Breadcrumbs

What's New

2026 Planned Updates

Map & Visualization

  • Map Layer Loading: Group layers now enable progressively as they load, with clearer loading and error indicators and a refresh option for more reliable data display.

  • WFA Desktop: Esri SDK 200: The WFA desktop application now runs on Esri SDK 200, replacing the previous SDK version for improved performance and stability.

  • Dynamic Incident Icons: Incident icons now scale dynamically based on incident size, giving immediate visual context directly on the map.

  • WFA Desktop Compass: An on-screen compass has been added to the WFA desktop map view to aid orientation and navigation.

  • Weather Display Options: Weather data visualization now includes Color and Class Break rendering options for more granular analysis.

Weather & Risk Modeling

  • LFMC Chart Range Expanded: The Live Fuel Moisture Content (LFMC) chart now displays values up to 400% for all customers, extending coverage for extreme conditions.

  • Wind Gust Percentile Layers: Wind Gust Percentiles are now available as WFA territory weather layers for wind risk assessment.

  • Windy Cameras Integration: Windy camera feeds are now available to all US customers, adding real-time observational data to the map.

  • FireSim Custom Weather Files: The FireSim Custom Weather CSV workflow has been standardized, with a consistent file format for downloading, editing, and re-uploading to rerun simulations.

  • GOES Hotspot Coverage: The Hotspot layer now incorporates data from both GOES-18 and GOES-19 for broader, more current satellite coverage.

Asset & Simulation Management

  • Cancel Simulations: Running simulations can now be cancelled mid-process, giving users direct control over resource usage.

  • Rename Simulations: Simulations can now be renamed for easier organization and reference.

  • Asset Risk and FPI 2.0: Asset risk calculations are now linked to the full FPI 2.0 metrics suite.

  • AOI Filtering for Integrations: Area of Interest (AOI) filtering now applies across all key integrations: Incidents, Hotspots, FireGuard, and Simulations.

User Controls & Configuration

  • Notification Management: Users can now select which WFA notifications they receive via new toggles in settings.

  • Error Notification Control: Error notifications can be disabled individually for users who prefer a less interrupted workflow.

  • Incident Label Preference: Incidents can now be labeled by name rather than code by default, with a toggle in settings to switch between the two.

Release Notes

CAL FIRE Wildfire Analyst Desktop Version 2.6.7.3 (July 2026)

This release corrects branding, forecast loading, FireGuard selection, and vulnerability layer visibility, updates mapping symbology to the 2026 NIFS standard, and resolves earlier issues across weather data, fire simulation, mapping, and reporting.

Enhancements

Bug Fixes

  • Fixed the Load Existing Simulations panel displaying the wrong forecast instead of the one used to create the simulation.

  • Fixed the FireGuard quick lasso selecting polygons not rendered on the map; with time-enabled functionality active, it now ignores future polygons not yet visible on the timeline.

  • Changed the default transparency for Vulnerability Simulations from 100% (invisible) to 40%, so the layer is visible by default when activated.

  • Resolved an issue where High-Resolution Rapid Refresh (HRRR) and Global Forecast System (GFS) weather sources were not functioning correctly for fire simulations.

  • Fixed a bug causing out-of-boundary simulations to fail due to an administrative divisions error.

  • Corrected a Risk Potential Report layout issue affecting some units, where report content appeared shifted.

  • Restored the "World Imagery with Labels" basemap option, which had become unavailable.

  • Fixed a sync issue between the FireGuard layer and the timeline filter.

  • Resolved a conflict between the Fire Size Potential Risk metric and timeline progression that was causing the metric to appear disabled.

  • Fixed the FireSim panel to correctly reset parameters when a new forecast is loaded.

  • Resolved inconsistent behavior in the Map Layers panel when adding layers.

  • Fixed a blank FireSim panel displayed to users in RDS2 and ECC roles when vulnerability mode permissions were not enabled.

UAT Feedback

  • Corrected simulation status behavior in "Load Existing Simulations" window.

  • Corrected the simulation publishing and unpublishing workflows.

  • Fixed non-interactive simulation status dropdowns.

  • One-page incident card reports are missing the CAL FIRE logo and risk assessment images.

In-work / Pending

  • The Powerlines reference layer data source is taking up excessive map area.

  • The Weather Dashboard still shows Orange County for SDU.

  • The Impact Tool shows a historical building as an active hospital and is missing the Kern County Fire / Helitak Station Keene.