Custom Fuel Model File (.FMD)

This is a optional ASCII text file for utilizing custom fuel models in FARSITE and FlamMap. Fuel models other than the standard 13 Fire Behavior models (Anderson 1982) or the expanded set (Scott and Burgan, 2005) must be supplied in a Custom Fuel Model (.FMD) File.

FARSITE and FlamMap allow custom fuel model inputs in English or metric units. The units are selected by inserting the word ENGLISH or METRIC as the first line of the Custom Fuel Model (.FMD) File. If no option is found English units are assumed.

Each Custom Fuel Model (.FMD) File must contain data in the space delimited ASCII format specified below. FARSITE has a Custom Fuel Model Editor to help you create or edit Custom Fuel Model (.FMD) Files. Also, a generic text editing application such as Notepad or WordPad, a spreadsheet, the FlamMap Text Editor can be used to create or edit the Custom Fuel Model (.FMD) File. The Custom Fuel Model (.FMD) File must be in the following space delimited format, and have fuel model numbers between 1 and 256 not assigned to a standard fuel model. Although FARSITE and FlamMap will permit any custom fuel model number between 1 and 256 not assigned to a standard fuel model it is best to limit custom model numbers to the range 14-89 to limit conflicts with future standard models. See Table 1, Scott and Burgan, (2005) for a complete list of standard fuel model number assignments.

Custom Fuel Model (.FMD) File Format

FMNum FMCode 1H 10H 100H LiveH LiveW FMType 1HSAV LiveHSAV LiveWSAV Depth XtMoist DHt LHt FMName

Field	Name	Data Type	English Units	Metric Units
FMNum	Fuel Model Number	integer	number 14-89	number 14-89
FMCode	Fuel Model Code	string	user defined up to 7 characters	user defined up to 7 characters
1H, 10H, 100H, LiveH, LiveW	Fuel Loading	decimal	tons/acre	metric tonnes/hectare
FMType	Fuel Model Type	string	"static" or "dynamic"	"static" or "dynamic"
1HSAV, LiveHSAV, LiveWSAV	Surface to Volume Ratio	integer	1/ft	1/cm
Depth	Fuel Bed Depth	decimal	ft	cm
XtMoist	Moisture of Extinction	integer	percent	percent
DHt, LHt	Heat Content, live & dead fuels	integer	BTU/lb	Kj/Kg
FMName	Fuel Model Name	string	user defined up to 256 characters	user defined up to 256 characters

Sample Custom Fuel Model (.FMD) File

Using the FlamMap Text Editor

On the Inputs tab of the "Run:" dialog click the Button which shows the Custom Fuel Model File options. button and select the Edit FMD File option. The Custom Fuel Model (.FMD) File named in the associated text box will open in the FlamMap Text Editor.