The Landscape Fire and Resource Management Planning Tools Project – LANDFIRE – is an innovative project designed to create and periodically update comprehensive vegetation, fire and fuel characteristics data using a consistent process for the entire United States. Additionally, LANDFIRE developed quantitative vegetation models and comprehensive ecological descriptions for all major vegetation systems in the US and a suite of GIS tools that will help fire and resource managers utilize the products effectively.  For basic background and to access the full range of tools, data and resources, see the  LANDFIRE National web site. Additionally, please view TNC-LANDFIRE's complete holdings on this Conservation Gateway site. We have posted hundreds of materials, including documents, links, tutorials, recommendations and more in this location.

LANDFIRE benefits:

• Complete for the entire U.S.
• Incredibly rich suite of spatial data and vegetation models
• Developed using consistent methods across the entire country
• Free and accessible online—ready for use almost immediately
• Adaptability to fire and non-fire applications
• Support and educational materials are readily available to users
• Spatial layers that change over time (vegetation, fuels, etc.) will be periodically updated for the foreseeable future.

There are several versions of LANDFIRE spatial products available for download, and more are coming. The current product versions represent different time periods or improvement processes, and at least one is available only for a portion of the country. LANDFIRE is actively working on  systematic data improvements, which will be available for downloading soon. In addition, the LANDFIRE Refresh program (LF_1.0.5 and LF_1.1.0) and here (weblink through the Gateway provides contextual information) updates all c2000 current vegetation layers and related products to 2008 using remote sensing techniques, models and field-supplied information.

More than Fire

Though named LANDFIRE, the suite of tools, models and digital map layers is the first complete, nationally consistent collection of resources with an ecological foundation that can be used across several disciplines. As such, LANDFIRE reaches beyond research and results regarding fire in the United States. (For many examples, see publications and resources that are posted in the Gateway Library.)

Under the original project contract, TNC’s team created 20+ digital map layers, including current vegetation, estimated pre-European settlement vegetation, current vegetation structure and a metric that summarizes how current vegetation composition and structure are different from pre-settlement vegetation. In addition to these spatial products, the team coordinated the development of more than 1,000 dynamic, quantitative models of vegetation succession and disturbance, which mathematically and textually describe all major U.S. Ecological Systems.

All of these products are available for public download. LANDFIRE models and spatial layers have been used in important wildland fire management situations, but also in numerous and varied conservation applications as well, such as an “enhanced CAP process,” national condition assessments and habitat evaluations.

Original products were developed for national or regional analyses, but may be useful for smaller geographies after review and possible adjustment by local experts. The LANDFIRE Program teams are continually improving and updating products, working to increase their appropriate use.

LANDFIRE is part of The Nature Conservancy's North America Conservation Region.

Contact any member of the TNC-LANDFIRE Team for information.

Assistance is also available through LANDFIRE National e-mail

Follow us on Twitter.