Wildland	firefighting	operations	are	regularly	obstructed	by	

the	construction	and	maintenance	of	ad	hoc	communication	

networks.	

Objectives

= DLN storage 

depot

System	Overview

To	enhance	and	extend	current	operational	data	sharing	

capabilities	for:

§ Improved	firefighter	and	public	safety

§ Better	wildland	fire	predictions

§ More	informed	fire	operations

Raspberry	

Pi	

Computer

GPS WiFi Dongle 4G	Dongle

Charge	

Controller

Battery

Camera

Temperature/

Pressure/

Humidity	

Sensor

Dual	

Spectrometers

Solar	Panel

USB	Disk

Example	of	existing	compact	system	– similar	to	a	potential	

“backpack”	(portable)	version	of	a	depot	node

§ Connectivity	paths	may	be	

intermittent

§ Some	vehicle	patterns	can	

support	connectivity

Project	Goal

Problem	Statement

Property	damage	

Injury	and	death

Environmental	impact

As	a	result,	incident	command	

decisions	and	wildfire	

containment	are	delayed.

Poor	network	coverage	

and	data	portability

An	aerial	view	of	the	Lolo	Creek	Fire	

Incident	Command	Post	(ICP)	in	Lolo,	

Montana.	This	particular	ICP	is	the	

temporary	home	of	794	fire	personnel.	

(U.S.	Forest	Service	photo)

Nancy	HF	French,	PI

nhfrench@mtu.edu

Michigan	Tech

D	Martin	Swany

swany@iu.edu

Indiana	University	

Micah	Beck

mbeck@utk.edu

University	of	Tennessee

Ezra	Kissel

ezkissel@indiana.edu

Indiana	University	

William	Buller

wtbuller@mtu.edu

Michigan	Tech

Benjamin	Hart

behart@mtu.edu

Michigan	Tech

Data	Logistics	Toolkit	(DLT)	library

LoRS LoDN IDMS Periscope/UNIS

Mobile

Apps

Admin

Portals

Routing

Algos

Workflow	

MGMT

LoRS – Logistical	Runtime	System

LoDN – Logistical	Distribution	Network

IDMS	– Intelligent	Data	Movement	

Service

Periscope	– Network	topology	and	

measurements	via	UNIS	(database)

http://data-logistics.org

Michigan Tech Research Institute (MTRI) s Michigan Technological University 

3600 Green Court, Suite 100 s Ann Arbor, MI 48105

(734) 913-6840 – Phone s (734) 913-6880 – Fax s www.mtri.org

Excessive	post-fire	

erosion	from	the	

Hayman	Fire	(Photo	

by	Mary	Ellen	Miller)

Deploy	and	test	prototype	hardware-software	system	with	fire	

operations	personnel	that	integrates	the	new	data	sharing	

system	with	existing	capabilities	and	relevant	data.

Co-develop	software	systems	for	data	logistics	based	on	

existing	tools,	including	future	proofing	and	generation	of	

ideas	to	advance	capabilities	with	further	R&D.

Work	with	the	wildland	fire	management	community	to	define	

specific	requirements	of	an	enhanced,	resilient	data	sharing	

system.

1 1 2

2

2 B

1

Vehicular	

Mule	2

Vehicular	

Mule	1

Vehicle-to-vehicle	

xfer

A

Wildland-fire	Incident	Command	Center	Support

2017 Public Safety Broadband Stakeholder Meeting s Marriott Rivercenter

101 Bowie St, San Antonio, TX 78205

Acknowledgement: Poster by Veronica Porter & Sam Aden 

WildfireDLN key	features:

1. Removes	data	access	barriers

2. Multiple	distribution	modes	in	dynamic,	

mobile	environments

3. Fault-tolerance	in	the	face	of	frequently	

disconnected	networks

Resilient System Solutions for Data in 

Wildland Fire Incident Operations

Development of the Wildland-fire Data Logistics Network

National	Interagency

Fire	Center

Power	

Supply

Battery	Backup

CPU

Storage

Network

Local	operation	– decentralized	federation	of	available	nodes	

and	connected	devices

Dynamic	architecture	that	operates	over	intermittently	

connected	and	heterogeneous	networks

Logistical	data	distribution	– managed	workflows	for	prioritizing	

and	filtering	data	of	importance	over	geographic	and/or	

temporal	criteria

Hardware	Options	(mix	and	match)

Power

Battery	Always	

– various	sizes

•Utility

•Generator

•Solar

•Wind

CPU

Anything	Linux

•Raspberry	Pi

•Beaglebone

•BRCK

•PC

•Rack	Server

Network

•WiFi

•4G

•Bluetooth

•Ethernet

Storage

•USB	drive

•Hard	Drive

•SD	Card

•Server	Rack

§ Drones	and	Data	Mules	

are	not	always	connected

ICS = Incident Command System

DLT = Data Logistic Toolkit

= DLN storage depot

Landsat	image	

of	the	2016	

Fort	McMurray	

Fire	in	Alberta,	

Canada