MTBS

Monitoring Trends in Burn Severity

Overview

The MTBS module provides access to burn severity data from the Monitoring Trends in Burn Severity program. MTBS maps the burn severity and perimeters of large fires across the United States.

Data Source: MTBS

Available Datasets

Dataset	Description	Geometry
:fire_occurrence	Fire occurrence points (1984-present)	point
:burn_boundaries	Burned area boundaries (1984-present)	polygon

Basic Usage

using WildfireData

# List all datasets
MTBS.datasets()

# Get dataset info
MTBS.info(:fire_occurrence)

Downloading Data

# Download fire occurrence points
data = MTBS.download(:fire_occurrence, limit=100)

# Download burn boundaries
data = MTBS.download(:burn_boundaries, limit=10)

# Download with filter
data = MTBS.download(:fire_occurrence, where="acres > 10000", limit=50)

Querying

# Count records
n = MTBS.count(:fire_occurrence)
n = MTBS.count(:burn_boundaries)

# Count with filter
n = MTBS.count(:fire_occurrence, where="acres > 5000")

# Get field information
fields = MTBS.fields(:fire_occurrence)

Convenience Functions

# Query fire occurrence with filters
data = MTBS.fires(year=2020, limit=100)
data = MTBS.fires(min_acres=50000, fire_type="Wildfire", limit=100)

# Query burn boundaries with filters
data = MTBS.boundaries(year=2020, limit=50)
data = MTBS.boundaries(min_acres=100000, limit=50)

# Get largest fires (sorted client-side)
largest = MTBS.largest_fires(10)
largest = MTBS.largest_fires(10, year=2020)

Saving and Loading Files

# Download and save to local file
path = MTBS.download_file(:fire_occurrence, limit=100)

# Load previously downloaded file
data = MTBS.load_file(:fire_occurrence)

Working with Results

data = MTBS.download(:fire_occurrence, limit=5)

# Iterate directly over the FeatureCollection
for feature in data
    println("$(feature.fire_name): $(feature.acres) acres")
end

Direct Downloads

MTBS also provides direct download links for full shapefiles and geodatabases:

# List available downloads
MTBS.available_downloads()

# Download a shapefile or geodatabase
path = MTBS.download_shapefile(:fire_occurrence_shp)
path = MTBS.download_shapefile(:burn_boundaries_gdb)

Key	Description
:burn_boundaries_shp	Burn area boundaries shapefile (~374 MB)
:burn_boundaries_gdb	Burn area boundaries geodatabase (~158 MB)
:fire_occurrence_shp	Fire occurrence points shapefile (~3 MB)
:fire_occurrence_gdb	Fire occurrence points geodatabase (~2 MB)

Plot Example

using WildfireData
using CairoMakie, GeoMakie, Tyler
using Extents, TileProviders
CairoMakie.activate!(visible=false)  # don't open an image viewer when Tyler calls display
# OpenStreetMap's tile policy requires an identifying User-Agent and attribution:
# https://operations.osmfoundation.org/policies/tiles/
Tyler.USER_AGENT[] = "WildfireData.jl-docs (+https://github.com/RallypointOne/WildfireData.jl)"

data = MTBS.largest_fires(50)

lons = Float64[]
lats = Float64[]
acres = Float64[]

for feature in data
    props = feature.properties
    geom = feature.geometry
    isnothing(geom) && continue
    a = get(props, :acres, nothing)
    (isnothing(a) || a <= 0) && continue
    push!(lons, geom.coordinates[1])
    push!(lats, geom.coordinates[2])
    push!(acres, Float64(a))
end

if !isempty(lons)
    pad = 2.0
    ext = Extent(; X=(minimum(lons) - pad, maximum(lons) + pad),
                   Y=(minimum(lats) - pad, maximum(lats) + pad))
    m = Tyler.Map(ext;
        size = (900, 600),
        axis = (; type = GeoMakie.GeoAxis, dest = "+proj=merc"),
        provider = TileProviders.OpenStreetMap(:Mapnik),
        fetching_scheme = Tyler.SimpleTiling(),  # only the tiles in view
    )
    text!(m.axis, 1, 0; text="© OpenStreetMap contributors", space=:relative, align=(:right, :bottom), offset=(-4, 4), fontsize=10)
    scatter!(m.axis, lons, lats,
        markersize=sqrt.(acres) ./ 80,
        color=(:firebrick, 0.6),
        strokecolor=:black, strokewidth=0.5)
    m  # show the Map, not m.figure, so rendering waits for tiles
end

API Reference

Functions

• datasets() - List available datasets
• info(dataset) - Print dataset information
• download(dataset; where, fields, limit, verbose) - Download data
• download_file(dataset; filename, force, verbose, ...) - Download and save to file
• load_file(dataset; filename) - Load previously downloaded file
• count(dataset; where) - Get record count
• fields(dataset) - Get field names and types
• query_url(dataset; kwargs...) - Build query URL
• fires(; year, min_acres, max_acres, fire_type, limit) - Query fire occurrence
• boundaries(; year, min_acres, max_acres, limit) - Query burn boundaries
• largest_fires(n; year) - Get largest fires by acreage
• available_downloads() - List direct download options
• download_shapefile(key; force, verbose) - Download shapefile/geodatabase
• dir() - Get local data directory path