How to Participate ›› Updating Products ›› Providing Event Data

Thank you for your willingness to provide data to support LANDFIRE Refresh. Please follow steps 1-4 below to prepare your data and then select an option for data transfer in step 5.

1) Inventory your data.

Inventory your data:

Conduct an inventory of all spatial data depicting the types of polygon features listed in the table below. These features must pertain to events or occurrences from 1999 to the present.



Category	Theme (polygon features only)
Fire	Wildfires
	Wildland Fire Use
	Prescribed Fires
Other Disturbances	Insects and Disease
	Weather Damage
Other Treatments	Harvest/Thinning
	Seeding/Planting
	Other Mechanical
	Chemical
Other Information	Burnable Agricultural Lands
	Exotic Plant Infestations


2) Ensure that all data layers have a defined spatial coordinate system.

Ensure that all data layers have a defined spatial coordinate system

While there are several ways to check data's spatial reference in ArcCatalog, a common method is to double-click on the layer in the Catalog Tree (or right-click on the layer and choose Properties) and click on the XY Coordinate System tab in the Properties dialog box. A typical spatial reference might be Universal Transverse Mercator (UTM), a UTM Zone Number, and a Horizontal Datum of NAD83 or NAD27. If the spatial reference is not defined, it will display as Unknown. (Alternatively, you can use Windows Explorer to confirm that the coordinate system is defined for a shapefile by finding its projection file, which will have a ".prj" file extension.)

If the spatial coordinate system is Unknown (as is the case when no .prj file is included in your shapefile), one must be assigned using the Select or Import buttons on the XY Coordinate System tab dialog box. You can also use the Define Projection tool in ArcToolbox. Contact helpdesk@landfire.gov if you have additional questions about assigning the correct coordinate system. A representative of the Refresh team will respond promptly with further guidance.


3) Update and complete your data.

Update and complete your data

Each data layer should contain essential information to support the LANDFIRE Refresh process. Ensuring that your polygons are as consistently and completely attributed as possible will facilitate data transfer via the LANDFIRE geodatabase and maximize their utility in Refresh. Click here for a complete list and thorough descriptions of each attribute requested. Please note that existing field names in your attribute table(s) need not match those requested for Refresh. The content, however, should match as closely as possible. Also note that we have no requirements for field format: the Refresh geodatabase has been designed to accommodate the full array of data types.

At a minimum, event type and year of occurrence must be provided for each polygon record to be used in Refresh. While severity is not required, we highly recommend that you include this attribute, as it will enhance the value of the contributed data immensely. LANDFIRE Refresh will assign "moderate" severity to those records for which severity is not indicated.


4) Review the data layers.

Review the data layers

Please confirm that all records are as complete as possible and that any duplicate records or polygons have been removed.


5) Choose a data transfer option.

Choose a data transfer option

OPTION A: Transferring Data via the LANDFIRE Refresh Geodatabase

We prefer that, when possible, these polygon layers are transferred using the geodatabase created for this purpose. By loading your data into the LANDFIRE Refresh geodatabase, you can ensure that all necessary elements are included. Moreover, datasets contributed in this format will be prioritized for use in LANDFIRE Refresh. Please click here to select the geodatabase transfer option.

OPTION B: Sending Data "As Is"

If you have spatial polygon layers that should meet Refresh needs but are unable to transfer the information data via the LANDFIRE geodatabase, we will certainly accept those data in another format. Click here if you wish to submit your data in another format or have no choice but to send it simply "as is". Please note, however, that due to our ambitious timeframe for the updates, data requiring additional processing by LANDFIRE staff generally will be of lower priority for use in Refresh.