Main

Getting Started

Getting Started

Obtaining the Model

The FETM model and the support documentation can be downloaded without charge from this website.

System Requirements

The Modeling Process

The FETM modeling process can be organized into five distinct steps:

	Define Analysis Area (More information)
	Define Fuel Characteristic Classes (More information)
	Define Scenarios (More information)
	Run FETM
	View, process and interpret results (More information)

Building a Team

Because of its breadth and complexity, FETM is a model that is best used by a team rather than a single person.  No one person is likely to have the range of skills necessary to run the model by themselves.  In our experience, the FETM team usually consists of professionals from several natural-resource disciplines, including but not limited to:

	Geographic Information System management
	Fire planning
	Fuel management
	Terrestrial ecology and fire ecology
	Silviculture
	Range conservation
	Air quality
	Biology

The team leader should be a person who is highly computer and FETM literate, and whose skill and experience are in the discipline area for which the modeling analysis is being conducted.  If FETM is being used to analyze the long-term effects of alternative management policies as part of a forest plan update, for example, then the team leader may be a forest-planning specialist. If, on the other hand, FETM is being used to evaluate the tradeoffs between fuel treatment and wildland fire smoke emissions, then the team leader may be an fire planning specialist or air quality specialist. The team leader’s responsibility is to coordinate the group of specialists and manage the implementation of the model. 

For a more detailed description of FETM team roles, click on the following: FETM Team Roles