field data to development of monolithic stan ing environment. In the future, quickly provide useful information dards should be avoided in order these capabilities will improve as is the TOPOFIRE application dis to maintain efficient mobile device we continue to develop a better cussed above. The user can provide integration. If comprehensive understanding of disturbance and weather information that feeds a standards are defined, however, ecological processes. For example, model that provides comprehen they will almost certainly always we will soon have the ability to sive environmental information lag behind the most current tech track Mountain Pine Beetle infesta back to the user within minutes. In nological advances, resulting in tions and monitor changes more the future, one can easily imagine lost efficiency. Recent advances in effectively by using mobile tech these observations being used to cross-platform mobile development nologies. With more information parameterize and calibrate models that leverage HTML and Javascript and increased understanding, one that quickly return 3-dimensional available on most current mobile can easily envision tools that share fire weather data, hydrological and devices show promise in allowing state-of-the-science information fuel-model information, as well the development of applications with field personnel. When coupled as continuously updated, next- for most operating systems from a with improvements in fire behav generation fire danger models. The single codebase. ior modeling, it’s easy to see how goal of these products is to increase this direct, real-time connection situational awareness and support between observers, the environ more efficient and precise decision- ment, and modeling tools could be making.
13 used to enhance the awareness and safety of firefighters, while allowing for more rapid and accurate deci sionmaking.
In the near future, we will also see a dramatic rise in the use of sen sors and wearable technologies. We are already seeing “wearables” play ing an interesting role in how we perceive mobile computing. Google Glass® and the Apple Watch® are examples of what’s to come. One can easily imagine technologies that continuously monitor firefight er health, collect weather data in real-time using sensors connected to the phone, and track their loca tions in real-time using the phone’s GPS. Bluetooth® connectivity on Figure 2.—Example Red Flag Warning Map for the Western United States from June 17, mobile devices also makes each 2015. Source: http://www.wrh.noaa.gov/firewx/main.php. device a potential hub for any aux iliary wireless device. For example, to monitor and evaluate the tools Goodchild, M.F.; Glennon, J.A. 2010. handheld digital weather instru they select. This is not a time for Crowdsourcing geographic information for disaster response: a research frontier. ments, such as Kestrels®, can wire monolithic decisions, rather, fire International Journal of Digital Earth. lessly relay information directly to managers need to be able to iden 3(30): 231–241. the mobile device without human tify the best and most appropriate Holden, Z.A.; Jolly, W.M. 2011. Modeling topographic influences on fuel moisture intervention, making weather tools that can truly support deci and fire danger for improved wildland tracking more seamless. The con sionmaking while not forcing fire fire management decision support. tinuing development of augmented fighters to conform to outmoded Forest Ecology and Management. 262: reality systems shows some intrigu 2133–2141. standards or use less effective tools. Kwok, R. 2009. Phoning in Data. Nature. ing possibilities in how firefighters Technologically speaking, this is a 458(23): 959-961. can interact with each other as very exciting time for wildland fire Wood, C.; Sullivan, B.; Iliff, M.; Fink, D.; well as the fire environment. If all management—the challenges will Kelling, S. 2011. eBird: Engaging bird ers in science and conservation. PLoS of these technologies are used in a be in finding a way to efficiently Biology. 9(12): e1001220. doi:10.1371/ coordinated effort to monitor per navigate this rapidly changing field journal.pbio.1001220. sonnel activity during wildland fire in order to bring the best digital U.S. Department of Commerce, National Oceanic and Atmospheric incidents, they will likely lead to tools available to improve how we Administration. The mPING project. some remarkable changes in wild- manage natural resources. 2013.
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