Spark Operational, Australia’s nationally recognised fire behaviour simulator built by AFAC and CSIRO’s Data61, has reached another milestone with the release of version 1.4.0. This maintenance release delivers targeted enhancements to the platform’s user interface, template architecture, and backend systems, giving fire behaviour analysts and planners more accessible, better-informed tools for bushfire simulation and response. 

Version 1.4.0 releases a number of improvements to the user experience: 

• Fuel moisture time lag (FMTL) via gridded layers: Users can now set fuel moisture time lag using gridded layers, with a new ‘time lag (hrs)’ column added to the interface. This gives analysts greater control over how atmospheric moisture changes influence fire spread. 
• Live fuel moisture content web map service (WMS) layer: A new WMS layer enables users to view near-live fuel moisture content within Spark. This is a visual only overlay and provides richer situational awareness of near-live fuel conditions and results in better-informed fire spread simulations. 
• Default data directories: Navigating and setting data sources has become easier with the introduction of default data directory options in the basic tab. This streamlines the workflow for users configuring simulations. 

Version 1.4.0 includes a suite of important template and back end improvements: 

• A rate of spread output layer (m/h) has been added, along with an associated reduction to the output data summary table giving users a clearer picture of fire progression metrics. 
• Templates have been upgraded to Australian Public Service level 4 products for 3D weather data, improving the accuracy of atmospheric inputs.
• A long description field has been added to output layers in templates for inclusion in PDF reports to ensure communication between Spark users and report receivers is not overly complicated.
• GeoStack has been upgraded to version 0.4.8.rc3. 

Spark version 1.4.0 is now available on SharePoint for download here. This link is only open to agency admins. 

Please make sure you read the release notes to understand the updates, even if you aren't the one to download and install the newest version. Spark users can access the release notes here. 

Since the release of the last version of Spark, a number of documents have been updated and added to the SharePoint. Spark users can access the reference documents here.
Some documents may not be relevant to your role in using Spark, but we encourage everyone to review the user manual. 

Current focus and future outlook 

Spark Operational’s current focus is on maintenance and support of the system. This approach ensures the platform remains reliable as agencies prepare for the 2026-27 southern fire season. 

Importantly, AFAC has already undertaken and is continuing to explore opportunities to implement user needs as identified through a national feature prioritisation survey, completed by agency administrators and 2 dedicated workshops held with agency stakeholders and CSIRO. These opportunities, including data exportability, fire behaviour models, isochrone readability, and graphical user interface improvements, were prioritised using a value vs risk model to ensure future investment is directed to where it delivers the best operational benefit nationally. 

AFAC’s Fire Predictions Team will continue to work with member agencies to progress and implement Spark improvements into the future. If you have any questions or issues, please don't hesitate to send an email to firepredictions@afac.com.au. 

Example of the live fuel moisture layer from Digital Earth Australia (Yebra data) as a demonstration of external data ingestion.