ATLAS Data Sources

Never paste a key into email, chat, a ticket or a document. Type keys only into the provider's own site and into ATLAS Admin Settings, and keep them in a password manager.

Feed	Provider	Key	Cost	Fresh for	Collected every
POD-01 ADS-B Aviation	adsb.lol	None	Free	15 min	7.5 min
POD-02 AZ511 Roads	ADOT (AZ511)	Free key; without it, work zones only	Free	6 h	3 h
POD-03 FIRMS Thermal	NASA FIRMS	Free key, required	Free	6 h	3 h
POD-04 InciWeb IncidentsData comes from NIFC, not the InciWeb website	NIFC (WFIGS)	None	Free	6 h	3 h
POD-05 RAWS Weather	National Weather Service, NIFC	None	Free	1 h	30 min
POD-06 USGS Hydrology	USGS Water Data, NOAA NWPS	None; free key optional	Free	2 h	1 h
POD-07 GLM Lightning	NOAA GOES satellites	None	Free	30 min	15 min
POD-08 Weather Alerts	National Weather Service	None	Free	30 min	15 min
Radar (current)	NOAA nowCOAST; IEM as backup	None	Free	tiles 6 min	When someone views radar
Forecast strip	National Weather Service	None	Free	60 min	Every hour
Basemaps	USGS (default); OpenStreetMap (optional)	None	Free	n/a	When someone views the map
Future radar (optional)	Vaisala Xweather	Paid client id and secret	Paid	tiles 30 min	When viewed, only if switched on

// Each source in detail

What it shows, terms, limits and keys

Every source follows the same order. Keys are entered in Admin Settings, ADM-01 Provider credentials, then checked with Verify.

ADS-B Aviation · adsb.lol

POD-01 · NO KEY

What it shows

Aircraft near the Area of Interest (AOI): call sign, type, altitude, speed and heading. Default radius 20 NM. The Aircraft layer is off until an operator turns it on.

Coverage and updates

Wherever volunteer receivers can hear aircraft; low flights in valleys may be missed. Positions are live; ATLAS pulls every 7.5 minutes.

Provider and terms

Community service, free. Data under the Open Database License 1.0, which allows commercial use with credit. ATLAS shows adsb.lol · ODbL 1.0 on the map and does not republish the database.

Rate limits

adsb.lol says its limits are "dynamic"; no number is published. ATLAS makes one request per pull.

Known limits

No service guarantee. adsb.lol plans to require a key, given to people who feed it data, at an unpublished date. If that happens, a receiver would be needed (free to run; the hardware has a cost).

AZ511 Roads · ADOT

POD-02 · FREE KEY

What it shows

With the key: incidents and closures, travel alerts, and electronic message sign text. Without it: planned work zones only. Default radius 20 NM, Arizona only.

Updates

ADOT updates as events change. ATLAS pulls every 3 hours; for fast-moving road incidents, check AZ511 itself.

Provider and terms

Arizona Department of Transportation through AZ511. Free. The developer page publishes no terms of use and no non-commercial limit. For written confirmation, ask AZ511 support.

Rate limits

Ten calls every 60 seconds. ATLAS makes 3 calls per pull (1 without a key). Avoid pressing Run Pod on POD-02 several times in a row.

How to get it	Sign up for an AZ511 account, sign in, and request a developer API key on the developer page.
Where to enter it	Admin Settings, ADM-01, row AZ511, New key, Save.
Verify	Select Verify. Healthy: Connected.
Expiry and renewal	Not published, nor how to revoke a key. Ask AZ511 support; rotate by hand per the key rotation runbook.
No key saved	Not a fault. POD-02 shows WARNING "Keyless mode: AZ511 work zones only". Data Health reads Key missing · keyless mode.
Bad or expired key	POD-02 ends in ERROR (AUTH_ERROR) and does not fall back to work zones, so the problem stays visible. ADM-01 reads Authentication error; the pod is held (Held · credentials) until a key is saved.

Known limits

Without the key, operators see work zones only. This is the biggest gap in a keyless setup, so the key is worth getting.

FIRMS Thermal · NASA

POD-03 · FREE KEY, REQUIRED

What it shows

Satellite heat detections (VIIRS on Suomi NPP) within 100 NM of the AOI, last 24 hours. A detection is a hot spot seen from space, not a confirmed fire: it may be a fire, a prescribed burn, a flare or a hot surface.

Updates

About two passes a day (around 1:30 pm and 1:30 am local). NASA publishes within about 3 hours of a pass, best effort. ATLAS pulls every 3 hours.

Provider and terms

NASA FIRMS. Free with a key. NASA mission data is CC0, commercial use included; NASA asks for citation and no implied endorsement.

Rate limits

5,000 transactions per 10 minutes per key. ATLAS makes a few small requests a day.

How to get it	Request a free MAP_KEY with an email address on the FIRMS map key page. It arrives by email.
Where to enter it	Admin Settings, ADM-01, row NASA FIRMS, New key, Save.
Verify	Select Verify. Healthy: Connected.
Expiry and renewal	Not published. A key can be resent, deleted or changed after signing in on the FIRMS site.
No key saved	POD-03 ends in ERROR (KEY_MISSING) and shows nothing. Alert: "ADMIN · Enter the NASA FIRMS API key in Admin Settings, then Verify."
Bad or expired key	ERROR (AUTH_ERROR), Authentication error in ADM-01 and Data Health, pod held until a key is saved.

Known limits

One satellite, so a fire that starts just after a pass may not show for hours. Small or cool fires, or fires under thick smoke or cloud, can be missed. Location is accurate to about one satellite pixel (about 375 m).

Incidents · NIFC WFIGS

POD-04 · NO KEY

What it shows

Reported wildland fire incidents within 100 NM: name, acres, containment, cause, personnel and dates. Wildfires (WF) and prescribed fires (RX) discovered in the last 120 days. Complex parent records are left out so fires are not counted twice.

Updates

NIFC refreshes from the interagency IRWIN system every 5 minutes. ATLAS pulls every 3 hours.

Provider and terms

National Interagency Fire Center, "Current Wildland Fire Incident Locations". Free, disclaimer only, no limit on commercial use. ATLAS no longer uses the Esri copy, whose licence was unclear.

Rate limits

Not published. At most 2,000 records per request; ATLAS warns if a pull reaches that.

Known limits

NIFC drops an incident once it is contained, controlled or out, and drops stale small fires after a few days. Containment is often blank on new fires; ATLAS shows "unknown", not 0 %. Figures are only as current as the last IRWIN update.

RAWS Weather · NWS and NIFC

POD-05 · NO KEY

What it shows

Latest reading from each Remote Automatic Weather Station within 25 NM: temperature, humidity, wind, gusts, direction, and fuel moisture when available.

Updates

Most stations report about hourly. ATLAS pulls every 30 minutes. A station silent for over two hours shows "Station is not reporting"; nothing needs fixing in ATLAS.

Provider and terms

Observations from the NWS API: open data, free for any purpose. Fuel moisture from the NIFC RAWS inventory when at most 3 hours old. Synoptic is no longer used.

Rate limits and identification

NWS calls its limits "reasonable" and publishes no number. ATLAS makes about 9 requests per pull. NWS asks every program to identify itself with a contact; ATLAS sends the O.M.A.S. contact address. NWS plans an API key "in the future", no date.

Known limits

No 24-hour rainfall total. NWS readings for RAWS are often partial, so some values read N/A. If NWS refuses ATLAS, the pod shows "NWS refused the request (HTTP 403)" and retries; ask Wolftac Digital to check the identification setting.

Hydrology · USGS and NOAA NWPS

POD-06 · OPTIONAL KEY

What it shows

River and stream gauges within 25 NM: flow and water height from USGS, flood categories and forecasts from NOAA's National Water Prediction Service. Dry washes without a gauge are not covered.

Updates

Reporting frequency varies by gauge. ATLAS shows each value's time, pulls every hour, and drops values older than 2 hours.

Provider and terms

USGS Water Data API and the NWPS API. U.S. government public data, free, no commercial limit. ATLAS already uses the new USGS service; the old one being shut down is no longer called.

Rate limits

USGS: 50 requests per hour without a key, 1,000 with a free key. ATLAS uses 2 of the 50 per hour at default settings.

Do you need it?	Usually not. Add it only if the server shares its internet address with other USGS users, or POD-06 warns "USGS Water Data rate limit reached".
How to get it	Free key on the USGS sign-up page, sent by email.
Where to enter it	Admin Settings, ADM-01, row USGS Water Data, New key, Save, then Verify.
Expiry and renewal	Not published, nor how to revoke. Ask USGS through the sign-up page.
No key saved	Normal. Data Health reads Public · no key.
Bad or expired key	ERROR (AUTH_ERROR); Data Health reads Optional key · rejected. Paste a valid key, or ask Wolftac Digital to remove it so the pod runs keyless.

GLM Lightning · NOAA GOES

POD-07 · NO KEY

What it shows

Lightning flashes seen from space by the Geostationary Lightning Mapper on GOES-18, with GOES-19 filling gaps. Default radius 25 NM, maximum 54 NM. Time, energy and area for each flash.

Updates

NOAA publishes a file every 20 seconds. Each ATLAS pull reads a five-minute window; at the 15-minute schedule, the minutes between pulls are not collected.

Provider and terms

NOAA open data on Amazon Web Services. Free, no key, no AWS account. Usable as desired, with credit and no implied endorsement.

Rate limits

None published. Each pull reads at most 48 small files.

Known limits

GLM sees all lightning (in-cloud and ground) as flashes of light; it cannot tell a ground strike from an in-cloud flash and gives no polarity or peak current. Location is accurate to about 8 to 14 km; NOAA states 70 to 90 % flash detection. No flashes does not prove no lightning. A late NOAA file gives a WARNING naming the UTC gap; retry later.

Weather Alerts · National Weather Service

POD-08 · NO KEY

What it shows

Active NWS warnings, watches and advisories near the AOI, with their areas. Red Flag Warnings, Fire Weather Watches, Extreme Heat, Flash Flood, Tornado and Severe Thunderstorm Warnings covering the AOI centre become PRIORITY alerts. Relayed evacuation and civil emergency messages are shown too.

Updates

NWS issues products as events happen; ATLAS pulls every 15 minutes. ATLAS is not an alerting system. For life-safety decisions use official NWS and emergency channels.

Provider and terms

NWS API: open data, free for any purpose. Xweather is no longer used for alerts.

Coverage and limits

United States and territories only. One request per pull; zone outlines are fetched once and kept for 30 days, simplified to about 500 m.

Radar · NOAA nowCOAST, IEM backup

MAP LAYER · NO KEY

What it shows

The current radar picture over the map when an operator turns Radar on. Continental U.S. at 1 km. Mountains block some beams in southeast Arizona; every radar source has this gap.

Updates

NOAA's mosaic updates about every 4 minutes. ATLAS keeps each tile 6 minutes and shows the frame time on the map.

Provider and terms

NOAA nowCOAST: no fees, no access constraints. Backup: the Iowa Environmental Mesonet, free for any lawful purpose including commercial, without warranty.

Rate limits

None published. ATLAS shares each tile between all users and stops at 3,000 radar requests a day as a courtesy, not a charge. The button then reads "Radar · daily limit reached" until 00:00 UTC.

Known limits

If nowCOAST fails, ATLAS uses IEM for 2 minutes and tries again; Data Health reads "Fallback · IEM". Radar is not saved in Historical Review, packets or the offline bundle.

Forecast strip · National Weather Service

CONSOLE · NO KEY

What it shows

Three-day forecast for the AOI: high and low, lowest humidity, wind, gusts, chance of rain, sky. A day shows RED FLAG when humidity is 15 % or lower and gusts reach 20 kt. That is a display hint; official Red Flag Warnings come from POD-08.

Updates and limits

NWS updates grids several times a day. ATLAS keeps a forecast 60 minutes and refreshes the default AOI hourly. At most 20 other places per hour. United States only. On by default.

Basemaps · USGS and OpenStreetMap

MAP · NO KEY

	USGS ImageryTopo (default)	OSM dark ops (optional)
Terms	Public domain, no restrictions; USGS credit requested.	Credit "© OpenStreetMap contributors" required. Best effort, no SLA; access for commercial users may be withdrawn. No bulk download.
In ATLAS	Shows the USGS credit while selected.	Shows the OSM credit. Never downloads tiles ahead or puts them in packets or the offline bundle.

Basemaps need an internet connection; the offline bundle has no map tiles. Keep USGS as the default.

Xweather · Vaisala

OPTIONAL · PAID · OFF BY DEFAULT

Used only for future radar (+1 h to +6 h). Nothing else in ATLAS needs it. If the district does not buy Xweather, there is no future radar; no free service offers it.

How to get it	In an Xweather account: Apps, New Application, which gives a client id and secret.
Where to enter it	ADM-01, row Xweather: Client id and Client secret, Save, then tick Use Xweather (optional). Saving alone does not turn it on.
Bad or expired key	Authentication error after Verify; the +1 h to +6 h radar menu disappears. Nothing else is affected.
Switched off	Row reads Off. No Xweather requests or warnings. The saved key is kept.

Where	Healthy	Also fine
Pod status	CURRENT	WARNING on POD-02 without an AZ511 key. An occasional POD-07 warning for a short NOAA gap.
API connection status	Connected for FIRMS and AZ511	Public · no key for keyless feeds. Key missing · keyless mode for AZ511 without a key.
ADM-01	Connected with a recent "Verified" time for each key	Key missing for USGS (optional). Off for Xweather.
Collection schedule	Every pod Scheduled or Running	Paused only if paused on purpose.
Disk space	OK on both lines (below 80 %)	"Backups · not mounted" on a single-PC install.
Radar line	NOAA nowCOAST, count below the cap	"Fallback · IEM" for a short time.

You see	It means	What to do
STALE	No successful pull inside the pod's window.	Check the pod's state on Data Health: Paused, resume it; Held · credentials, fix the key; Backing off, read the error. Then Run Pod.
KEY_MISSING	No FIRMS key saved.	Enter it in ADM-01, then Verify.
AUTH_ERROR	The provider rejected the key (wrong, expired or revoked).	Get a new key and follow the key rotation runbook.
Held · credentials	Scheduled collection stopped trying the pod because of a key problem.	Save a working key; the pod runs within seconds.
Backing off	Recent pulls failed; ATLAS waits longer between tries.	Usually nothing. If it lasts beyond the pod's window, check the provider's site.
Provider rate limit	The provider said "too many requests".	Nothing. Ask operators to avoid Run Pod for a while.
NWS refused (HTTP 403)	NWS blocked ATLAS's identification.	Contact Wolftac Digital.
USGS rate limit reached	The 50-per-hour keyless limit was used up.	Nothing; it retries next hour. If it repeats, add the free USGS key.
Data disk 80 %	The disk is filling up.	Watch it for a few days.
Critical 90 %	Collection will pause at 95 %.	Plan more disk space this week.
Paused 95 %	ATLAS paused all collection to protect the disk. Nothing was deleted.	Add disk space now. Collection restarts by itself below 93 %.
Backup disk full	The nightly backup may fail.	Grow the backup disk or keep fewer days of backups.

#	Check	Healthy result
W1	Open Data Health / Audit; look at each of the eight pods.	All CURRENT (POD-02 WARNING is fine without its key).
W2	For any STALE or ERROR pod, read its action line in the error log.	You know who acts and it is done, or Wolftac is asked.
W3	API connection status.	FIRMS and AZ511 Connected; others Public · no key; no Authentication error.
W4	Collection schedule (if Scheduled).	Nothing held or backing off for more than a day; nothing paused by mistake.
W5	Disk space.	Both lines OK. Note the data disk percentage; a steady climb means more space is needed.
W6	Radar line (if radar was used).	NOAA nowCOAST, count below the cap.

#	Check	Healthy result
M1	Do the weekly checks.	As above.
M2	In ADM-01, select Verify on each provider with a key.	Connected with today's time.
M3	Check provider pages for notices: adsb.lol (feeder key), NWS API (key plans), NASA FIRMS, AZ511.	No change that affects ATLAS; otherwise tell Wolftac Digital.
M4	Confirm each key is in the password manager and nowhere else.	Only the password manager and ATLAS hold keys.
M5	Confirm the latest nightly backup exists.	A backup from the last day.

#	Check	Healthy result
F1	Do the monthly checks.	As above.
F2	Select Run Pod once on each pod's detail screen.	Each ends CURRENT (POD-02 WARNING only without its key).
F3	Check AOI presets and radii in ADM-02.	They match this season's needs.
F4	Check collection is Scheduled in ADM-04 with no pod paused.	Scheduled, every Collect switch on.
F5	If the AZ511 key is still missing, chase it with ADOT.	Full mode before the season.
F6	Consider rotating each key, especially if staff with access have left.	New keys Connected, old keys revoked.
F7	Confirm with Wolftac Digital that the contact address ATLAS sends to NWS still works.	Confirmed.
F8	Check disk space for the season. Lightning days use the most (up to about 0.35 GB a day).	Data disk well below 80 %.
F9	Turn on Radar and the forecast strip.	Radar shows a recent frame time; the strip shows three days.

Anything in ATLAS	Wolftac Digital, through the support contact in the pilot welcome pack. Give the screen, the time (UTC) and the exact message. Never send keys.
FIRMS key	NASA FIRMS, through the map key page.
AZ511 key	AZ511, through the developer page and its support link.
USGS key	USGS, through the sign-up page.
Xweather	Vaisala Xweather, through your account.
Provider outage	Check the provider's own site first. Collection retries on its own.

The short version

All sources at a glance

What it shows, terms, limits and keys

ADS-B Aviation · adsb.lol

What it shows

Coverage and updates

Provider and terms

Rate limits

Known limits

AZ511 Roads · ADOT

What it shows

Updates

Provider and terms

Rate limits

Known limits

FIRMS Thermal · NASA

What it shows

Updates

Provider and terms

Rate limits

Known limits

Incidents · NIFC WFIGS

What it shows

Updates

Provider and terms

Rate limits

Known limits

RAWS Weather · NWS and NIFC

What it shows

Updates

Provider and terms

Rate limits and identification

Known limits

Hydrology · USGS and NOAA NWPS

What it shows

Updates

Provider and terms

Rate limits

GLM Lightning · NOAA GOES

What it shows

Updates

Provider and terms

Rate limits

Known limits

Weather Alerts · National Weather Service

What it shows

Updates

Provider and terms

Coverage and limits

Radar · NOAA nowCOAST, IEM backup

What it shows

Updates

Provider and terms

Rate limits

Known limits

Forecast strip · National Weather Service

What it shows

Updates and limits

Basemaps · USGS and OpenStreetMap

Terms

In ATLAS

Xweather · Vaisala

Where to look and what it means

What healthy looks like

What each warning means

Weekly, monthly, before fire season

Weekly · about 10 minutes

Monthly · about 20 minutes

Before fire season · once a year and after major changes

Who to contact

Not published by the provider

Official pages checked on 4 Oct 2026