NIFC FTP and QR Codes

NIFC FTP and FireNet Sharing

As of spring 2022, the NIFC FTP site is available at its new URL: ftp.wildfire.gov

FireNet SharePoint is an alternative for posting map products. Be sure to use the “anyone with the link” sharing option and provide the correct link (the public link will be different than the file URL).

The NIFC FTP Server is an official site for interagency wildland fire incident data and documents. As a GISS, you may be expected to post PDF files of incident maps to the NIFC FTP Server.

The NIFC FTP service is intended for short-term interagency sharing, not as a file archive or records repository. There should not be anything here that is not stored in a safer location, or that must carry over from season to season. All information that is posted to ftp.nifc.gov must be public and official, and there are some specific limitations of what can be stored there.

Access to the site varies according to the user role. As a GISS, the areas of the site that you will use are readable by anyone on the internet, with no username, or password required, but you will need a username and password to upload data to the site. The username and password service used by the NIFC FTP Server is called NAP – the NESS Application Portal.

Follow the instruction provided under the Getting Started section on the ftp.wildfire.gov homepage to obtain access.  There are three steps required to access the FTP site. Steps 1 & 2 must happen concurrently. Failure to complete step 2 will prevent the FAM IT helpdesk from assigning roles or access.

Job Aids

Share SharePoint files or folders (microsoft.com)

QR Codes

The Avenza Maps app has become an important tool for incident personnel because it lets them view GPS-enabled incident maps on their Android and iOS mobile devices even when WiFi or cellular data service is not available. Mobile maps are especially useful when visibility is poor, or when personnel are unfamiliar with local features and travel routes or are inexperienced navigating by reference to paper maps.

A QR Code (abbreviated from Quick Response code) is a type of matrix barcode (or two-dimensional barcode) that when scanned, will quickly access the URL of the map location.  QR codes are an easy way to deploy mobile maps to the Avenza Maps app.

A multitude of free QR Code generators are available online.