Wildfire Map - Change Log

FWAC Wildfire Map version updated 9 months ago

2022 Change Log

Version 6.6.1-3 (Sept 4, 2022)

• Made styling changes to wildfire perimeters
• Fixed issues with perimeters show in archived fire maps
• Resolved caching issues for historical wildfire data

Version 6.6.1-2 (Sept 2, 2022)

• Resolved issues causing some fires to not show
• Implemented new satellite fire detection data
• Other styling updates

Version 6.6.1 (August & September 2022)

• Updated iconography for wildfire incidents to make things more concise for users
• Map will remove "smoke checks" after 1 day if incident isn't changed to "wildfire" and/or is listed as "0 acres"
• Added wind direction to weather observations
• Fixed styling issues with popup when you click on weather alerts
• Updated API to fix some issues with fires showing as "0 acres"
• Added additional caching capabilities to reduce number/size requests from server
• Fixed issues with AlertWildfire cameras not showing on map
• Changed API for satellite heat detection layer
• Fixed issues with the filter tool on the map; now allows for filtering by size and time, not just one or the other

Version 6.6 (July 19, 2022)

• Fixed nomenclature surrounding "smoke check" incidents
• Removed wildfire perimeters for incidents that have a status of "out"
• Changed some object naming
• Fixed some issues with wildfire map settings saving to user accounts

Version 6.5.2 (May 27, 2022)

• Fixed layout issues with fire data that was cutting off the text, leaving some users unable to fully read the content
• Added a new API to address some gaps with when fires are listed as "contained", "controlled", or "out"

Version 6.5.1 (May 20, 2022)

• Upgraded Leaflet version 1.7.1 to 1.8
• Fixed a few style issues
• Bug fixes

Version 6.5 (April 1, 2022)

• Numerous design and styling updates were made
• Changed fire weather graphing software to Google Charts SDK
• A new design for individual wildfire incident pages was built
• Up/down arrow & enter keys now work to choose between various search results
• Added a tooltip on load to show users where map legend is due to past confusion, according to user feedback
• Fire count updates when user is using the filter tool
• Fixed wind data issues and make basemap change to dark tiles automatically on layer toggle for better visualization
• Added current wildfire statistics to map, available by button click
• Updated Font Awesome icon library from v5.15.x to v6.1.0
• Moved user account panel from left to right side of map
• Change radar source from NWS to third-party provider with higher resolution colors and rain vs snow coloring
• Added user ability to animate radar imagery from the last 2 hours
• Added user ability to change map settings from the map without having to go to user account
• ESRI query library updated from 3.0.3 to 3.0.8

iOS Changes (Version 1.0)

• Offical FWAC iOS app is available on the Apple App Store

Android Changes (Version 2.5.2)

• Continued to fix bugs in software that were causing the app to crash for some users
• Added native login/create account abilities, including Google and Facebook logins
• Updated for Android 12
• Added APIs to share additional data between server and app

2021 Change Log

Version 6.2 (August 2021)

• Made changes to search feature that shows results substantially faster
• Implemented new Google sign-in protocol
• Fixed bugs with wildfire perimeters naming
• Upgraded ESRI querying code
• Fixed styling issues on wildfire incident information pages

Version 6.1 (July 2021)

• Fixed additional issues with wildfire perimeters
• Fixed issues with South Dakota incident numbers
• Improved algorithm to further limit duplicate fires on the map
• Added evacuation zones for Oregon to the layers menu

Version 6.0.2 (June 2021)

• Minor bug fixes
• Added animated wind layer to the weather category of layers
• Fixed issues with wildfire perimeters not showing

Version 6.0.1 (May 2021)

• Minor bug fixes
• Added top most-clicked fires to search feature
• Added drought conditions as a layer

Version 6.0 (April 2021)

• Routine bug fixes
• Fixed an issue with basemaps not showing due to incompatible database values
• Added context menu feature to get various information about a point on the map based on a "right-click" from desktop version of the map
• Made changes to algorithm to show more relevant wildfires on the map
• Changed iconography to help users find what they're looking for
• Moved map legend button from the tools menu to underneath the search tool
• Legend button changed from "layers" to "list" icon for more clarification
• Moved FAQ button (question mark symbol) to tools area
• Changed layers menu icon to "layers" instead of "bars" icon
• Load times for wildfire perimeter polygons fixed
• Wildfire perimeters loaded directly from NIFC instead of FWAC database
• Weather station layer was modified to show current temperatures on map instead of just an icon
• Added link to retrieve past weather conditions near individual fires
• Added ALERT Wildfire cameras to the map for premium users
• Updated login modal design and added both Facebook and Google buttons as login options
• When clicking on a fire, the default action will open the fire information modal instead of a smaller popup box (this option can be changed in a user's account)
• Issues were fixed with user session data not saving to accounts
• Added an icon to indicate a user's internet connection status (bottom right corner)
• Fixed several issues with National Weather Service's watches, warnings, and advisories
• Updated the layers menu to categorize individual layers by type in openable/closable groups
• Added a way to save which layer groups are opened/closed for the duration of a user's session
• Added a way to minimize filter tool when in use to reduce amount of screen it takes up
• Made the icons in the tool menu larger for ease of use
• Resized icons for fires between 100 & 1000 acres
• Added FAA Sectional basemap for premium users
• Fixed issues with the USFS road network layer
• Added a fire lookouts layer
• Made design & styling changes to wildfire incident details page
• Added Open Street Map basemap to wildfire incident details page
• Added a filter to the filter tool to include or exclude only CAL FIRE fires
• Added code to show user if they're offline before doing certain events (such as viewing specific wildfire details)
• Made updates and changes to user accounts for self-management of wildfire map settings
• Added a setting to allow custom color for wildfire perimeters if user is a FWAC member

2020 Change Log

Version 5.0.3 (July 2020)

• Regular bug fixes and improvements
• Added tool to present several important pieces of GIS information by clicking on the map
• Accout menu shows user's member type and whether they have access to premium features

Version 5.0.2 (June 2020)

• Regular bug fixes and improvements

Version 5.0.1 (May 2020)

• Updated tiles for weather radar
• Added ability to determine fuel type, when fuel type layer is on, by clicking on the map
• Updated algorithm to show relevant wildfire perimeters
• A new method was instituted to make loading and viewing archived fires easier and faster
• Point-click fire weather forecast issues were fixed
• Modifications made to lightning data to speed up load time through caching
• Map elements are now rendered in Canvas instead of through DOM-manipulation; decreases load time for map users

Version 5.0 (April 8, 2020)

• True North Gear was added as title sponsor in various places
• Added the ability to filter wildfires by size and by time
• Added the ability to request fire weather forecasts from the tools menu
• Added the ability to search using zip codes
• Updated the FontAwesome library to the latest version
• Redesigned multiple features and updated colors
• Redesigned wildfire incident pages
• Redesigned the layout of the map to eliminate redundancy in header, and allow more space for various features (use more overlays on the map for settings, overlays, etc.):
  • Fire info and WWA modal layout
  • Layers menu (added different styled checkboxes)
  • Added user menu in separate panel from layers
  • Search feature redesigned and moved
  • Added a help guide to the map for users' questions
  • New design for popups when you click on different markers
  • Added information to show responsible fire unit's logo if it matches a larger agency (eg: USFS, BLM, CAL FIRE, etc.)
  • Moved several pieces of data to be loaded asynchronously instead of through DOM rendering
• Made several important algorithm and API updates:
  • API formatting will make processing easier (speeds up load times)
  • Updated wildfire incident numbers in database to match standard and reduce the redundant formatting of the incident number throughout the website
  • Fixed the algorithm to show the most relevant city closest to the fire (eg: 17.3 miles NE of Paradise, CA)
• Modified how user settings are saved manually and automatically
• Added a new database to get the responsible/managing fire unit (eg: ORWWF = USFS/Wallowa-Whitman National Forest)
• Added a "my fires" feature for users to "follow fires" of their choosing
• Removed Oregon-only highway incidents from the map
• Fixed timezone issues with fire weather forecast chart and removed the process from rendering in DOM; put it into asynchronous JavaScript with caching system; and upgraded Chart.js to latest version
• Added secondary tileset (satellite) to incident details page
• Added the last updated date of wildfire perimeters
• Updated the way fire perimeters are gathered and disseminated
• Fixed several permissions issues
• Added MODIS satellite fire/heat detections
• Added USFS boundaries to map
• Fixed the login script to keep authenticated users logged in more securely
• Allowed winter advisories, watches, and warnings from November-March to show on the map

2019 Change Log

Version 4.13 (August 2019)

• (8/15) Updated formatting of wildfire incident numbers to conform with the quasi-standardized national format (eg: ID-BOF-000001 vs. 2019-IDBOF-000001)
• (8/13) Designed a new layout for the FGP model using a gradient instead of solid colors
• (8/13) Fixed issues with the login system to help keep users logged in; especially users logged in on multiple devices
• (8/8) Added a feature to allow users to decide whether they want their map settings remembered automatically every 5 minutes
• (8/2) Fixed several programmatic issues with the search feature; moved this feature to our APIs
• Continued improving code on our servers that gather fire data and built a more intelligent reverse geocode script

Version 4.12 (July 2019)

• Continued improving code on our servers that gather fire data at a very, constant rate
• Fixed various bug and formatting issues
• (7/26) Added a scale bar in miles for reference to the map

Version 4.1 (May 2019)

• (5/17) Updated jQuery, Leaflet, and FontAwesome libraries

Version 4.0 (May 2019)

• Added feature to get nearby GIS locations via the "i" symbol on the side
• Reformatted the zoom in/out buttons, basemap selector, and other buttons (left side)
• Increased font size in several areas for easier readability
• Added CSS-styled tooltips to several buttons and functions on the map to give users more information about what they're clicking on (hover over buttons on left)
• Changed several symbols to better portray their intended purposes
• Added login option from "donate popup" for existing users, so they don't have to click into the main menu to login
• Added highway incidents/closures (Oregon only at this time; more states to come later)
• Update search feature to return more relevant results and search more FWAC databases at an increased speed
• New format for wildfire details popup (modal)
• New, faster overlay for lightning data
• Only shows last 1 hour and last 24 hours to improve server performance and erroneous loading issues
• Additional APIs added for data communication for various information
• Slight menu redesign for UI and functionality
• Fix nearest city API to show the nearest city, and the most populated
• Bug fixes and code improvements
• Fixed several broken links in several places
• Fix bugs with wildfire archive features
• Add loading circle while data is processing to show users "something is happening"
• Fix cron jobs to reduce duplicate/irrelevant fires, increase speed, and verify accuracy with dispatch center data
• Continue fixing to mobility issues with full page fire incident details
• Verify fire map shows correctly in Android app

2018 Change Log

Version 3.0 (May 2018)

• Bug and code fixes to make more efficient
• Added cities into map search based on user input of city, state, and/or zip code
• Re-added lightning overlay with caching error fixes
• Made variables static javascript instead of dynamic PHP
• Updated loading icon; used SVG vs GIF
• Fix nearest weather station API
• Updated layers menu UI
• Remove SPC thunderstorm outlook; add weather alerts (SVR, TOR, RFW) in GIS format
• Move legend to a different place