Recognizing the need to supplement our robust landscape scale Regional Wildfire Risk Assessment methods, Sanborn has joined forces with local fire planning experts, such as Anchor Point Group (Boulder, Colorado), to provide community scale hazard assessment and fire plan development services. Together we can offer a comprehensive methodology for cost-effectively conducting community scale risk assessments, and developing Community Wildfire Protection Plans (CWPP).
Community Wildfire Protection Planning
We offer a comprehensive methodology for cost-effectively conducting hazard assessments, risk analysis, and developing community-based fire mitigation plans compliant with the U.S. 2003 Healthy Forests Restoration Act’s “Community Wildfire Protection Plan” (CWPP) methodology.
When combined with scientific fire-behavior modeling, the community assessment provides fire planners with the information necessary to determine mitigation projects. The data is used to identify and prioritize landscape- and community-level mitigation projects. These results, recommendations and implementation plans are developed as Community Wildfire Protection Plans, Operational Pre-Attack Plans, and Annual Workplans.
Mitigation Plan Development
Using the results obtained from the community scale assessment and risk analysis, a series of mitigation plans can be developd to support fire planning, hazardous fuels reduction, other mitigation activities, and fire incident response requirements. The fire plans not only provide the baseline for preparedness planning, but also provide necessary information for operational firefighters during fire incident response and suppression efforts. Knowing what areas are most prone, and where infrastructure is located, is critical for effective response.
Distributing Assessment and Fire Plan Results
Fire management and mitigation activities are often spread across several organizations, each with different jurisdictional responsibility. The ability to collaborate and share data and results of the assessment and risk analysis with other local fire agencies, State and Federal fire agencies, and especially the public, is key to the CWPP process.
While personalized public meetings are essential, and hardcopy brochures are an option, desktop GIS applications and Internet web sites are ideal for educating and communicating wildland fire risk concerns to the public.
GEOBOOK® Distribution Option
To aid in delivery and distribution of the CWPP and fire plans to interested parties on their desktop, the results can be encapsulated into Sanborn’s GEOBOOK map book product. The GEOBOOK is an intuitive GIS application that is provided in an easy-to-use digital book format. Information is organized as a series of chapters and pages mimicking a hardcopy book.
The GEOBOOK provides a comfortable and intuitive mechanism for non-GIS audiences, like local fire fighters and the public, to access the power of GIS data within the context of a scientifically-based and sound fire plan. A CWPP GEOBOOK also typically includes photographs, descriptions, local fire policies, key contacts and even individual home assessment information. For more information about the GEOBOOK software, visit the GEOBOOK Author Product page. |
