The Western Fire Chiefs Association (WFCA) has introduced its new Fire Map, to provide near real-time information about active wildfires.

The WFCA Fire Map pulls data from the US Forest Service via National Interagency Fire Center IRWIN feed, and 911 Dispatch data via PulsePoint to track the location of the wildfire as they start and while they’re burning. It is the first map of its kind to pull such data from 911 Dispatch in relevant areas.

The map shows the name and location of the fire, alongside its size and what percentage it has been contained. It also shows how many responders have been assigned to the fire and how long the fire has been active.

“The current climate situation is incredibly scary,” said Chief Mark Niemeyer, Vice President of the WFCA and Fire Chief of the Boise Fire Department. “The WFCA is providing public access to definitive information around the paths of wildfires so that communities can quickly take action,” said Niemeyer.

“The WFCA is committed to provide an even deeper level of intelligence around wildfires as they happen”

As the WFCA looks to the future, it is creating a development path in the next year which will include 3D and predictive mapping models, air quality and weather data, as well as text message notifications.

Richard Price, President of the California-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit PulsePoint Foundation, commented on the launch: “We are excited to offer the opportunity for PulsePoint-connected agencies to seamlessly display fire incidents within the WFCA Fire Map. By leveraging widely-deployed PulsePoint 911 interfaces, the fire service is able to scale this critical public resource very quickly.

He added: “The addition of text notifications will be a game changer.”