BehavePlus 7

Advanced Desktop Fire Modeling

Solution Application

Open Source

Expanding Access and Utility in a Venerable USFS Fire Modeling Tool

BehavePlus7 is a desktop application that uses mathematical models to predict fire behavior and the fire environment. It simulates rate of fires spread, spotting distance, scorch height, tree mortality, fuel moisture, wind speed effects, and more.

The Behave system empowers land managers to model potential fires and fire responders to make informed decisions in fighting real fires.

Technical Data

System Capabilities

The Behave fire modeling system is a Windows® based computer program that is used to predict fire behavior in multiple situations.
BehavePlus 7 has a completely redesigned user interface
Updated equations for contain.
Shares code with FlamMap to provide consistent outputs for point and spatial modeling systems.

System Support

Upgrading a Venerable Platform

Behave’s earliest version dates to 1984 and the last update was in 2013. Users’ expectations and capabilities had changed in nearly a decade of intensive use, so the USDA Forest Service (USFS), which operates Behave, decided it was time for the system to become more useful to more users than ever.

BehavePlus 7 prototype

Designing for Flexibility and Ease of Use

USFS selected Spatial Informatics Group to upgrade the Behave system. Our objective was to redesign the system to be streamlined and flexible, allowing users to more easily navigate and use the platform. Additionally, the new architecture was designed so that code can be updated quickly and easily as science develops.

Democratizing Fire Modeling

Behave v7 launched in the spring of 2024 with a completely redesigned user interface, updated models, and enhanced integration with other systems like FlamMap. The new intuitive interface reduces friction for both experienced and new users. The new architecture allows widespread and easy access, and the system continues to offer an offline mode for users with limited connectivity.

Using BehavePlus7