FIREHARM - Fire hazard and risk model

Mapping fire hazard and risk across multiple spatial scales.

This project involves the development of a research computer model called FIREHARM (FIRE HAzard and Risk Model) that computes common measures of fire behavior, fire danger, and fire effects over space to use as variables to portray fire hazard spatially, and then computes fire risk by simulating daily fuel moistures over 18 years to compute fire measures over time. The digital hazard and risk maps can then be used for fire management planning and real-time wildfire operations.

The objective of this study is to develop methods of computing fire hazard and risk that minimize the limitations and drawbacks of previous efforts. The FIREHARM computer model (1) increases consistency across hazard and risk layers, (2) standardize weather inputs, (3) employs a multiple scale analysis into its structure, (4) includes some spatial effects, and (5) expanded the number of fire hazard and risk variables. The audience for this effort is managers and researchers interested in describing and evaluating fire hazard and risk across multiple spatial scales.

Images

Output from the FIREHARM model

Select Publications & Products

Keane, R.E., Drury, S., Karau, E., Hessburg, Paul F., Reynolds, K. 2010. A method for mapping fire hazard and risk across multiple spatial scales and its application in fire management. Ecological Modelling 221:2-18

Hessburg, Paul F., Keith M. Reynolds, Robert E. Keane, Kevin M. James, and R. Brion Salter. 2008. Evaluating wildland fire danger and prioritizing vegetation and fuels treatments. Forest Ecology and Management 247(1-3):1-17. (Refereed).

Hessburg, P.F., Reynolds, K.M., Keane, R.E., James, K.M., and Salter, R.B. 2009. Evaluating wildland fire danger and prioritizing vegetation and fuels treatments. Forest Ecology and Management 24(1-3):1-17 or Online publication: Forest Encyclopedia Network: Environmental Threats: Case Studies.

Reynolds, Keith M., Paul Hessburg, Robert E. Keane, James P. Menakis. 2009. National fuel treatment budgeting in US federal agencies: Capturing opportunities for transparent decision-making. Forest Ecology and Management 258:2373-2381 (Refereed).

Hessburg, Paul F., K. Reynolds, R. Keane, K. James, R. B. Salter. 2010. Evaluating wildland fire danger and prioritizing vegetation and fuels treatments. Pages 329-353 In: Pye, John M.; Rauscher, H. Michael; Sands, Yasmeen; Lee, Danny C.; Beatty, Jerome S., tech. eds. Advances in threat assessment and their application to forest and rangeland management. Gen. Tech. Rep. PNW-GTR-802. Portland, OR: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Pacific Northwest and Southern Research Stations. 708 p. 2 vol.

Keane, R.E. and J. Menakis. March 2014. Evaluating wildfire hazard and risk for fire management applications. Book Chapter. Pages 111-135 In: Reynolds, Keith, Paul

Hessburg, and P. Bourgeron (Editors), Making transparent environmental management decisions. Springer, New York, USA [Peer Reviewed]