.. |beta| unicode:: U+003B2 .. GREEK SMALL LETTER BETA
.. _execution:
================
Running the tool
================
To calculate the BAL, we use the **BAL calculation** tool within the
**BAL** toolbox installed in ArcGIS 10.2.
Select the **BAL calculation** tool within the **BAL** toolbox, see
:numref:`select_bal`.
.. _select_bal:
.. figure:: /docs/images/select_bal.jpg
:align: center
:alt: Select the tool **BAL calculation**.
:figclass: align-center
Select the tool **BAL calculation**.
Then the **BAL calculation** window is open, see :numref:`bal_window`.
.. _bal_window:
.. figure:: /docs/images/BAL_calculation_window.jpg
:align: center
:alt: The **BAL calculation** window.
:figclass: align-center
The **BAL calculation** window.
Parameters within the tool
==========================
**Input DEM raster:**
Open your input DEM file from a specific location. The DEM
**must** be in a projected coordinate system with linear unit
metre. For example GDA94 / MGA zone 50 is a projected spatial
reference system and is suitable for use in the western part
of Western Australia. More information about GDA94 / MGA zone
50 can be found `here
`_.
**Input vegetation raster:**
Open your input vegetation dataset from a specific location.
The vegetation dataset can be in either a geographical or a
projected coordinate system. It will be reprojected to the
same projection and same resolution as DEM by the BAL tool.
**Vegetation reclassification:**
Reclassify the input vegetation classes into those defined in
the Australian Standard AS 3959 (2009). There are seven
classes defined in the Standard. In this tool, we give each
class a unique number, i.e.:
* 1: Forest,
* 2: Woodland,
* 3: Shrubland,
* 4: Scrub,
* 5: Mallee/Mulga,
* 6: Rainforest,
* 7: Grassland/Tussock moorland.
The reclassification process needs to be considered by the user,
and will vary according to the input vegetation dataset.
A sample reclassification map is entered for the example data.
The reclassification map needs to be changed by the users according
to their own input vegetation data.
**Output path:**
Define the output location. Note that this is asking for a folder to
write the output to, not a file name.
**FDI value:**
The input Fire Danger Index (FDI) value has four choices (100,
80, 50, 40) based on the locations, which are specified in
AS 3959--2009.
* **100**: Australian Capital Territory (ACT), part of New South
Wales (NSW) (Greater Hunter, Greater Sydney,
Illawarra/Shoalhaven, Far South Coast and Southern Ranges
fire weather districts), and Victoria general (excluding
alpine areas).
* **80**: NSW general (excluding alpine areas, and the areas with
FDI 100), South Australia (SA), and Western Australia (WA).
* **50**: NSW alpine areas, Tasmania, and Victoria alpine areas.
* **40**: Northern Territory (NT), and Queensland (Qld).
**Extent:**
The extent is used to select the area of interest for which the
BAL will be calculated. The default output data extent will be where
you have consistent coverage of DEM and vegetation data within
the area of interest.
.. note:: There is a limitation in raster file name length and file path
length in ArcGIS. For a raster name in ESRI Grid format, the maximum
number of characters is 13 and for full path name, the maximum
number of character is 128. For more information, `click here
`_. In
addition, as tested, each folder name's length should be restricted
to at most eight characters.
Output
======
A suite of rasters are produced and stored in the output folder. They
represent the BAL for the area computed in each of eight cardinal
directions (E, S, W, N, NE, NW, SE and SW) and the maximum BAL of all
directions. :numref:`bal_output` is an example output.
.. _bal_output:
.. figure:: /docs/images/BAL_output.jpg
:align: center
:alt: An example BAL output window.
:figclass: align-center
An example BAL output window.