Project Summary

• Millions of acres to be treated nationally (hazardous fuel reduction is a goal of the National Fire Plan)
• Several options for reducing excess fuels
• Prescribed Fire will likely be used for a long time.
• Homes and people are increasingly in harms' way.

Prescribed Fire (definition): The controlled application of fire to wildland fuels under specified environmental conditions while simultaneously confining the fire to a predetermined area and producing the intensity required to attain resource management ecological objectives. Prescribed burn plans detail these management objectives ("Fire effects") and the criteria that must be met while carrying them out (limiting fire spread rates, flame lengths, and smoke impacts).

A specific problem area: How do we conduct prescribed burns in the Wildland Urban Interface with ever-increasing population density, asset infrastructure, and environmental restrictions?

The objective of the RxDSS work is to produce a prototype tool for decision support to land managers to allow agencies to increase the number of acres that are treated safely (which includes smoke hazards to the public, as well as crew safety). The RxDSS prototype will capitalize on leading diagnostic and prognostic weather research capabilities, integrated end to end with fuel and terrain data; fire behavior, fire effects, and smoke algorithms; resource availability; complexity factors; and rules of practice to provide specific decision information.

Collaborators (top)

Janice Coen (MMM/RAP)
Gerry Wiener (RAP)
Paddy McCarthy (RAP)
Rich Wagoner (RAP)