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WindNinja

Installing

We provide binaries for Windows, but require building from source for Linux and MacOS. We also support Docker.

Binaries

• Windows users can find an installer at https://research.fs.usda.gov/firelab/products/dataandtools/windninja
• Running on Linux or MacOS requires building from source (see below)

Compiling from source

NOTE: We are in the process of updating our dependencies to provide full support for Ubuntu 22.04, Ubuntu 24.04 and Windows 10/11. This includes modernizing our compilers, QT framework version, Windows package manager, and code. The end result will be a WindNinja with an improved GUI and better compilation support on Windows and Ubuntu - coming to the master branch Feburary 2026.

• Linux build – Ubuntu 20.04
• Linux build – Ubuntu 22.04 (limited GUI)
• Linux build - Ubuntu 24.04 - coming soon
• Windows build for full WindNinja installer (used for Fire Lab releases and requires MSVC 2010)
• Limited Windows build with vcpkg for FlamMap
• Limited Windows build with MSVC 2019 (no GUI)
• Old Windows instructions (all dependencies built from source)
• Old build OpenFOAM 2.2.0 on Ubuntu 16.04 instructions
• Building WindNinja on Windows with VCPKG

Docker

• Dockerfile
• Building WindNinja with Docker and Using it in a HPC Environment

User Documentation

Usage info

• Advanced Runtime Configuration
• Accessing third-party data
• Change log
• NOMADS Weather Models
• Point Sampling
• griddedInitialization
• Frequently Asked Questions

Developer Documentation

• Releasing WindNinja
• WindNinja Tests
• C API
• Coding Style
• Synoptic API for WindNinja
• Using the BoostTest Framework