WILDLAND FIRE DECISION SUPPORT
Working collaboratively with you and your staff, the WFM RD&A staff will provide real-time wildland fire decsion support that considers incident-specific fire behavior, values at risk, performance, and decision analysis. The result will be better risk-informed strategic and tactical decisions for wildland fires; reduced firefighter exposure; improvement in the basic science for large fire decision making; and improved capability to manage large fire expenditures.
Do you need Wildland Fire Decision Support?
This is the current version (as of April 14, 2012) of the WFM RD&A's Wildland Fire Decision Support Standard Operating Procedures and may change in the future depending on how they function during the 2012 fire season.
- I'm a GA editor, how do I get help? WFM RD&A Decision Support 2012 SOP for GA
- I work at a local unit, how do I get help? WFM RD&A Decision Support 2012 SOP for Local Units
- I'm an anlayst or WFDSS decision specialist, what do I need to know? WFM RD&A Decision Support 2012 SOP for Analysts and Specialists
- For the complete WFM RD&A Wildland Fire Decision Support SOPs click here
GA EDITOR RESOURCES
The GA editor resource page that was previously located on the FRAMES is located here
How to sign up for training and development
With the aggressive WFDSS implementation schedules of Federal Land Management Agencies and several states, training unit staff and accessing qualified personnel to support incidents has become critical. To address this need WFM RD&A will be maintaining a list of personnel interested in supporting incidents or needing On the Job Training (OJT) as it responds to requests for short term and extended assistance. If you would like to be considered please fill out the "2012 WFM RD&A Wildland Fire Decision Support 14 Day Detail and Call When Needed (CWN) list" sign up form here.
Wildland Fire Decision Support Evaluation
Have you used NFDSC services lately? We depend on user feedback to improve our products and the way we deliver those products. I you have recently interacted with NFDSC please click here to fill out our evaluation.
2011 NFDSC Annual Report (click here)
What is NFDSC?
The NFDSC is a collaborative effort between Fire and Aviation Management and Research and Development. It will be located at the National Interagency Fire Center and will provide a key link between wildland fire science development and the appropriate application of that science. The NFDSC will deliver: (1) corporate decision support and monitoring; (2) improvement in supporting fire science so risk models can be enhanced; (3) development of fire economic models to inform agency administrator decisions; (4) “state of the art” risk management protocols; and (5) social science that helps inform decisions.
The NFDSC is a collaborative effort and the result of contributions from many program areas as described below.
Human Factors and Risk Management RD&A – Supports a risk management framework for the (insert a space between for and the) wildland fire environment.
Fire and Aviation Management – The primary sponsor of NFDSC working in collaboration with Research and Development who will provide oversight, coordination and management of NFDSC.
Wildland Fire Management RD&A - Serves as a focal point for wildland fire decision support analysis - conducts analyses, advances decision support research, develops and delivers training, promotes the agency’s management of large fire costs, monitors incident analyses, monitors performance, and develops and enhances decision support tools and processes.
Fire Spread Research – Supports the enhancement of fire behavior fundamentals to improve, or replace, existing fire models used as the basis for fire management decisions. Improves our ability to measure performance, provide accurate decision support information, evaluate value changes to structures and infrastructure, advance fire modeling (specifically crown fire activity), and develop methods to describe fuel beds needed to drive improved fire behavior models.
Fire Economics Research – Provides spatial tools to evaluate wildfire risk. Requires the integration of fire behavior models and spatial representation of the location and potential value change to important human development and natural resource values. Supports performance metrics for large fires and an increased understanding of factors affecting large fire cost. Evaluates the impact of our efforts on large fire outcomes and cost.
WFM RD&A ROLES and RESPONSIBILITIES within the NFDSC
- Conduct decision support analyses for large fires under Federal jurisdiction.
- Develop, improve, and increase production and operational use of decision support products.
- Provide practical mentoring and other means to strengthen decision support capacity at regional and field levels, and achieve refresher and currency training for non-NFDSC analysts.
- Develop a comprehensive plan for integrating new knowledge into existing wildland fire curricula.
- Provide a primary point of contact for communication between scientists and participating field managers, and as an advisor to program administrators at local, regional, and national levels.
- Strengthen post-fire reviews and evaluations to improve applications and develop lessons learned.
