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Reproject LANDFIRE data to your local projection: LANDFIRE data are delivered in the USGS version of the USA Contiguous Albers Equal Area Conic projection. LANDFIRE data must be projected prior to running fire simulations in FARSITE and FlamMap. If LANDFIRE data is not reprojected, it could result in inaccurate fire behavior outputs from these models.

Background:

LANDFIRE data layers are in the USGS Albers projection. This projection is appropriate if you plan to use it at the national scale. However, if you plan to use LANDFIRE data at a local scale as inputs for programs such as FlamMap and FARSITE, it is very important to reproject the LANDFIRE data. FlamMap and FARSITE programs both require data in rectangular projections with true north-up alignment. The north-up orientation is expected by these programs in order to accurately factor wind direction for fire behavior simulations. Local projections with rectangular forms, such as UTM, minimize distortion at large scales (small areas). Using a local projection (with a geographically near point of origin) will maximize true north in your locale. Data that remain in the USGS Albers projection will distort north the farther you go from the central meridian. Again, failing to reproject LANDFIRE data prior to running fire simulations in FARSITE and FlamMap could result in inaccurate fire behavior outputs from these models. UTM and State Plane projections are common projections for local analysis.

Advice:

When LANDFIRE data are viewed in ArcMap, they remain in the USGS Albers projection, regardless of the map projection in the current ArcMap project. While it may appear that LANDFIRE layers have been reprojected and line up with your local data in ArcMap, they do not in actuality. ArcMap has merely projected the data “on the fly” for display purposes only and does not alter the layer’s original projection. You must reproject your data into a local projection. In ArcMap, this can be done by going to ArcToolbox > Data Management Tools > Projections and Transformations > Raster > Project Raster. In addition, data can be reprojected from Environment Settings in any ArcToolbox analysis.

Analysis performed using data with different projections could produce unexpected results with programs such as FlamMap or FARSITE. Therefore, it is good practice to understand the map projection characteristics of the data and, when necessary, reproject data to best fit local needs.

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