Navigating the display

Landing Page

When you access foresight.ffm.vic.gov.au/app/ via a FireWeb log in, you will be navigated to a landing page. The landing page will direct you to select the version you would like to access: Bushfire, Planned Burning or Hindsight1. The landing page will also show a disclaimer box overlaying a grey map of Victoria (Figure 2).

Figure 2. Landing page of Foresight, automatically navigated to after log in with FireWeb credentials

1 As of October 2022, Hindsight is a planned functionality that has not yet been implemented and will be released as a new Foresight version in 2023.

Map View

Once a Foresight version has been selected, you will be able to see the map of Victoria. Select an indicator from the Indicator drop-down list to get started. This will add data to the map and cause the time bar to appear.

Figure 3 and Table 1 provides information on the features accessible from the map display. Detailed information about each feature is shown in numbered sections, with numbers matching the numbers used in the figure and table.

 
Figure 3. Key features of the Foresight map display (Zoom for improved resolution)

 

Table 1. Extended list of features of the Foresight display
1 – Indicators

The ‘Indicators’ drop-down includes a range of fire weather variables and risk indices commonly used by emergency services in Victoria. An indicator can be displayed on the map by selecting an indicator from the list in the drop-down. This drop-down is organised into groups. Only one fire indicator or weather indicator can be displayed at a time. The exception to this are the ‘Weather Overlays’ and ‘Incidents’ layer groups, which can be displayed on top of a single spatial data layer.

 2 – Legend

The ‘legend’ drop-down displays the legend of the indicator. Units of measurement are displayed next to the indicator name. The colours and classes in legends are generally consistent with existing BOM, CFA or DELWP products. The legend drop-down includes the source of the data and the time and date of when that data was created at the source location. It is important to note that the data for the current and coming six days is sourced from the most recent forecast files available; this is the date and time shown in the legend. Modelled data displayed for the previous two days is sourced from the last created forecast for those days.
3 – Boundaries

Using the ‘boundaries’ drop-down, several agency administration boundaries are available to view on the map. Multiple boundary layers can be switched on at once.

 4 – Time step

The vertical orange marker in the time bar identifies the selected ‘time step’. The ‘time step’ shows the time/date of the forecast being displayed. You can click anywhere along the time bar to shift the time step. It is also possible to move to a different time step by clicking within a meteogram (refer to Meteograms).
The blue data markers in the time bar indicate the duration of data points for the selected indicator. The duration may be daily, 3-hourly or hourly. If there is an absence of data in the nine-day period, then the blue data markers will be absent at relevant time steps.
5 – Time bar

When an indicator is selected, the time bar appears. The time bar includes a nine-day period: two days prior to today, today, and six days ahead. The time bar will automatically be positioned at the current date and hour when you open or refresh Foresight.
When you press the ‘play’ button Foresight will automatically move through the time steps for the selected indicator. When it reaches the last time step, it will automatically start from the current time point and cycle again through the time steps. The ‘pause’ button can be used to halt the animation.
The ‘fast forward’ and ‘rewind’ buttons move forward or backward in 24-hour jumps from the selected time step. For example, this can be used to view the 13:00 hours forecast on consecutive days.
You can also more back and forth through timesteps dynamically by clicking and holding the timestep marker and dragging it back and forth along the time bar as desired

 6 – Zoom

The ‘plus’ and ‘minus’ zoom buttons allow a user to zoom in and out in the map window. The scroll wheel on your mouse can also be used to zoom and pan in the map.
It is worth noting that the web address of Foresight changes based on the selected boundaries and indicators. This allows you to create a bookmark for your favourite indicator layers.
7 – Data info box

Names the active indicator layer and gives relevant time stamps.

 8 – Cell data

In the map, you can click your mouse to select a point location.
When a point is selected a cell data pop-up appears.
This pop-up includes the:

  • numerical indicator value for the cell for which the selected point falls within;
  • latitude and longitude and MGRS grid reference for that point;
  • graph button (for opening meteograms);
  • expand button (for obtaining more detailed cell values), and
  • name and proximity of the nearest weather station to that point (if there is one within 10km)
9 – Expand

In the cell pop-up, the ‘expand’ button can be clicked to open a secondary pop-up which displays the numerical values for all fire and weather indicators for the cell for which the selected point falls within.

 10 – Meteograms

In the cell data pop-up, the ‘graph’ button can be clicked to open the meteogram window.

A meteogram is a graphical representation of one or more meteorological variables with respect to time, whether observed or forecast, for a location.

It is useful for viewing a trend in weather variables and indices and how they may be interacting over time.

This can be important for identifying risks in fire behaviour, such as a lack of overnight recovery.
11 – Assistance buttons

Links to the user help page and application support page.

 12 – Print button

Opens a print dialogue box.
13 – Disclaimer

Re-opens the landing page.

 14 – Reset button

Switches off the active layer and any overlays.