Reconciled fire growth records for annual Fires of Unusual Size (FOUS)

This data publication contains daily growth data for fires of unusual size (FOUS) occurring in the coterminous United States. Fire information was collected from the National Infrared Operations (NIROPS) program, progression maps, ICS-209 reports, and daily GIS shapefiles for each fire, reconciled to try to provide a complete picture of fire progression. This publication includes all 2020-2023 FOUS fires, which only resulted in fires within the western United States. Tabular daily fire growth data are provided separately by fire and where applicable, notes taken during the reconciliation of fire data are also included.Research shows that FOUS growth responds differently to weather conditions, compared to growth occurring on other, smaller fires. Tabulating and documenting FOUS provides data that can be used for future work seeking to understand the factors driving their growth.For prior research looking at FOUS growth response to weather, see Potter et al. (2021) and Potter (2023).