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Frequently Asked Questions
Everything you need to know about British Columbia wildfire tracking, sensor mesh siting, evacuation corridors, and remote sensing feeds.
What is Fire Aware and who is it built for?
Fire Aware is British Columbia's real-time environmental intelligence and wildfire situational awareness platform. It combines live BC Wildfire Service (BCWS) incident perimeters, CIFFC national preparedness levels, NASA FIRMS & NOAA GOES satellite remote sensing, autonomous sensor mesh siting, and Canadian FBP/FWI fire behavior calculations for residents, first responders, researchers, and municipal leaders.
How does the 3-point automated sensor siting work?
When you grant location permission on the Detection Map or Home page, Fire Aware automatically generates three calibrated monitoring points in a triangular geometry centered around your coordinates. It calculates distance-weighted $\text{PM}_{2.5}$, blended AQI, and ambient readings to provide hyperlocal air quality tracking even when physical government stations are miles away.
How often is wildfire and satellite hotspot data updated?
BC Wildfire Service perimeters and incident statuses are synchronized continuously with official government feeds. NASA VIIRS and MODIS thermal anomaly hotspots update multiple times daily as polar and geostationary satellites pass over western North America, filtered for high-confidence thermal radiation.
How does the Drive-Route Planner help navigate around wildfires?
The Drive-Route Planner analyzes your origin and destination across BC highway corridors. It calculates minimum buffer clearance from active fire perimeters and evacuation order polygons, surfaces along-route DriveBC highway webcams, and provides 1-click redirects to Google Maps, Apple Maps, Waze, and GPX navigation downloads.
How do I export sensor data and historical records?
On the Detection Map, click the Export CSV button or open the Sensor Comparison Tray at the bottom of the map. You can also visit the Fire Records page to query and download multi-year historical wildfire statistics and lightning ignition logs.
What is the difference between an Evacuation Alert and an Evacuation Order?
An Evacuation Alert is an advance notice to be ready to leave on short notice (pack grab-and-go bags, arrange pet transport, ensure vehicle has fuel). An Evacuation Order means you must leave the area immediately due to imminent life safety risk. Detailed checklists and emergency reception contacts are available in the Evacuation Guide.
Can I access the Interactive Platform Guide anytime?
Yes! You can press ? on your keyboard from anywhere on the website, click the tiny floating question mark helper, or open Interactive Guide from the top navigation dropdowns.