File Naming

Purpose

There are standardized file naming criteria for GIS data and related documents created and used on incidents, managed under the Incident Command System. These guidelines support consistent file naming that is clear and repeatable, promote efficient use of GIS data, and ensure a smooth transition between GIS Specialists by making it easy to locate data or products. The naming conventions also function as basic metadata (when the file was created, for what incident, with what version software, etc.).

The intent is to allow scalability for variation of incident situation, such as in number of Geographic Information System Specialist (GISS)​ personnel, hardware use/availability, software used, and available data, while still meeting the business needs of those with whom the GISS cooperates, such as Long Term Fire Analysts (LTANs), Geographic Area Coordination Centers (GACCs), and anyone reviewing the data after the incident concludes.

Specifications

File names must be complete and stand on their own outside of the file structure; file names must be concise, use clear text, and avoid ambiguous terms. The general format for file naming is: {date and time}_{incident information}_{other information}; however, exported products (.pdf) begin with map type, size, and orientation. Other requirements include:

• File names are limited by the Windows operating system and cannot be longer than 255 characters. Note: Some software may not allow backup for long folder and file names (more than 128 characters for path name and file name).
• File names must not contain spaces, special characters, or periods, aside from file extension delimiters.
• The underscore (_) is the only allowable character for delimiting name elements.
• Capital letters may be used to make names easier to understand.
  • First letter of proper names (e.g., Jones).
  • First letter to delimit multiple words (e.g., ClearCreek, IntenseHeat), often called CamelCase.
  • All letters that stand for something (e.g., GPS).
• The format for dates is eight digits in year, month, day order (yyyymmdd).
• The format for time is four digits in a 24-hour format (hhmm).
• Name feature classes within a geodatabase with a leading “i_” before creation date (feature classes cannot begin with a number).
• Follow Unit ID requirements (i.e., CAKNF).
• Follow Local Incident ID requirements (i.e., 000530). Maintain leading zeros if necessary.
• Use the {zone} element only on an incident that is zoned.
• Optional: {additional information} added at end of name

Required File Name Elements

ArcGIS Online Groups

Note: Best practice is to use the following standardized names for the most common incident groups.

{year} {incident name} {zone} {purpose of the group}
Ex: 2020 Bighorn Mobile Edit
Ex: 2020 Bighorn Working
Ex: 2020 Bighorn Public Information
Ex: 2020 Bighorn Viewer
Ex: 2020 Bighorn Archive
Ex: 2020 Bighorn Repair
Ex: 2023 Smith River Cx South Mobile Edit

Web Maps, Mobile Maps, User-Facing Apps

Note: Spaces are allowed in user-facing content names within the NIFC Org.

{purpose of the map/app} {content type (Map/App/Dashboard/etc.)} {year} {incident name} {zone}
Ex: Operations Edit Map 2020 Riverside
Ex: Repair Edit App 2017 Chetco Bar
Ex: Repair Dashboard 2017 Chetco Bar
Ex: Operations Viewer Map 2023 Smith River Cx South

Hosted Data Services

Note: Layers should be renamed for brevity and clarity within web maps.

{contents and type of data service} {year} {incident name} {zone} {Unit ID+ Local Incident ID}
Ex: UtilityLines 2011 Playa AZHVR503
Ex: ImageryTPK 2017 ChetcoBar ORRSF326
Ex: CampFacilities 2023 Smith River Cx South CASRF000968

Survey123 Surveys

Note: A new survey creates both the survey and a hosted service for the data. After creation the survey should be renamed for brevity and clarity.

{purpose of survey}_{{year}_{incident name}_{zone}_{Unit ID+ Local Incident ID}
Ex: WeatherObservations_2011_Playa_AZHVR503
      Rename to Weather Observations 2011 Playa 
Ex: StructureTriage_2017_ChetcoBar_ORRSF326
      Rename to Structure Triage 2017 Chetco Bar 
Ex: DamageAssessment_2023_SmithRiverCx_South_CASRF000968
      Rename to Damage Assessment 2023 Smith River Cx South

Other Incident Geodatabase(s)

{year}_{incident name}_{zone}_{Unit ID+ Local Incident ID}_{type}_{tool/GDB schema & version used to produce data}.gdb
Ex: 2011_Playa_AZHVR503_other_incident_data_ ArcPro_2_7.gdb
Ex: 2011_Playa_AZHVR503_Annotation_ ArcPro_2_7.gdb
Ex: 2011_Playa_AZHVR503_Progression_ ArcPro_2_7.gdb
Ex: 2023_SmithRiverCx_South_CASRF000968_other_incident_data_ArcPro_3_1.gdb

Base Maps

Note: Base data and base maps do not generally adhere to file naming conventions. Use the following for vector tile package downloads to simplify the file name used by ArcGIS Pro.

{date created}_{time}_{incident name}_{zone}_{UnitID+ Local Incident ID}_{data type}
Ex: 20110510_0900_Playa_AZHVR503_24k_vector_base.vtpk

Edit Layer File Pointing to Offline Copy

Note: Feature templates are created to speed data editing and the layer file stores the feature templates settings for easy recovery.

{year}_{incident name}_{zone}_{Unit ID+ Local Incident ID}_{tool/GDB schema & version used to produce data}_{GISS Name}.lyrx
Ex: 2011_Playa_AZHVR503_Event_ArcPro_2_7_JSmith.lyrx
Ex: 2023_SmithRiverCx_South_CASRF000968_Event_ArcPro_3_1_PParker.lyrx

Incident Data (Not in the Event GDB)

{date created or collected}_{time}_{incident name}_{zone}_{Unit ID+ Local Incident ID}_{data type}
Optional for index grids: {number of pages}_{size of pages}_{page orientation}
Ex: i_20110516_0955_Playa_AZHVR503_MP_Grid_Index_8_pg_11x17_land
Ex: i_20110516_0955_Playa_AZHVR503_Div_Anno_24k_iap
Ex: 20110515_0940_Playa_AZHVR503_perim.kmz
Ex: 20230918_0030_SmithRiverCx_South_CASRF000968_ir_HeatPerimeter.shp

GPS/GNSS Data Files

{date collected}_{time}_ {incident name}_{zone}_{Unit ID+ Local Incident ID}_{GPS feature type}_{data source}
Optional: {data type}
Ex: 20110516_0930_Playa_AZHVR503_GPS_lin_fobs_Lewis_dzr.gpx
Ex: 20110516_1540_Playa_AZHVR503_GPS_pnt_divs_Clark.shp
Ex: 20230918_1600_SmithRiverCx_South_CASRF000968_GPS_lin_sitl_Earhart.shp

Perimeter Export to Progression Geodatabase

i_{date collected}_{time}_{incident name}_{zone}_{Unit ID+ Local Incident ID}_{data type}
Ex: i_20110515_2130_Playa_AZHVR503_perim
Ex: i_20230919_2130_SmithRiverCx_South_CASRF000968_perim

Master Incident Geodatabase

{year}_{incident name}_{zone}_{Unit ID+ Local Incident ID}_{tool/GDB schema & version used to produce data}.gdb
Required: When using the Event schema, the schema is the "tool" and the software version should be listed.
Ex: 2011_Playa_AZHVR503_Event_ArcPro_2_7.gdb
Ex: 2023_SmithRiverCx_South_CASRF000968_ArcPro_3_1.gdb

Master Project Files

Note: The {zone} element is placed first in master project names to facilitate cooperation between multiple IMTs working in the same GeoOps incident directory.

{zone}_{map type}_{year}_{incident name}_{Unit ID+ Local Incident ID}.aprx
Optional: {tool or software version}
Ex: iap_2011_Playa_AZHVR503_ArcPro_2_7.aprx
Ex: brief_2011_Playa_AZHVR503.aprx
Ex: south_ops_2023_SmithRiverCx_CASRF000968_ArcPro_3_1.aprx

Map Product Files

{map type}_{page size}_{page orientation}_{current date}_{time}_ {incident name}_{zone}_{Unit ID+ Local Incident ID}_{Operational period if appropriate}.pdf
Optional: {dpi value}, {_opt, optimized .pdf}
Ex: iap_8x11_land_20110514_2023_Playa_AZHVR503_0515Day.pdf
Ex: trans_letter_land_20110516_2120_Playa_AZHVR503_0517Day_150dpi.jpg
Ex: stratops_ansi_d_port_20110517_0420_Playa_AZHVR503_0517Day_opt.pdf
Ex: ops_arch_e_land_20230919_1600_SmithRiverCx_South_CASRF000968_0919Night.pdf

Multi-Page Map Product Files

{map type}_{page size}_{page orientation}_MP{page number}_{current date}_{time}_ {incident name}_{zone}_{Unit ID+ Local Incident ID}_{Operational period if appropriate}.pdf
Optional: {dpi value}, {_opt, optimized .pdf}
Ex: iap_11x17_land_MPall_20110516_2120_Playa_AZHVR503_0517Day.pdf
Ex: iap_11x17_land_MPindex_20110516_2120_Playa_AZHVR503_0517Day_opt.pdf
Ex: iap_11x17_land_MP2_20110516_2120_Playa_AZHVR503_0517Day_150dpi.jpg
Ex: ops_arch_d_land_MPall_20230919_0400_SmithRiverCx_South_CASRF000968_0919Day.pdf

Geodatabase Backups

{current date}_{time}_{incident name}_{zone}_{Unit ID+ Local Incident ID}_{tool/GDB schema & version used to produce data}.gdb
Ex: 20110516_2230_Playa_AZHVR503_Event_ArcPro_2_7.gdb
Ex: 20110516_2230_Playa_AZHVR503_other_incident_data_ArcPro_2_7.gdb
Ex: 20110516_2230_Playa_AZHVR503_progression_ArcPro_2_7.gdb
Ex: 20230918_2300_SmithRiverCx_South_CASRF000968_Event_ArcPro_3_1.gdb

Project Backups

Note: If backing up projects as a daily set to a dated subfolder of \projects\backups, current date and time is not required.

{zone}_{map type}_{current date}_{time}_{incident name}_{Unit ID+ Local Incident ID}.aprx
Optional: {tool or software version}
Ex: iap_20110516_2120_Playa_AZHVR503_ArcPro_2_7.aprx
Ex: brief_20110515_1530_Playa_AZHVR503.aprx
Ex: south_ops_20230918_2300_SmithRiverCx_CASRF000968_ArcPro_3_1.aprx

Incident Data Exports

{current date}_{time}_{incident name}_{zone}_{Unit ID+ Local Incident ID}_{data type}
Ex: 20110516_1600_Playa_AZHVR503_perim.shp
Ex: 20230918_1800_SmithRiverCx_South_CASRF000968_dzr.shp
Ex: 20230918_2000_SmithRiverCx_South_CASRF000968_READ_base.mmpk

Other Supporting Documents

{current date}_{time}_ {incident name}_{zone}_{Unit ID+ Local Incident ID}_{document contents}.doc or .xls
Ex: 20110514_1420_Playa_AZHVR503_GIS_practices.docx
Ex: 20110516_1923_Playa_AZHVR503_ownership.xls
Ex: 20230918_1600_SmithRiverCx_South_CASRF000968_GISSTransitionPlan.docx

Standard Abbreviations

This is a list of standard abbreviations for file naming; it is not all-inclusive. For other elements select an unambiguous term to avoid confusion.

Date and Measurement Format

yyyy = year in which incident began, e.g., 2011yyyymmdd = year, month, day, e.g., 20111207
hhmm = time in military / 24-hour format
ft = feet
hr = hours
mt = meters
nm = nautical miles

Incident Data Types

cx = Complex
damage = Damage caused by incident or suppression efforts
dzr = Dozer Line
hand = Hand Line
icp = Incident Command Post
ics_lin = Incident line features
ics_pnt = Incident point features
ics_breaks = Incident division/branch breaks
MAP = Management Action Point
origin = Point of Origin
perim = Perimeter
prog = Progression Perimeters (combined)
sit_updt = Situation Updates (e.g. Markup Maps)
tfr = Temporary Flight Restriction

Source Codes

divs = Division Supervisor
fobs = Field Observer
gps_feature_name = Global Positioning System (add feature + collector’s name) e.g., “gps_dzr_jones”
ir = Infrared
sitl = Situation Unit Leader

Feature Types

lin = line or polyline
pnt = point
pol = polygon
ras = raster

Product Type

airops = Air Operations Map
areasc = Areas of Special Concern Map
brief = Briefing Map
dam = Damage Assessment Map
facil = Facilities Map
fhist = Fire Perimeter History Map
fuels = Fuels Map
iap = Incident Action Plan Map
ir = Infrared Information Map, also
ir_ortho = IR map with orthoimage base or
ir_topo = IR map with United States Geological Survey (USGS)​ topographic base
ops = Operations Map
owner = Ownership–Land Status Map
prog = Progression Map
repair = Suppression Repair Map
stratops = Strategic Operations Map
struct = Structure Protection Map
trans = Transportation Map
veg = Vegetation Map
wfdss = Wildland Fire Decision Support System Map

Page Orientation

land = landscape
MP = multi-page (such as Incident Action Plan [IAP] map)
port = portrait

Page Size

ansi_a or letter or 8x11 or 8_5x11 = 8½” x 11” paper
ansi_b or tabloid or 11x17 = 11” x 17” paper
ansi_c or 17x22 = 17” x 22” paper
ansi_d or 22x34 = 22” x 34” paper
ansi_e or 34x44 = 34” x 44” paper
arch_c or 18x24 = 18” x 24” paper
arch_d or 24x36 = 24” x 36” paper
arch_e or 36x48 = 36” x 48” paper
super_b or 13x19 = 13” x 19” paper

Coordinate Reference System Abbreviations (for data files that do not store the coordinate system, datum [e.g., Excel/CSV])

ALB = Albers Equal-Area Conic Projection
Lam = Lambert Conformal Conic Projection
Ll = Latitude/Longitude (Geographic)
s+zone = State Plane Coordinate System (SPCS)
TM = Transverse Mercator Projection
u+zone = Universal Transverse Mercator Grid System

Datum Abbreviations

NAD83 = North American Datum 1983
WGS84 = World Geodetic System 1984
CORS96 = NAD83 Continuous Operating Repeater System 1996
HARN = NAD83 H A R N
NSRS2007 = NAD83 NSRS2007

Statewide Systems Abbreviations

AKAlb = NAD 1983 Alaska Albers (Meters)
Teale = NAD 1983 California (Teale) Albers (Meters)
FLGDL = NAD 1983 Florida GDL Albers (Meters)
GALam = NAD 1983 Georgia Statewide Lambert (US Feet)
IDTM = NAD 1983 Idaho Transverse Mercator (Meters)
GeoRef = NAD 1983 Michigan GeoRef (Meters)
MSTM = NAD 1983 Mississippi Transverse Mercator (Meters)
ORLam = NAD 1983 Oregon Statewide Lambert (Intl Feet)
TCMSLam = NAD 1983 Texas Centric Mapping System Albers (Meters)
R6Albers = NAD 1983 USFS R6 Albers (Meters)
VALam = NAD 1983 Virginia Lambert (Meters)
WTM83 = NAD 1983 Wisconsin Transverse Mercator (Meters)
WYLam = NAD 1983 WyLam (Meters)

UTM (Universal Transverse Mercator), State Plane, and Geographic Examples

u13nad83 = UTM Zone 13, NAD 1983
u17nad27 = UTM Zone 17, NAD 1927
llnad83 = Latitude/Longitude; i.e., geographic NAD 1983
llwgs84 = Latitude/Longitude; i.e., geographic WGS 1984 {st}sp5nad83 = {state abbreviation} State Plane Zone 5, NAD 1983

References

• GeoOps File Namer tool (xls), included in Tools folder in GeoOps folder template (zip)
• NWCG GISS Workflow, PMS 936-1

Responsibilities

The GISS communicates the file naming conventions used on an incident to other GIS Specialists, including the hosting unit GIS staff and regional GIS staff. On an incident, the Situation Unit Leader (SITL)​ (or, in the absence of a SITL, the Planning Section Chief or Type 3 or Type 4 Incident Commander) ensures that individuals working in the Situation Unit follow NWCG standards, including naming standard conventions. NWCG standards represent a national interagency standard and should not be overridden at the incident level.