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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
This page contains those questions asked most frequently. If your question is not answered below, contact the IIA HelpDesk for assistance.
Note: The use of trade or firm names in this page is for reader information only and does not imply endorsement by the U.S. Department of Agriculture of any product or service.
1. What is the current version of Behave7?
2. How do I make sure I have the most recent version of Behave7?
3. What are the Behave7 System Requirements?
4. Who do I contact for help?
5. Who develops and maintains Behave7?
6. Is there any documentation?
7. Are training materials available?
8. Are there additional Behave7 license requirements?
9. How does the current version of Behave7 differ from previous versions?
10. What updates are planned for the future?
11. Where can I get Behave7?
12 I am trying to install Behave7. I downloaded the jar file. Now what?
13. How do I know when there is an update?
14. Why does Behave7 take so long to open?
15. What is the relationship between Behave7 and the Fire Characteristics Chart program?
16. How can I learn more about the Fire Characteristic Charts program?
17. How do I get values calculated in Behave7 into the Fire Characteristics Chart program?
18. How do I use Runs, Worksheets, Fuel Models, Moisture Scenarios, and Units Sets developed in BehavePlus version 6 with Behave7?
19. How can I capture tables and images to use in documentation?
20. How do I print or save the results from the Calculators?
21. Why aren't the input fields shaded (gray or blue) like they were in BehavePlus version 6?
The latest official version of Behave can be identified by visiting the Latest Release page. The latest release will always have a green tag for "latest" but will show the URL for the actual file. Note: To open a link in a new window, click Ctrl and then the link.
As shown in Question 1, the latest version can be accessed by clicking on Latest Release.
There are two ways to determine if the latest build number matches the one on your computer.
- Open Behave7 on your computer. The build number is located in the upper left-hand corner of the window below the logo.
- Compare the latest build number (top) to the build number in the name of the jar or zip file on your computer (bottom).
System Requirements are provided with every release. Current requirements are shown below.
| Component | Minimum Requirement |
|---|---|
| Operating System: | Windows 10, Windows 11 Mac OS X 10.9+ Linux (Ubuntu 13.04+ |
| Additional Software (Jar File): | Java (Open JDK) - Both Oracle’s Java and Amazon Corretto have been tested.) Internet browser (It runs best in Chrome) Note: The zip file contains all software necessary to run Behave7 on Windows. |
| Memory: | 8 Gb, 1 Gb free |
| Storage: | 400 Mb |
| Display: | Minimum 1280 x 720 pixels, 264k (16-bit) colors |
| License: | See the License page or the Latest Release. It is also enclosed with every release of the software. Note: To open a link in a new window, click Ctrl and then the link. |
| Data Requirements: | There are no data requirements. Users enter values manually. Behave7 Runs can be saved and later imported. |
| Other Requirements: | Consider sending us a postcard with a picture of your local area. (Address) |
Note: While some users have successfully run Behave7 on a computer with 4 GB of memory, others have not. Therefore, we recommend a minimum of 8 GB of memory.
- The first level of technical support is provided through your local support channels, particularly with respect to local parameters for use in fire behavior modeling and the types of analyses used most often.
- This FAQs page and the Installation Instructions contain answers the questions we receive most often.
- Primary user support for Behave7 installation and use is provided by the Interagency Incident Applications HelpDesk: (https://iiahelpdesk.nwcg.gov/). The HelpDesk is available for help with software issues only and cannot answer fire behavior questions.
- If you cannot get help locally or through the HelpDesk, contact the project co-leads: Faith Ann Heinsch, (faith.heinsch@usda.gov) or LaWen Hollingsworth (lawen.t.hollingsworth@usda.gov).
The Behave7 program and supporting materials are being developed through a Research Joint Venture Agreement between the USFS Fire Modeling Institute and the Spatial Informatics Group (SIG).
Funding for the development has been provided by the following.
- USDA Forest Service (USFS), Research and Development, including the following units
- Rocky Mountain Research Station (RMRS)
- RMRS Fire, Fuel, and Smoke Sciences Program (FFS)
- FFS Fire Modeling Institute (FMI)
- Rocky Mountain Research Station (RMRS)
- USFS Fire and Aviation Management
- Spatial Informatics Group (SIG)
Project Leads
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Pat Andrews originally developed DOS BEHAVE at the suggestion of Dick Rothermel after the 1976 S-590 ‘Fire Behavior Officer’ course. Starting in 1998, she developed BehavePlus versions 1 through 5 and developed key components of BehavePlus version 6. She retired from the Forest Service in 2012.
Development of Behave7 is currently led by two professional employees with the Fire Modeling Institute (FMI)
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Faith Ann Heinsch, physical scientist, USFS, Fire Sciences Lab, Missoula, MT co-leads the Behave7 update, including system design, documentation, and training. Her first duties with the US Forest Service were to refine the Help System and create training for BehavePlus version 4. As she became more familiar with the program, Faith Ann identified and designed feature updates for versions 4-5. She continued to update the Help System, training, and documentation as well. Upon Pat Andrew’s retirement, she took over management of BehavePlus v5 and led the update for BehavePlus v6. Faith Ann is also responsible for Fire Characteristics Chart system design and maintenance and maintaining the Behave7 website.
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LaWen Hollingsworth, fire behavior specialist, USDA Forest Service, Fire Sciences Lab, Missoula, MT, co-leads the Behave7 update, including system design, documentation, and training.
- Development and release of Behave7 would not be possible without the support of the many scientists and professionals of the RMRS Fire, Fuel, and Smoke Sciences Program, including their expertise in the science of fire behavior and software design and development. In addition, the USFS Chief Information Office’s Cybersecurity Engineering Team played a critical role in approving development and providing initial approval for the use of Behave7 by USFS employees.
Note: To open links in a new window, click Ctrl and then the link.
Updated documentation is currently under development. Other pages in this wiki and the Behave7 website provide additional information. Note: To open a link in a new window, click Ctrl and then the link.
Two online courses located in the Wildland Fire Learning Portal provide introductory training. You must create an account to access these courses. The account is free, and anyone can create an account.
Note: To open a link in a new window, click Ctrl and then the link.
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Behave v7 Surface and Crown Fire: This initial course in the series includes information about using Behave7 to calculate basic surface and crown fire behavior, including inputs, outputs, and available modeling options.
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Behave v7 Prescribed Fire: This course adds additional information specific to modeling fire behavior for prescribed fire planning, including containment and mortality.
If the links above are broken, log into the Wildland Fire Learning Portal and click on Find > Learning > Course Catalog.
Search for behave v7. Two courses should appear. We suggest taking Surface and Crown Fire and then Prescribed Fire. You can self-enroll in the courses at any time. Unless you are taking the courses as pre-work for another class (e.g., S-490), there is no deadline for completing the course.
Consider sending a postcard (or another postcard) describing your local area to the Fire Lab at the address below. We began receiving postcards in the early 2000s with the release of BehavePlus version 1 and continue to receive them.
We save and display all the postcards that we receive. If you are going to visit Missoula and would like to see the collection, let us know.
| ADDRESS |
|---|
| Behave7 fire modeling system |
| USFS, RMRS, Fire Sciences Laboratory |
| 5775 US Highway 10 W |
| Missoula, MT 59808 |
Each version of Behave includes numerous updates, changes, and modifications as development continues. Updates for the latest release will always be available on the Latest Release page as well as in the Change Log.
A list of all changes from DOS BEHAVE through BehavePlus Versions 1-6 and Behave7 is updated periodically Summary of Changes.
We continue to improve Behave. To view future updates, view the Future Updates at the bottom of the Change Log.
See the Installation Instructions for the latest information.
If you are installing Behave7 on a personal computer, the latest version of the Behave7 fire modeling system is available for download via a link on the main page of the Behave7 website. Note: To open a link in a new window, click Ctrl and then the link.
The source code is available from the Fire Lab’s GitHub repository. The source code may contain information and features that have not yet been released. These features will appear in the next release. Note: To open a link in a new window, click Ctrl and then the link.
See the Installation Instructions for the latest information. There shouldn't be any issues installing the Behave7 ZIP as long as you have admin privileges or can install software. Save the file to your computer and unzip the folder. The software is ready for use. We recommend saving the software to a single location on your computer (e.g., C:/Workspace) for consistency. If you download the JAR file, it is ready to use provided that you have the necessary supporting software.
If you have issues opening the installation file, ensure you downloaded the entire file. If you downloaded the file from GitHub, try again in a few minutes. If you are downloading Behave7 from your agency's Software Center, contact them for assistance.
Check the Behave7 website. We are exploring other methods for distributing this information.
If you are using the ZIP file, please be patient. Behave7 currently takes a few minutes to open. See the Installation Instructions and Known Bugs and Issues for tips on installing Behave7.
If you are using the JAR file, ensure you have the additional software required to run Behave7 listed in Installation Instructions.
If you continue to have issues, contact the Interagency Incident Applications HelpDesk (see Who do I contact for help?).
The Fire Characteristics Chart program supplements Behave7 and allows you to plot calculated or observed surface or crown fire. This option was removed from BehavePlus version 6 because an improved stand-alone program became available. Only heading and backing fire behavior can be added to the chart. The relationship between rate of spread, heat per unit area, and flame length is described by Andrews and Rothermel (1982) is not valid for any other direction of fire spread. Note: To open a link in a new window, click Ctrl and then the link.
The program’s Help System includes information on using the program. There are two publications related to the Fire Characteristics Chart program. Both are available from TreeSearch, the USFS free, full-text catalog of publications by Research and Development scientists and professionals.
Note: To open a link listed below in a new window, click Ctrl and then the link.
a. Fire Behavior: How to generate and interpret fire characteristics charts for surface and crown fire behavior (Andrews and others, 2011) describes application, operation, and the mathematics of the fire behavior fire characteristics chart.
b. Fire Behavior: Charts for interpreting wildland fire behavior characteristics (Andrews and Rothermel, 1982) includes the original fire characteristics chart for surface fire and fire danger.
c. Fire Danger: How to generate and interpret fire characteristics charts for the U.S. fire danger rating system (Heinsch and others, 2017) describes similar topics for fire danger rating.
The original publications below describe the origins of the fire characteristics charts for surface and crown fire behavior.
d. Fire Danger: Predicting behavior and size of crown fires in the northern Rocky Mountains (Rothermel, 1991) includes the original fire characteristics chart for crown fire.
Values calculated in Behave7 are either entered manually or uploaded into the Fire Characteristics Chart program. Values can be observed fire behavior values or calculated. If there are a lot of values, export the results of a run using a CSV file. There are tips in the Fire Characteristics Chart help documentation to select the relevant outputs and import them into the program. While we plan to incorporate the Fire Characteristics Chart for Fire Behavior into Behave7 at some point in the future, use the separate Fire Characteristics Chart program.
18. How do I use Runs, Worksheets, Custom Fuel Models, Moisture Scenarios, and Units Sets developed in BehavePlus version 6 with Behave7?
Unfortunately, Behave7 is not backwards compatible, so you must create new files. We no longer distinguish between Worksheets and Runs; they are saved as Runs (*.bp7). Unit are changed in Settings > General Units in Behave7. They are retained with the software, not the run. Custom Fuel Models and Moisture Scenarios are not yet available in Behave7. Once they are included, we will provide information about creating, importing, and exporting the data files for custom inputs. To simplify things for users, Custom Fuel Models and Moisture Scenarios will be saved as FlamMap files and can be uploaded into both Behave7 and FlamMap.
The Results of a run can be printed in PDF format and saved to your computer or sent to a printer. You can also capture individual tables and graphs individually. Make sure to include both inputs and outputs in any documentation.
Note: To open the Microsoft websites listed below in a new window, click Ctrl and then the link.
To capture a single input or output table that can be edited, highlight the elements of the table and copy them and paste them into your document with the formatting. For more information on using Microsoft Word, view the text or video on their website. Use the Microsoft or similar Snipping Tool to capture images of the tables.
Images can be copied and pasted directly from Behave7. At the top of each output is a circle containing 3 dots. Click on the circle and select one of the options shown in the image below. For documentation, you will most often choose Save as PNG or Save as SVG. All images related to a single output are saved in a single file.
The calculators, called Tools in BehavePlus version 6, run independently of the main program. We will be adding the ability to print the results of the calculators in the future. In the meantime, you will need to capture a screenshot of the results from the calculator.
In Behave7, inputs that are not required for a specific Run, such as a fuel moisture class, will not be shown. For example, Fuel Model GR1/101 only requires 1-h Fuel Moisture and Live Herbaceous Fuel Moisture. Therefore those are the only two fuel moisture classes that appear in the Surface Inputs section of the Run. On the other hand, Fuel Models TL3/183 and TU5/165 do not require Live Herbaceous Fuel Moisture, so it does not appear in the Surface Inputs section.
