National Incident Feature Services

Purpose

The National Incident Feature Service (NIFS) refers primarily to an ArcGIS Online (AGOL)-hosted feature service. The NIFS is designed for use on wildland fires of any size to improve standardization and compatibility nationwide. It helps streamline data sharing, speed deployment of web and mobile applications and improve situational awareness for firefighters. Because the NIFS is available to all wildland fire personnel, regardless of agency or affiliation, data can be easily shared near-real time and at any location.

The NIFS is hosted on AGOL and can be accessed using a NIFC AGOL account.

While often referred to as a single entity, the NIFS actually is a suite of services that are all sourced from the same underlying data. Multiple services of the same data are needed to control the different permissions and access of multiple applications and user groups. See the Service List for a description of the individual services.

The NIFS must be used by all Geographic Information System Specialists (GISS). Editing the National Incident Feature Services and other hosted feature services is an essential skill for the role of a GISS.

Specifications

• Accessing the NIFS. 
• Service List that makes up the NIFS.
• NIFS data Archive.
• Public Distribution of a subset of NIFS data.

The GISS will adhere to the following:

• Approval of features in the NIFS is the responsibility of the Situation Unit Leader (SITL). GISS should work with the SITL to ensure there is a process in place to review and approve data in the NIFS.
• The NIFS is a shared service, users with the GISS role will be able to view/edit all records on the service, including adjacent fires. It is critical that the GISS only edit data for the incident to which they are assigned.

References

• NWCG GISS Workflow, PMS 936-1

Responsibilities

The GISS will load and manage incident data within the NIFS. Any data edits should be synchronized with the NIFS. The GISS will work with the SITL to ensure all data within the NIFS is the most accurate representation of the wildfire incident. GISS will use appropriate care when working with the NIFS to ensure no adverse impacts to other incidents using NIFS.