The 2000 wildfire season was one of the worst on record: by mid-August, 64,000 fires had burned an estimated 4.5 million acres and hundreds of structures. More than 25,000 firefighters, 900 fire engines, 200 helicopters, and all available air tankers were deployed.

Interagency Fire Coordination Centers set priorities for deploying fire-fighting resources based on human safety, protecting property, and natural resource values. Using printed maps and situation reports limited the information available to make these decisions. As the 2000 fire season wore on, fire managers asked for real-time geographic information on wildfire status, location, and proximity to life, property, and infrastructure to help them send resources where they were needed most. 

The Geospatial Multi-Agency Coordination (GeoMAC) Group developed an Internet based mapping tool which allows online access to maps of wild. re locations and perimeters. Using a standard web browser, fire personnel and the public can view information to pinpoint fire areas. Users can manipulate maps, zoom in and out, and print copies for dispatch offices, coordination centers, and briefings. Users can also display information on individual fires such as the name and current acreage.