🔥 FBP Go (Fire Behaviour Prediction on the Go)

Fire behaviour prediction application

Preview latest PWA build on: https://psu.nrs.gov.bc.ca/fbp-go

Build for web

flutter build web --base-href /MyBaseFolder/

Build

Update pubspec.yaml with the the correct version number.

Build for Android

Maybe you want to update first?

I have my android studio install in ~/.local/android-studio - with a symlink in ~/.local/bin/studio.sh

studio.sh

then System Settings -> Updates -> Check now If it fails because it can’t update java - exit - check for java processes and kill them

ps -A |grep jav
kill -9 PID

flutter upgrade

Update the build in: android/local.properties e.g.:

sdk.dir=/home/[username]]/Android/Sdk
flutter.sdk=/home/[username]/snap/flutter/common/flutter
flutter.buildMode=release
flutter.versionName=1.0.1
flutter.versionCode=3

Up the version in pubspec.yaml, then run

flutter pub get

NOTE: also had to up flutterVersionCode in android\app\build.gradle

Confirm that the targetSdkVersion is correct.

./gradlew printTargetSdkVersion

The default targetSdkVersion is configured in the flutter code base but can be overidden in ./android/local.properties by adding:

flutter.targetSdkVersion={target_version}

NOTE: You may need to update the distributionUrl in gradle-wrapper.properties to match you Java versions as per https://docs.gradle.org/current/userguide/compatibility.html.

Make sure you have a way to sign it! You need to have your upload-keystore.jks configured in android/key.properties

flutter build appbundle --release

Head over to the play store - https://play.google.com/console/developers

select app internal testing -> create new release -> upload releases overview -> review it

Github Workflow

iOS development notes

You can view/test the app in a simulator by running the following

open -a Simulator
open ios/Runner.xcworkspace

Note: Once the simulator is open and before opening the xcworkspace in Xcode, you can also use the VSCode flutter extension to run the app in debug or release mode with hot reloading. This also works for Android simulators

Build for iOS - on M1 silicon

Navigate to fbp-go/ios and run

pod install

If the app is built with flutter build ios or within Xcode, you may see a warning when validating the app:

Uploads Symbols Failed: The archive did not include a dSYM for the Flutter.framework

This is seemingly a new warning in xcode 16 and it’s possibly updating flutter would solve the issue in the future.

To solve this, the easiest method is to build the ios release with flutter:

flutter build ipa

This will create an ipa file that can easily be validated and uploaded to the App Store/Testflight using Apple Transporter. Creating an ipa file with flutter build tools seems to include the dSYM files, whereas other methods may not at this time.

App store issues

You may receive an email warning: “ITMS-90078: Missing Push Notification Entitlement” from the app store. FBP Go doesn’t use push notifications, it seems to be a side efffect of some flutter stuff. See: https://github.com/flutter/flutter/issues/9984 ; this issue is unresolved at this point in time.

Deploy to app store

Make sure you’ve got the build number correct! Build number must be unique! This can be validated in the below step:

Either follow the method above using Apple Transporter or follow the process below:

Product -> Archive
Open the “Organizer” window, Window -> Organizer
Select your archived build and click “Validate App” and follow the steps.
If it successfully validates, you can then click “Distribute App” in organize, otherwise fix the validation errors and re-archive.

Updating signing cert and profile

When you receive the new cert/profile and credentials, follow the steps here to install: https://github.com/bcgov/mobile-signing-service/wiki/Apple-App-Signing#for-teams—steps-to-setup-your-xcode-for-local-application-signing
You may see an error after the Signing Certificate label, to fix this edit the CODE_SIGN_IDENTITY and PROVISIONING_PROFILE_SPECIFIER in project.pbxproj to be set to the new cert and profile names.

Code Conventions

Dart naming convention rules are often broken in order to conform with the CFFDRS R library. The R code has been manually translated, and in order to debug and stay up to date with changes, it’s just easier if the code looks similar.
Variable names throughout conform to conventions in ST-X-3 Appendix II and GLC-X-10 Appendix I. E.g. GFL instead of grassFuelLoad or minGS instead of minGroundSlope. Validating formulae an math in code can get very confusing if one does not conform to the acronyms used in the related scientific literature.

Todo

Add screenshots for iOS.
Localization - implement en-CA and fr-CA.
Coordinates - provide user feedback on location button. (e.g. fetching and failed state).
Add FMC option in advanced. (Probably won’t happen? But maybe setting the date?)
FFMC scale at the bottom.
- Possible, but nothing out of the box - so leaving it alone for now.
Diurnal FFMC screen.
- Add a screen where you can input yesterday’s FFMC the RH and the Wind, to get the daily FFMC - see: ffmcCalc.
- Add a screen where you you can see the impact of the diurnal FFMC (maybe sliding time?) - see: hffmc.
- Work towards a screen where you can see the impact of changing FFMC on fire.
Do lots of re-factoring (code was written as p.o.c. in a big rush).
Add reference content to the Nav - e.g. pictures of the fuel types (trees) a la red book - would be great for newer folks; Easy to do, but needs images that we have licences for.
User feedback/request: can we have pre-sets based on task? (Future idea) You open the app, say what you’re doing (prescribed burn, small fire, big fire/incident action plan, no fire just out and about - this is not the actual list) Prescribed burning: I don’t need all this info, reduce the list of data (maybe I can still personalize?) I wouldn’t care about the consumption of the flank in this case, and I better not be causing a crown fire
From testing session: users report difficulty with the sliders in terms of precision - hard to get the exact number they want. Sometimes this is ok, sometimes it’s very bad. Either way, it’s frustrating. Users pointed out that in the field their hands will be sweaty and dirty. Some folks realized they could turn their phone to landscape mode and it was a bit better. User-feature request: in addition to the sliders, can we have + and - buttons There may be other ways, UX can collaborate
Dev task tech dept: passing font size around sucks. Apply themes.
Let’s talk about dead balsam fir and conifer and grass fuel load being affected by fuel type. (fuel load parameters)
“If it’s possible to connect the “my location” button to the wildfire one portal to automatically input the local indices from the closest weather station/stations that would be a cool feature”
“It would be sweet is you could input numbers manually”
“And if there was a map so you could click on the location and it would input the coordinates instead of having to do that yourself.”
“Would be nice to tag a location on a map instead of entering coordinates for another weather station”
“Produce a graphic of the modelled fire shape with wind and slope direction, it allows crews to visualize fire behaviour visually. Disclaimer: not realistic fire anatomy, but gives opportunity to see wind driven versus fuel finding incidents.”
Create an “Assumptions tab”, that explains the input values and formulae being used in the background:
“Assumptions – FBP Go
Reset defaults feature.

Care should be exercised not to apply the system beyond its useful range. FBP Go/ FBP System can be used to make predictions for a fire spreading during one burning period from a point or line source of fire with the following assumptions: • Fuel conditions are representative one of the 18 benchmark fuel types. • The Fire Weather Index (FWI) values used are representative of the site conditions. • Fuels are uniform and continuous; topography is homogenous. and the wind is constant and one direction during the prediction period. • The fire is wind or wind/slope driven, and spread is not affected by a convection column. • Wind is measured in the open and is corrected to 10 m. • The rate of fire spread levels off at high wind speed and initial spread index (ISI) values. • The fire is unaffected by suppression activities (free burning). • The effect of short-range spotting of firebrands on spread is considered. • A fire starting from a point source will have an elliptical shape under the above conditions.

The FBP System is based on observations of experimental fires and wildfires. There are very few records of sustained fire spread with wind speeds above 60 km and/or ISI > 70. Thus, the largest ROS values in this App roughly correspond to the upper limit of observed spread rates in each fuel type. Higher ROS values may occur with higher wind speeds and during gusts. “

Consider adding date dialog (important for FMC)
FBP: Incorporate card sort feedback.

Log of changes & decisions

v1.1.0 (next phase)

Add FWI.
FBP: Consider input option without sliders.

v1.0.13 (future)

Tech: Automated build (apk + appbundle) in github workflow.
FBP: In B.C. the standard is to use degrees, minutes and seconds for coordinates.
FBP: Consider : decimal places on wind direction and aspect aren’t useful, e.g. SSE can be 157 degrees, we don’t need 157.5

v1.0.12 (current)

Fix back/flank spread distance
Fix UI issue for slider pop up text

v1.0.11

Update targetSdkVersion for Android release

v1.0.10

New cert and profile for signing and distributing app

v1.0.9

FBP: M3 + M4 should only have dead fir, no conifer slider.

v1.0.8

Summary:

Improved validation on coordinate input, and resolved some crashes related to invalid values. Direction of spread was incorrectly showing the net effective wind direction.

Detail:

Web: About was crashing in web version.
FBP: Direction of spread was incorrect (was showing net effective wind direction).
FBP: Limit altitude : 0 to 3000 (negative values are possible in WGS84, but not valid for calculations)
FBP: Altitude should specify that it’s meters.
FBP: Coordinate latitude was accidentally being saved as altitude. Could cause crash on app if latitude was negative.
FBP: Latitude, Longitude & Elevation validation implemented.
FBP: Handling conditions where prediction could not be calculated. Instead of user getting a gray screen, user should now be able to adjust input conditions to resolve the issue.
Added some semantics for accessibility.

v1.0.7

Summary:

BUI no longer changing when fuel type changes. PDF slider no longer showing for M1/M2. 2 decimal places for fuel consumption. Slope limited to 60%. GFL changed to slider (resolves various bugs relating to text input), and no longer storing user value.

Detail:

Re-factor - removing “basic” screen code from app (just commented out for now, in case we want to bring it back in).
FBP: Switch grass fuel load to slider. (0.1 minimum, 1.00 maximum).
FBP: Reset grass to default on fuel type change, no longer storing GFL.
FBP: FFMC lower limit kept at 80 (values lower than 80 not deemed relevant).
FBP: Hide CFB and CFC when using grass fuel type.
FBP: The percent dead fir slider showing in M1/2, it should only be showing in M3/4.
FBP: When switching between fuel types it remembers all settings, but resets BUI to a baseline value
FBP: Change fuel consumption to show 2 decimal places (otherwise shows as 0 for grass).
FBP: Limit slope to 60%

v1.0.6 Release Candidate

FBP: Grass Fuel Load - crashes app when set to negative.

v1.0.5 Release Candidate

Summary:

Single FBP window. (No longer differentiating between Basic/Advanced.)
Various input, styling & formatting changes.
Added +/- buttons for fine value adjustment.
Remember settings.

Detail:

v1.0.4

v1.0.3

Basic: Changed order, styling & layout.
Crowning was incorrectly reported in grass/slash. (Code was passing crown fuel load of 1.0 for grass and slash into CFFDRS, changed to 0)
Rounding values from sliders. (e.g. in the background, wind speed would be 29.999999999, but display as 30. Comparing different devices, side by side, it appears as if the results for the same inputs differ.)

v1.0.2

Change keyboard type to all for negative numbers.
Prompting for location permissions if not already granted on iOS. (Android should already be working)
Wind + BUI sliders modified - users find it difficult to make small adjustments, resulting in inconsistent results.
Changed wind slider to increment in 1’s. (was in 1/2’s!)
Changed the BUI slider to increment in 5’s. (was in 1’s)
Added line break to Beaufort scale 1-5 description (text was going off screen on small phones).