FireRadar Editorial & Data Standards
FireRadar is useful only if users can tell where information came from, what it means, when it was last verified, and who is responsible for correcting mistakes. These standards describe the rules FireRadar applies to data, editorial content, automation, and public accountability.
Who is responsible for FireRadar
FireRadar.ca is an independently operated Canadian wildfire information service. The FireRadar team is responsible for the site's aggregation logic, product behaviour, explanatory content, corrections, and the way source limitations are communicated. Provincial, territorial, federal, municipal, Indigenous, and emergency authorities remain responsible for their own official data and safety directions.
Direct official records stay separate from other context
A direct provincial or territorial wildfire incident is not interchangeable with a CWFIS national record, a NASA satellite hotspot, a smoke forecast, an AQHI observation, or a mapped perimeter. FireRadar keeps these datasets separate in counts, labels, map layers, APIs, and explanatory content so users are not given a misleading combined total.
Missing or failed data is not silently converted to zero
When a source cannot be confirmed, FireRadar shows that the information is unavailable or out of date rather than implying there are zero fires. FireRadar may keep the last confirmed data when appropriate, but labels it clearly and does not present it as a new source update.
Timestamps keep their original meaning
FireRadar distinguishes when an authority reported or updated information from when FireRadar last checked it and when the page was prepared. It does not substitute its own check time for a missing incident update or imply that an agency changed a specific fire record when it did not.
Editorial pages must be useful without the map
Guides and methodology pages should answer a clear question even when the interactive map is unavailable. They should identify relevant official or trusted sources, state important limitations, and link to the appropriate FireRadar tool. FireRadar does not publish repetitive location or keyword pages only to appear in search results.
Safety and specialist boundaries are explicit
FireRadar does not issue emergency notices, road closures, medical advice, legal advice, insurance decisions, or predictive fire-spread instructions. Content that touches those areas should direct readers to the responsible authority or qualified professional and should not present FireRadar as the final decision-maker.
Automation and software tools do not replace source verification
Automation and software-assisted tools may support data processing, testing, monitoring, research, drafting, translation, or maintenance. Published factual claims and product behaviour remain subject to FireRadar's source rules, validation checks, review standards, and correction process. Tool output is not treated as an authority simply because it was generated automatically.
Support does not change wildfire information
Voluntary support, future commercial relationships, or other funding must not buy earlier emergency information, preferential incident treatment, altered wildfire classifications, or more favourable source presentation. Data and safety decisions remain governed by source quality and product rules.
Report a data or editorial problem
Send corrections to hello@fireradar.ca. For wildfire-data discrepancies, include the FireRadar URL or fire identifier, province or territory, the official source URL, the field that appears wrong, and the time you observed the difference. For editorial corrections, include the page URL and the statement that should be reviewed.
Corrections should fix the underlying data or content where possible, not only the individual page where a problem appeared. Material methodology or coverage changes should also be reflected in the relevant source or archive documentation.
Related methodology
Media and research use
The media resource provides current citation-ready summaries, attribution guidance, official-source context, and public download links without presenting FireRadar as an emergency authority.
FireRadar for Media & Researchers →