{"accessLevel": "public", "bureauCode": ["010:12"], "contactPoint": {"@type": "vcard:Contact", "fn": "LANDFIRE, Earth Resources Observation and Science Center (EROS), U.S. Geological Survey", "hasEmail": "mailto:helpdesk@landfire.gov"}, "description": "LANFIRE's (LF) 2020 Forest Canopy Height (CH) describes the average height of the top of the canopy for a stand. Utilizing LF Reference Database (LFRDB) plots, a training data set to model disturbed CH was created. Field referenced CH values are calculated for each plot using the canopy fuel estimation software in Forest Vegetation Simulator (FVS). Statistical analysis of plot variables indicates that LF 2020 Fuel Vegetation Type (FVT), Fuel Vegetation Height (FVH), and Fuel Vegetation Cover (FVC) demonstrate some influence on CH. To model this relationship pre-disturbance Canopy Cover (CC) and CH are used as predictors of disturbed CH; developing a linear regression equation per FVT and disturbance type/severity. In LF 2020, fuel products were created with LF 2020 vegetation in non-disturbed areas, but pre-disturbance vegetation was used in disturbed areas to derive disturbed CH from linear regression equations. CH is used in the calculation of Canopy Bulk Density (CBD) and Canopy Base Height (CBH). CH supplies information for fire behavior models, such as FARSITE (Finney 1998), that can determine the starting point of embers in the spotting model, wind reductions, and the volume of crown fuels.\nCH was developed using the latest Annual Disturbance products from the effective disturbance years of 2012 to 2020 to provide informed changes by disturbance type, severity, and time since disturbance (TSD). The capable fuels process calculates fuel assignments for disturbed areas using an \u201ceffective year\u201d. This process considers all the existing disturbances included in LF 2020 and assigns fuels to the pre-disturbance vegetation based on the adjusted TSD, making the products \"2022 capable fuels\" intended for use in 2022 and accounting for two years of disturbance recovery. Learn more about LF 2020 at https://landfire.gov/data/lf2020", "distribution": [{"@type": "dcat:Distribution", "accessURL": "https://doi.org/10.5066/P1LJEZ3G", "description": "Landing page for access to the data", "format": "XML", "mediaType": "application/http", "title": "Digital Data"}, {"@type": "dcat:Distribution", "description": "The metadata original format", "downloadURL": "https://data.usgs.gov/datacatalog/metadata/USGS.6a160a35b66b013d45990bd2.xml", "format": "XML", "mediaType": "text/xml", "title": "Original Metadata"}], "identifier": "http://datainventory.doi.gov/id/dataset/USGS_6a160a35b66b013d45990bd2", "keyword": ["AK", "Alaska", "CH", "Canopy Height", "LANDFIRE 2020", "LF 2020", "OCONUS", "U.S. Forest Service (USFS)", "U.S. Geological Survey (USGS)", "US", "USGS:6a160a35b66b013d45990bd2", "United States", "biota", "fires", "geographic information systems", "geospatial datasets", "hazard preparedness", "image collections", "imageryBaseMapsEarthCover", "raster digital data", "remote sensing"], "modified": "2026-07-23T00:00:00Z", "publisher": {"@type": "org:Organization", "name": "U.S. Geological Survey"}, "spatial": "-179.3173, 48.8767, -122.0000, 71.5478", "theme": ["geospatial"], "title": "LANDFIRE 2020 Forest Canopy Height (CH) AK"}