FireTools Cloud Results: Fire History and Vegetation Status for NPWS West Branch

Results from the FireTools Cloud GIS processing environment, updated up to 4 times per year, for fire management planning. The dataset, produced by the NSW Bushfire Risk Management Research Hub, includes layers on vegetation fire threshold status, number of times burnt, and time since last fire. Data is true and correct only for reserves within the NPWS West Branch, with incomplete fire history outside these areas.

Use Cases

• Monitor vegetation biodiversity status based on fire history classifications like LongUnburnt and TooFrequentlyBurnt.
• Identify candidate areas for hazard reduction burns based on Strategic Fire Advantage Zone (SFAZ) treatment priority classes.
• Analyze fire frequency and recency patterns across a landscape using raster and vector layers for number of times burnt and time since last fire.
• Visualize and analyze input vegetation groups driving fire management results using the Vegcode and VegBase layers.

Strengths

• Data is updated up to 4 times per year, suggesting regular maintenance.
• Includes multiple thematic layers (e.g., Heritage threshold status, Time Since Last Fire) in both raster and vector formats.
• Results are validated for reserves within the NPWS West Branch, providing a defined scope of accuracy.

Limitations

• Fire history data outside the specified reserves is described as incomplete, limiting reliability for broader areas.
• Column-level documentation is absent; field semantics must be inferred after download.
• The Vegcode layer is described as a simple visual display without full attribution.

Provenance

Source

NSW Bushfire Risk Management Research Hub (partnership including NSW Department of Planning, Industry and Environment, University of Wollongong, and others).

Collection Method

Processed via the FireTools Cloud web-based GIS environment, which replicates the FireTools II ArcGIS plugin, using user-uploaded datapacks.

Freshness

Updated up to 4 times per year; last metadata update was 2026-05-13.

Geography

NPWS (National Parks and Wildlife Service) West Branch reserves in New South Wales, Australia.