Landscape: Run FVS

The Run FVS form has two tabs related to running FVS. The landscape Run FVS form is similar to that of under the Stand menu (see Select Stand: Run FVS) and offers a compact FVS interface with many options. A single stand, a set number of stands, ArcMap-selected stands, only stands with prescriptions, or all the stands in the landscape can be run. Prescriptions can be applied to all stands or to selected stands by linking to the prescription field in the input database (see Assign FVS Prescriptions). The number of FVS cycles and years is set with this form. In addition to the ability to write and use KCPs, some helpful FVS/FFE-FVS functions are hardwired in ArcFuels10 as options: fuel model selection, carbon reports, turning off the FFE-FVS reports, creating a tree list for a given year, and generating a cut list.

Inputs are set using the FVS Inputs and FVS Options tabs. A few differences between the Stand and Landscape Run FVS forms exist. With the Landscape form, SVS outputs are not created, nor can NEXUS inputs be created, the output file is an Access database rather than an Excel workbook so no graphs are created, and the Parallel Processing Extension (Crookston and Stage 1991) can be run through the Landscape form but not the Stand form.

The FVS Inputs tab of the Run FVS form is where the FVS database details are set. Selections are made on which stand(s) to run thorough FVS/FFE-FVS and treatment prescriptions are selected .

The top section is where the program paths are set and the FVS database is linked.

The FVS Program and PPE Program executables are set using the Project Settings form.
The FVS Input DB is the path to the FVS input database.
The Stand Table and Stand ID Field link the stand data and unique identification to the shapefile.
The Tree Table and Tree List ID Field link the tree data and unique identification to the shapefile..

The Select Stands to Run section is where the stand(s) that will be run through FVS/FFE-FVS are selected.

All stands runs all the stands.
ArcMap selected stands only runs the stands selected in ArcMap.
Stands with prescriptions only runs stand with prescription in the field(s) selected in the Prescription Fields box.
Single stand will run the stand number noted in the text box.
Only run XX stands allows you to only run the first number of stands denoted in the text box in conjunction with the other options, except single stand.

The Prescription Source(s) section is where the user can assign KCP files(s) to all the stands, or assign a prescription field to select stands using a specific field in the input FVS database.

KCP Files allows you to apply a KCP to every stand you run through the tool.
Prescription Fields links back the input FVS stand database, where multiple KCPs can be assigned to set stands to create different treatment alternatives. The KCP(s) will only be used if a stand is selected that has a prescription assigned.

The FVS Options tab of the Run FVS form is where the number of cycles and time steps for FVS runs and the fuel model set(s) that FFE-FVS will use are specified. Other hardwired options include the generation of a tree list for a specified year, a cut list, the ability to pause the FVS run at the end for debugging, and the option to override the FFE-FVS fuel model selections with others in the input database. Output options are also selected using this tab.

The FVS Options section is where all of the FVS options are set up.

The number of Cycles and Years per cyclesets how many iterations will be run and the time step between iterations.
The Fuel Model Set tells FFE-FVS which of the desired fuel model sets to choose from: Anderson (13), Scott and Burgan (40) or both (53).
If you do not want FFE-FVS to select a fuel model for you, you have the option to override this process for three different time steps: pretreatment, post cut, and post fire.
- To overwrite the fuel models, the fields with the values must already be in the FVS input database. These are optional fields and are not part of the standard FVS input database format.
- Once the fuel model selection is overwritten it remains static until a new key word (post cut or post fire) is used, or until the end of the simulation in the case of no further cutting or burning action.
If you would like to Generate tree lists, you will need to specify when you want them output based on the year/cycle.
- Note that the treelist is create the year after you type into the text box.
After a cutting keyword you can Generate cut lists.
If using the PPE the PPE Treatment Priority Variable, and PPE Treatment Proportion are set here.
The FVS/FFE-FVS run can be paused prior to completion using the Add Pause in batch file. This can be helpful for troubleshooting errors.

The FVS Process and Outputsis where the path and output database are set along with hardwired FVS/FFE-FVS options.

The Output Folder is the default is the output folder specified when setting up a project in the Project Settings form.
The root name for the FVS output files is set in the Scenario Name text box. This auto-populates the names for the Key File and Out File.
The Scenario Index is used when multiple runs are output to the same database.
Add a pause in batch file pauses the FVS run at the end of processing. This can be useful for troubleshooting.
Minimize FVS windows gives the option of minimizing the FVS window as the program runs.
Suppress FFE reports turns off the creation of the FFE-FVS reports in the output database.
Execute runs FVS/FFE-FVS.
Overwrite DB allows you to overwrite existing output databases. If you want to write multiple runs to a single database be sure to unselect this option.
Carbon reports turns on the creation of the FFE-FVS carbon reports in the output database.
FVS Output DB is where the path and database name are set.

The Run FVS button is used if you are running FVS/FFE-FVS and the Run PPE button is used when you are running PPE.

The Scan Out File for Errors button checks the FVS output file for any errors that may have occurred during the run. A window will open letting you know that there either were no errors, or identification of the error, and where to find it. The FVS error code number can be looked up in the FVS Essentials Guide (Dixon 2003).

FVS Error Scan windows for no errors (A), or for an error (B).

Exercise 11—Running the no treatment alternative in FVS/FFE-FVS for the entire landscape

In this exercise, every stand in the Mt. Emily project area will be run through FVS/FFE-FVS for the no treatment alternative. Each stand will be run for 6 one year cycles so the outputs can be combined and compared to different treatment alternatives.

Click the Landscape button on the ArcFuels10 toolbar, then select Run FVS from the drop-down list.

Select the FVS Inputs tab, and fill out the form following the figure below.

Select the FVS Options tab, and fill out the form following the figure below.

Click the Run FVS button to start the FVS/FFE-FVS run. A progress meter will open.
When the run is completed a window will open indicating it is done.

Click the button OK to close the window.

Click the Close button to close the Run FVS form.

If you forget to specify the output database, or do not include the file extension *mdb, you will get error messages stating so.

Open the alt0_no_treatment.mdb file from the output folder in the ArcFuels directory.

Open the FVS_Compute table by double-clicking on the name. This table includes automated outputs for the surface fuel model and canopy characteristic values that are need to build a landscape (LCP) file for fire behavior modeling in FARSITE and FlamMap. For more information about an LCP see Build LCP.
Open a few other tables and see what is generated.

All the FVS output tables created are along the right hand side. The data tables in the Access database are the same as the Excel workbook from the single stand runs, see Stand: Run FVS for a list of the tables with a short description.

FVS output database example.

Close the Access database.

If the database you attempt to write the data to is open or locked, you will get a warning asking to overwrite the existing database. If the database is only locked you will be able to overwrite it, if it is open you will not.

Exercise 12—Running stands with prescriptions in FVS/FFE-FVS to create a treatment alternative

In this exercise, only stands with prescriptions will be run through FVS/FFE-FVS. This is a time saving alternative when the no treatment database was already run, as was done in Exercise 11. We will run the stands in the Alt1_TOM field in the Mt. Emily database, which have the Combo.kcp file written to stands based on the ideal_trt raster. The prescriptions were assigned in Exercise 10.

Click the Landscape button on the ArcFuels10 toolbar, then select Run FVS from the drop-down list.

Select the FVS Inputs tab, and fill out the form following the figure below.

To assign the Prescription Field, click the Add/Change Fields button.

Click the OK button to close the Select KCP Fields form.

Select the FVS Options tab, and fill out the form following the figure below.

Click the Close button to close the Run FVS form.

Open the alt1_ideal database file. Notice not all of the stands were run through FVS/FFE-FVS, just the stands where the prescription was assigned.

To continue to the next section go to FVS Treatment Analysis.