Using GIS to Teach Wildfire SafetyUsing GIS to Teach Wildfire Safety

Denise Laitinen Denise Laitinen Firewise Communities Hawaii Firewise Communities Hawaii Coordinator Coordinator

Hawaii Island HIGICC Geospatial Hawaii Island HIGICC Geospatial Expo Expo May 20, 2014May 20, 2014

What/who What/who is Firewise?is Firewise?

Created in 1985 by NFPA & USDA after a horrific fire season

Part of the National Wildland/Urban Interface Fire Program

Overseen by the WUI Working Team of the National Wildfire Coordinating Group

Sponsored by: USDA Forest Service Department of the Interior, National Park

Service National Fire Protection Association US Fire Administration/FEMA National Association of State Foresters

National: (too many to list) American Planning AssociationAmerican Red CrossAmerican Society of Landscape ArchitectsCommunity Associations InstituteCongressional Fire Services InstituteEnvironmental Systems Research Institute (ESRI)Institute for Business & Home SafetyInsurance Services OfficeInternational Association of Fire ChiefsInternational Association of Wildland Fire

Local: 80+ groups including: Local: 80+ groups including: Hawaii Fire Dept. Hawaii Fire Dept. Maui County Fire Dept. Maui County Fire Dept. Kauai Fire Dept. Kauai Fire Dept. City & County of Honolulu Fire City & County of Honolulu Fire Dept. Dept. DOFAWDOFAWMaui Association of Landscape Maui Association of Landscape ProfessionalsProfessionalsU.S. Fish & Wildfire Service U.S. Fish & Wildfire Service Hui O Laka, Kokee MuseumHui O Laka, Kokee MuseumPohakuloa Training Area, U.S. Pohakuloa Training Area, U.S. Army Army Grove FarmGrove FarmDept. of Hawaiian Home Lands Dept. of Hawaiian Home Lands Hawaii Volcanoes National Hawaii Volcanoes National ParkParkKona-Kohala Chamber of Kona-Kohala Chamber of Commerce Commerce

Cooperators and AlliesCooperators and Allies

Ocean View Ocean View The Firewise GoalThe Firewise GoalHomes are designed, built, andHomes are designed, built, and

maintained to withstand a wildfiremaintained to withstand a wildfire

WITHOUTWITHOUT

the intervention of the fire department.the intervention of the fire department.

A Vision for the FutureA Vision for the Future

A Vision for the Future: Wildland fires occur in the future

without the loss of homes and structures.

For homeowners being Firewise means:1. Having defensible space and 2. Using fire-resistant building materials.

This house has a triple fuel break (gravel, grass,

rocks).

3,000-acre fire in Launiupoko, Maui

Firewise Activities 2002-Firewise Activities 2002-PresentPresent

‘‘What does Firewise do in Hawaii?What does Firewise do in Hawaii?”” Community Outreach/PresentationsCommunity Outreach/Presentations Media RelationsMedia Relations MeetingsMeetings Trainings/WorkshopsTrainings/Workshops Community Work DaysCommunity Work Days Alert Communities to Grant Alert Communities to Grant

OpportunitiesOpportunities

Create Create educational toolseducational tools

Examine wildfire Examine wildfire behaviorbehavior

What burns? What doesn’t? What burns? What doesn’t? Why? Why?

Community OutreachCommunity Outreach

Firewise Firewise hazard hazard

assessments assessments of West of West Hawaii Hawaii

subdivisions subdivisions with Hawaii with Hawaii Fire Dept. Fire Dept.

Field work:Field work:

Wildfire Hazard AssessmentWildfire Hazard Assessment Standardized method to determine a communityStandardized method to determine a community’’s risk s risk

Part of NFPA 1144 (Appendix A) Part of NFPA 1144 (Appendix A)

Gives you a look at the good, the bad, and the Gives you a look at the good, the bad, and the really scary. really scary.

Why is road width important?

Why is vertical clearance important?

GasolineGasoline

CharcoalCharcoal

Hazard assessments are important because they discover issues that can be rectified BEFORE a fire strikes.

How do you teach wildfire How do you teach wildfire safety using GIS?safety using GIS?

Firewise Communities and Firewise Communities and ESRI ESRI

Education has always been a key Education has always been a key element of spreading the Firewise element of spreading the Firewise message about wildfire behavior message about wildfire behavior and prevention. and prevention.

Early on Firewise partnered with Early on Firewise partnered with ESRI on a national level to create ESRI on a national level to create standard training model that could standard training model that could be used nationwide. be used nationwide.

The result was the creation of a GIS- The result was the creation of a GIS- based model that reflects many of based model that reflects many of the situations faced by communities the situations faced by communities across the country. across the country.

Using a standardized model for full-Using a standardized model for full-day workshops ensures consistency day workshops ensures consistency in training nationwide whether in training nationwide whether training firefighters, planners, or training firefighters, planners, or civilians. civilians.

Firewise WorkshopsFirewise Workshops

Firewise workshops educate folks Firewise workshops educate folks about wildfire, its behavior, and about wildfire, its behavior, and how to reduce the risk of wildfire how to reduce the risk of wildfire to their home and community. to their home and community.

A key part of this training is A key part of this training is learning how to conduct a wildfire learning how to conduct a wildfire hazard assessment (part of NFPA hazard assessment (part of NFPA 1142, a national standard.) 1142, a national standard.)

By using the GIS-based maps and By using the GIS-based maps and tools, participants learn about tools, participants learn about wildfire mitigation.wildfire mitigation.

These workshops are usually the These workshops are usually the first time participants have ever first time participants have ever heard of GIS, never mind using it. heard of GIS, never mind using it.

Using GIS to teach fire safety & Using GIS to teach fire safety & community planning community planning

GIS as a learning tool:GIS as a learning tool:multiple data layers enable non-technical people to easily grasp the importance of wildfire safety on an individual and community level.

* Learn how to reduce wildfire risks as well as identify them.

The importance of community planning:People understand the importance of planning with fire safety in mind and learn strategies to reduce their risk.

Ocean View Ocean View

Why is Firewise important? Being Firewise saves lives and homes.

The Waikoloa Firewise committee held a regularly scheduled community work day and cleared the fuel break just 3 WEEKS before this 2005 fire. The cleared fuel break is credited with preventing the

25,000 acre wildfire from spreading into the community.

(Extra credit: Any idea why this picture represents completely backward planning?)

Mahalo!Mahalo!For more info:

Denise Laitinen(808) 281-3497

firewisehawaii@yahoo.com

Facebook: Firewise Communities Hawaii

Twitter: @FirewiseHawaii

Google+: Firewise Communities Hawaii