Mission Statement
The Geospatial Subcommittee (GSC) provides national leadership for the integration of geospatial information, technology, and systems into all phases of wildland fire management. This includes the development and promotion of standards and tools; trusted data to support wildland fire operations; training; the development of geospatial capability in the field; and providing geospatial expertise to other wildland fire lines of business.
- Define, promote, and recommend the use of NWCG standards-based interagency datasets, both current and historic. Develop processes for combining agency datasets to build interagency datasets.
- Develop requirements for centralized acquisition, storage, and delivery of trusted interagency geospatial datasets, including governance, quality control, access, and maintenance of included data.
- Provide a platform for the development, revision, review and adoption of the NWCG Standards for Geospatial Operations, PMS 936, the NWCG GISS Workflow, PMS 936-1, and geospatial data standards to enable wildland fire geospatial data to achieve broad usage throughout the interagency community. Identify gaps in standards and propose solutions. Promote the use of interagency standards within wildland fire applications.
- Identify common GIS training needs and resources, and plan or make recommendations for the development and presentation of training in cooperation with other groups, programs, or agencies in the wildland fire community.
- Establish and regularly update wildland fire incident position standards related to GISS and IRIN. This includes incident position descriptions and position requirements for training, experience, physical fitness, and position currency.
Guidance Documents
Standard Templates, Tools, and References
We have collected a variety of tools, documents, and other resources can be downloaded from this page to assist the GISS on an incident. Please provide any suggestions for page content to your GSC representative.
Job Aids and Reference Information
- Maps and Graphics - zip file with various reference maps like UTM zones, State Plane zones, and USGS topo map legend files
- Planning "P"
- Check List GISS Dispatch
- Check List Personal
- Check List GISS Demob
- GISS Evaluation Form
- Map Request Form
- GeoOps File Namer (.xls spreadsheet)
- National Incident Feature Service Workflows - Only the Standard Workflow will be discussed on this page.
- See Advanced AGOL and Mobile Workflows for the Approval and Repair Workflows (login required).
- DNR Garmin Instructions.
- GPS Metadata Form (docx)
- Example GPS Directory Structure
- Incident GPS Codes (docx)
- DNR Garmin download
- DNRGPS download
- Convert Runtime GDB to File GDB
- Multipage Maps - General Guidelines and instructions for ArcGIS Pro.
- How To - Create Data Driven Pages (ArcMap)
- How To - Create Multi-page IAP with CAL FIRE Tools (ArcMap) - Download tools from Tools page.
- How To - Annotation Definition Query for Data Driven Pages (ArcMap)
- ESRI Help - Map Series in ArcGIS Pro
- ESRI Help - Data Driven Pages
- Tool - Append PDF - turns multiple PDF files into a single file.
- How To - Create a Briefing Map
- How To - Tiled printing from Adobe PDF.
- Print a BAM from an Arch E layout
- Custom Size BAM: (e.g. 70"x80") .mxd settings and Adobe PDF print settings.
- How To - Air Operations map with a lat/long values table
- Create a coordinate point table (Pro)
- Data Source - TFR shapefile - shapefile download at top of page near NOTAM number.
- Data Source - FAA sectionals - Available as GeoTIFF or PDF download.
- Job Aid - FAA Aeronautical Chart User Guide
- User-made Progression Tool available. See GeoNet Post
- Working with Page Layouts in ArcGIS Pro
- ArcMap Event Map Templates
- The Pro Project Template in the Current GeoOps Folder Structure contains layout templates with dynamic text elements for most common map sizes.
- Using Map Templates ArcMap (Esri)
- Save a Layout File - ArcGIS Pro (Esri)
- Add a Layout to your Project (Open a Layout File) - ArcGIS Pro (Esri)
- Convert Labels to Annotation in ArcMap
- Convert Labels to Annotation in ArcGIS Pro
- Create Annotation Classes in ArcMap
- Annotation Definition Query for Data Driven Pages (ArcMap)
- Essential labeling concepts (Esri)
- Labeling basics (Esri)
- Essential annotation and graphic text concepts (Esri)
- Annotation (Esri)
- Labeling and Annotation in ArcMap (Esri)
- Getting the Most from the Maplex Label Engine (Esri)
- Dynamic Text in ArcMap
- Working with Text in ArcGIS Pro
- Working with dynamic text (ArcMap) (Esri)
- Add and modify dynamic text (Pro) (Esri)
- Creating the Geospatial PDF
- SmallPDF - Online PDF Compression.
- Create a Geospatial PDF from EGP - This is an excellent option for folks that don't have access to a GISS and want to create a quick map for use in Avenza. Perfect for first responders or to use as folks get dispatched to an incident. The geospatial pdf gets emailed directly to the user. Fast and simple way to get firefighters the map they want.
- Geospatial PDF - One page with Pictures
- Geospatial PDF - One page with Text
- FTP Server Information Page (general information, help desk support, etc.).
- Connection Instructions.
- FileZilla Connection Instructions
- WinSCP Secure Connection Instructions - Primary method.
- WinSCP WebDAV Connection Instructions - Alternative method.
- Deploy Mobile Maps with QR Codes.
- Deploy Mobile Maps with QR Codes - Exercise
- Generate QR Codes Tool
- Is Rasterizing Tool
- Backup, Share, and Archive.
- Incident Periodic Backup Tool (ArcMap only).
- RoboCopy Archive Tool (ArcMap and Pro).
Spatial Data Sources
- HDDS Site for Fire
- FTP.NIFC.GOV - base_info folder contains topographic maps by state and other datasets.
Wildfire Response GIS Group on GeoNet
You are invited to join the Wildfire Response GIS group on GeoNet! The new Wildfire Response GIS group in the GeoNet Community is open. This is a place to ask questions, get updates from the NIFC ArcGIS Online Organization Admins, and connect with your Fire GIS colleagues. It is a “private” group, which means the content is not searchable by the public and is only accessible to members of the group.
Get started: Join and contribute today!
- Go to https://community.esri.com/groups/wildfire-response-gis.
- Log in with your NIFC AGOL Org username and password and accept the Esri GeoNet Terms of Use and Conditions.
- NOTE: GeoNet only allows an email address once in the entire system. If you have ever signed into GeoNet with another AGOL account that uses the same address, you will receive an error. If you receive this error, you can submit a Support Request to change your NIFC Org account email to a different address. Alternatively, if you actively use the other account, you may log in and request access with it. If you use your work email address for your NIFC account and your agency uses an ‘Enterprise Login’ for their own AGOL Org (BLM, NPS, USFS), we recommend you submit a Support Request to change your NIFC Org account email or use your agency login to request access to the group.
- Click “Ask to join this group” and give the Admins at least 1 business day to approve your request. You will receive a notification in your GeoNet inbox once you’ve been accepted in.
- Read the welcome blog post Start Here: Welcome to the Wildfire Response GIS Community.
Got Questions? Check out these GeoNet Community Quick tips:
- For any questions or issues logging in, contact the Wildfire Response GIS group owners at wildfireresponse@firenet.gov.
- Please briefly review the GeoNet Guiding Principles.
- Check out the GeoNet 101 links on the right side of the home page and the Helpful Links on the left for useful information.
Thanks for joining and we look forward to your questions and engagement in our new GeoNet Community!