The National Fire Danger Rating System – Version 2016 (NFDRS16) is a categorical index used across the United States to assess the relative severity of burning conditions and fire threat. NFDRS employs a sophisticated set of equations, incorporating both user-defined constants and measured variables, to calculate daily indices and components that support decision-making. The system takes into account:
Throughout the fire season, the Wildland Fire Assessment System (WFAS-MAPS)—operated by the USDA Forest Service Rocky Mountain Research Station in Missoula, Montana—produces national maps of selected fire weather and fire danger components from the NFDRS.
NFDRS is included as a reference layer because it provides a valuable benchmark for fire weather conditions, allowing for direct comparison with Live Fuel Moisture Content datasets. This comparison is especially useful when evaluating the results of on-demand fire spread predictions.