Quality assured spatial dataset of wildfire containment firelines and engagement outcomes 2017 to 2024

Abstract The escalation of wildfires in the USA, coupled with rising firefighting costs and decreasing workforce capacity, underscores the critical need to evaluate the efficiency and effectiveness of containment measures. However, the existing spatial data that records the locations and types of co...

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Main Authors: Alexander Arkowitz, Scott M. Ritter, Matthew P. Thompson, Jesse D. Young, Brad Pietruszka, David E. Calkin
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Nature Portfolio 2025-05-01
Series:Scientific Data
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1038/s41597-025-05208-0
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author Alexander Arkowitz
Scott M. Ritter
Matthew P. Thompson
Jesse D. Young
Brad Pietruszka
David E. Calkin
author_facet Alexander Arkowitz
Scott M. Ritter
Matthew P. Thompson
Jesse D. Young
Brad Pietruszka
David E. Calkin
author_sort Alexander Arkowitz
collection DOAJ
description Abstract The escalation of wildfires in the USA, coupled with rising firefighting costs and decreasing workforce capacity, underscores the critical need to evaluate the efficiency and effectiveness of containment measures. However, the existing spatial data that records the locations and types of containment measures and wildfire perimeters contains numerous errors and redundancies. This paper presents a comprehensive fireline Quality Assurance and Quality Control dataset developed from the wildland firefighting operations data reported in the National Interagency Fire Center National Incident Feature Service. This improved dataset contains reliable spatial locations for fireline built during suppression operations, the associated verified fire perimeters, and identifies where containment was success or failure for fires greater than 1000 acres from 2017–2024. The improved final dataset represents critical information that was previously unavailable for assessing the success of fireline operations and incident management resource-use efficiency. The lessons learned from analyses utilizing this dataset are critical for improving the efficiency and effectiveness of the United States wildfire management system.
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spelling doaj-art-46a50c2ce1fd4eae9afbb495110c02022025-08-20T03:22:11ZengNature PortfolioScientific Data2052-44632025-05-0112111010.1038/s41597-025-05208-0Quality assured spatial dataset of wildfire containment firelines and engagement outcomes 2017 to 2024Alexander Arkowitz0Scott M. Ritter1Matthew P. Thompson2Jesse D. Young3Brad Pietruszka4David E. Calkin5Department of Forest and Rangeland Stewardship, Colorado State UniversityUSDA Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research StationUSDA Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research StationUSDA Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research StationUSDA Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research StationUSDA Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research StationAbstract The escalation of wildfires in the USA, coupled with rising firefighting costs and decreasing workforce capacity, underscores the critical need to evaluate the efficiency and effectiveness of containment measures. However, the existing spatial data that records the locations and types of containment measures and wildfire perimeters contains numerous errors and redundancies. This paper presents a comprehensive fireline Quality Assurance and Quality Control dataset developed from the wildland firefighting operations data reported in the National Interagency Fire Center National Incident Feature Service. This improved dataset contains reliable spatial locations for fireline built during suppression operations, the associated verified fire perimeters, and identifies where containment was success or failure for fires greater than 1000 acres from 2017–2024. The improved final dataset represents critical information that was previously unavailable for assessing the success of fireline operations and incident management resource-use efficiency. The lessons learned from analyses utilizing this dataset are critical for improving the efficiency and effectiveness of the United States wildfire management system.https://doi.org/10.1038/s41597-025-05208-0
spellingShingle Alexander Arkowitz
Scott M. Ritter
Matthew P. Thompson
Jesse D. Young
Brad Pietruszka
David E. Calkin
Quality assured spatial dataset of wildfire containment firelines and engagement outcomes 2017 to 2024
Scientific Data
title Quality assured spatial dataset of wildfire containment firelines and engagement outcomes 2017 to 2024
title_full Quality assured spatial dataset of wildfire containment firelines and engagement outcomes 2017 to 2024
title_fullStr Quality assured spatial dataset of wildfire containment firelines and engagement outcomes 2017 to 2024
title_full_unstemmed Quality assured spatial dataset of wildfire containment firelines and engagement outcomes 2017 to 2024
title_short Quality assured spatial dataset of wildfire containment firelines and engagement outcomes 2017 to 2024
title_sort quality assured spatial dataset of wildfire containment firelines and engagement outcomes 2017 to 2024
url https://doi.org/10.1038/s41597-025-05208-0
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