Prometheus:

• is a deterministic fire growth simulation model. It uses spatial fire behaviour input data on topography (slope, aspect and elevation) and FBP fuel types, along with weather stream and FBP fuel type lookup table files.
• uses the simple ellipse as the underlying template to shape fire growth.
• simulates fire growth based on Huygens' principle of wave propagation.
• uses differential spread equations derived by Dr. Gwynfor Richards at Brandon University.
• uses the Canadian Forest Fire Danger Rating System (CFFDRS) - Fire Weather Index (FWI) and Fire Behaviour Prediction (FBP) Sub-Systems to model fire behaviour outputs.
• models diurnal weather.
• is a stand alone program written in Visual C++ and uses the Microsoft COM interface.
• runs under Microsoft Windows operating systems (Windows ME, NT, 2000 and XP) and uses a graphical interface.
• allows users to modify fuels and weather data.
• uses Grid ASCII, Generate files and Shapefiles.

Prometheus is a national interagency project endorsed by the Canadian Interagency Forest Fire Centre (CIFFC) and its members. The CIFFC Fire Science and Technology Working Group provides a forum to communicate new developments and exchange new ideas. Alberta Sustainable Resource Development is the lead agency for this project.

Considerable time and effort were spent to ensure the program can be used across Canada by not only fire management agencies, but also by other interested stakeholders, such as landscape modelers, university researchers, forest management planners, municipal planners, and educators. As a result, the program is open and flexible.

Work is continuing on the model to include new functionality.

Current Version: