Starting in 2017, Seasonal Fuels, formerly called MoD-FIS, has provided adjusted fuel model (Scott and Burgan 2005) map data in the Great Basin and Southwest regions based on season specific assessments of herbaceous cover acquired from a comparison of current year Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) and Web-enabled Landsat Data (WELD). NDVI values quantify the density of vegetation greenness. Higher NDVIs indicate the presence of more live “green” vegetation, while lower values indicate less live or “brown” vegetation (either not present or dry/dead). These values can fluctuate throughout the fire season and substantially affect fuel availability.
During the year, LANDFIRE analyzes the most recent max NDVI to develop vegetation greenness values for each pixel in the southwest region. These values are correlated with measures of LANDFIRE herbaceous cover to quantify the abundance of fine fuel. A seasonally updated ruleset developed in the LANDFIRE Total Fuel Change Tool (LFTFC), systematically updates static Scott and Burgan Fire Behavior Fuel Model assignments to fuel models that best represent the current fine fuel cover or herbaceous abundance as indicated by the NDVI. Modeling exercises are used to evaluate the final map output.
In addition, Seasonal Fuels vegetation cover and height products are generated using a current season herbaceous cover layer created from pre-fire season NDVI imagery and LANDFIRE cover data. Seasonal Fuels products are available for viewing and download on the LANDFIRE Map Viewer. Users may also download mosaic layers by available extent and season.
Products are released every year based on the following fire season
| Overview Area | Season | Region | Date Range |
 | Early Spring | Southwest | Feb 1 - April 20 |
 | Spring | Southwest Northern Great Basin | Feb 1 - May 20 |
 | Summer | Southwest Northern Great Basin Northern | Feb 1 - Jun 20 |
| Fall | Southwest | Feb 1 - Sep 20 |
Seasonal Fuels Resources
ADDs will be added in 2026 as seasonal data becomes available
ADDs will be added in 2026 as seasonal data becomes available
Metadata will be added in 2026 as seasonal data becomes available
Metadata will be added in 2026 as seasonal data becomes available
MoD-FIS Comprehensive Plan
GB-SW MoD-FIS White Paper
LANDFIRE Modeling Dynamic Fuels with an Index System Innovations
MoD-FIS Brings Seasonal Fine Fuels Information to Wildland Fire Mangement
Scott and Burgan 2005: Standard Fire Behavior Fuel Models: A Comprehensive Set for Use with Rothermel's Surface Fire Spread Model
MoD-FIS Comprehensive Plan
GB-SW MoD-FIS White Paper
LANDFIRE Modeling Dynamic Fuels with an Index System Innovations
MoD-FIS Brings Seasonal Fine Fuels Information to Wildland Fire Mangement
Scott and Burgan 2005: Standard Fire Behavior Fuel Models: A Comprehensive Set for Use with Rothermel's Surface Fire Spread Model
Wildfires that burn across hard-baked desert landscapes, such as in southwestern and Great Basin areas of the United States, are driven by fine fuels such as annual/invasive herbaceous. Capturing the seasonal variations in the production of these fuels is what LF’s Seasonal Fuels is about.
Important to fire managers in preparing for a fire season and addressing wildfires as they're happening, Seasonal Fuels provides vital information in understanding when and where those fuels are present, how abundant they are, and how seasonal variation changes over time affects fire behavior.
Seasonal Fuels products (Existing Vegetation Cover, Existing Vegetation Height, and Fire Behavior Fuel Models) are released three times a year, Spring in early June, Summer in early July, and Fall in early October. You can find the MoD-FIS products on the LF Map Viewer, select "Seasonal."
More information about LF's Seasonal Fuels products can be found in the article MoD-FIS Brings Seasonal Fine Fuels Information to Wildland Fire Management.
Wildfires that burn across hard-baked desert landscapes, such as in southwestern and Great Basin areas of the United States, are driven by fine fuels such as annual/invasive herbaceous. Capturing the seasonal variations in the production of these fuels is what LF’s Seasonal Fuels is about.
Important to fire managers in preparing for a fire season and addressing wildfires as they're happening, Seasonal Fuels provides vital information in understanding when and where those fuels are present, how abundant they are, and how seasonal variation changes over time affects fire behavior.
Seasonal Fuels products (Existing Vegetation Cover, Existing Vegetation Height, and Fire Behavior Fuel Models) are released three times a year, Spring in early June, Summer in early July, and Fall in early October. You can find the MoD-FIS products on the LF Map Viewer, select "Seasonal."
More information about LF's Seasonal Fuels products can be found in the article MoD-FIS Brings Seasonal Fine Fuels Information to Wildland Fire Management.