Tools can be accessed both by using the trackpad and keyboard combination or the laser pointer. However you choose to interact with the simulation is up to you, and the controls will work similarly. To select a tool or interact with the map using the trackpad and keyboard, simply left click using the trackpad. For brushing actions using this combination, click and drag. To use the laser pointer, aim and fire the laser for a brief moment to make a selection. To brush a selection, fire the laser briefly around an area.

Wind Dial
Displays the current wind speed and direction the simulation is running. The direction is displayed under the arrow, and is measured in degrees clockwise from the North, corresponding to where the wind is coming from (as is standard!). The number above the arrow is wind speed in MPH. By default it will be set to 0, but can be set as high as 60. To change the speed or direction of the wind, click anywhere inside the circle and drag–a longer arrow indicates a faster wind speed.

Tools Menu
By default, the first tool selected will be the Pan & Zoom tool. To change to another tool, select the Pan & Zoom tool to bring up the main menu.

• Pan - This tool controls the area you are currently viewing on the map. Use it to pan around the viewable area. Select anywhere on the map and drag to move the viewable area.
• Zoom -  The Zoom tool allows you to zoom in and out on the mapped area. This can be helpful to zooming into an area that you want to map the geography for.
• Info -This tool displays various information about a selected point on the map. It can be used to gain information about the elevation, fuel, and other location data. To display this information select any point on the map–the information is displayed near the top of the projected area.
• Fire - The fire tool is used to begin a fire simulation. Fire simulations make use of the Anderson 13 and ground spread models. These are computer models based on observed data of how fire spreads. It includes variables such as fuel components, size class, moisture, and type. Within the fire menu, there are a whole host of tools to change how the simulation will interact with the fire. The function of these tools is described below.
• Place Flame - This tool allows you to place a spot fire at any point on the map. To place a fire, select anywhere on the map. Once the fire is placed, the simulation will begin.
• Stamp Roads - This tool allows the simulation to treat roadways as fire lines. Major roadways are considered very stable fire lines and minor roads are somewhat stable fire lines. The stability of a fire line describes how likely fire is able to cross the line. A very stable line indicates that fires are unlikely to cross that point. Simply select this tool once to map all the available roads in the area.
• Black Line - The black line tool can be used to create fire breaks on the map. To use this tool, drag over the simulation where you want the line to form. A black line represents an area that is burned to prevent a fire from spreading beyond that point.
• Division - The division tool is used to draw divisions across the landscape. Click points across the landscape to draw a division between them.
• Tanker - The tanker tool can be used to simulate an air tanker drop. The maximum distance for this tool is 3,200 ft on the simulation. To create tanker lines simply drag over the simulation where you want them to drop.
• Dozer - Both dozer tools are used to draw dozer lines within the simulation. Dozer 1 works more quickly than the other–note that dozers cannot cross big bodies of water or steep terrain. Simply select and drag to draw a dozer line. Keep in mind that dozers work quicker on flat terrain than they do on a slope.
• Helicopter - The helicopter tool simulates a helicopter drop. Select multiple points across a landscape to create a line you want the helicopter to drop on.
• Hand Crew - Both hand crew tools deploys a crew that follows a designated path. Crew one works quicker than the other. Hand crews take quite a bit of time to create a fire line, so deploy them with enough time to establish the line.
• Fire Engine - For the fire engine tool to function the simulation requires an established road network. To deploy the vehicle, select a point for the engine to leave from and drag to its destination.
• Hose Lay - To use this tool click and drag to create a hose lay up to 200 ft. The tool will allow you to drag for a longer distance, but will only establish a line within the allotted amount.
• Ambulance - Similarly to the fire engine tool, the ambulance requires an established road network. To deploy the one, select a point for the ambulance to leave from and drag to its destination.
• Reassign - This tool can be used to move or reassign various resources within the simulation. To use this tool simply select the resource you want to move and drag its new path.
• Delete - This tool will remove a resource from the simulation, but it will not remove the work it has completed. It can also remove a part of the simulated fire. To use, simply select the resource you want to get rid of.
• Reset - The reset tool within the fire menu will allow you to reset only the fire simulation running. It will keep the other elements of the simulation.
• Fuel - The fuel tool is used to change the fuel conditions of the landscape. It can change variables such as fuel type and density. Within this menu, there are a few options that change the functionality of the fuel painter tool–they are highlighted below.
• Density - The density tool allows you to change the brush size and alter the density of the fuel you paint in increments of 10%. To use this tool select your desired density and brush size and paint the landscape to alter the density of that region.
• Fuel Type - The fuel type tool can change the fuel type of a painted area. To use this tool select your desired brush size, fuel model, and fuel type and paint the region you wish to change.
• Reset - The reset tool housed here will reset all changes made by the fuel tools on the landscape.
• Water - The water tool can be used to begin a flooding disaster simulation. The tool includes the ability to alter rainfall and flooding variables. All of the tools within this menu work best at 1048x speed. Within the water tool, there are three main modes to simulate the movement of water within a landscape. All three are described below.
• Sun/Rain - There are three strengths to the rain tool, each with its own precipitation amounts. To use each tool, simply brush over the landscape where you want the water to fall.
• Watershed - This tool is used to map the watershed from a specific point. Select a point on the map and watch the projection highlight the associated watershed.
• Release - The release tool is used to simulate the release of a dam. Select a point on the map to release water from the region.
• Reset - The reset tool will reset the conditions placed on the landscape by any of the water tools.
• Plume - This tool is used to simulate varying hazard types and their presence within the landscape.
• Plume Model - This tool is used to change the emission type of a plume emitter. Select this tool once to bring up the menu of plume model types. Select the type of emission you wish to add to the landscape to close the menu.
• Add Emitter - The emitter tool is used to place an emitter of the specified plume model to the landscape. Select a point on the map to add the designated emitter.
• Add Sensor - The sensor tool can be placed on the landscape to detect the presence of a specified plume model. To place a sensor, select the tool and select anywhere on the landscape.
• Reset - The reset tool will remove any emitters or sensors placed on the landscape.
• Cars - The traffic tool can be used to begin a traffic simulation. This tool is only available in areas with a defined road network. The menu allows for cars to be added to an area, as well as define the evacuation areas and status.
• Paint Cars - All of the other tools housed in this menu are dependent on the paint cars tool. To add cars to the simulation, brush the tool over the roadways of the landscape. Note that running the simulation at 1024x speed or higher will no longer animate the cars moving.
• Draw Evacuation Area - The evacuation area tool is used to designate an area of the landscape that you want to ensure is evacuated. Draw the area by brushing over the landscape in the area you want evacuated.
• Draw Destination - The destination tool can be used to designate where you want evacuated parties to go. Just like the evacuation tool, brush over the landscape in the area you want to identify as safe.
• Remove All Evacuation Polygons - This tool works similarly to a reset tool, it removes both the evacuation area and destinations from the map.
• Change Evacuation Status - These tools change the status of the current evacuation. Change the current status by selecting one of the options within the menu.
• Reset Cars - The reset tool here removes all cars from the landscape and resets the evacuation status. Note that the reset tool does not clear evacuation polygons, only the dedicated tool will do that.