SPITFIRE mode

The fire model in FATES (SPITFIRE), can be controlled via a namelist setting:

fates_spitfire_mode

The setting for this variable should be an integer, with a value from 0 to 4 with the following meanings:

 0 : Simulations of fire are off
 1 : use a global constant lightning rate found in fates_params.
 2 : use an external lightning dataset. 
 3 : use an external confirmed ignitions dataset (not available through standard CSEM dataset collection).
 4 : use external lightning and population datasets to simulate both natural and anthropogenic
ignitions.

Most users of the FATES model will start by either turning this feature off (if perhaps fire is not a critical ecosystem process in their location of interest), or using the a global constant lightning rate. The default generated when nothing is specified is:

fates_spitfire_mode = 0