Wildfire Mitigation

Wildfire Hazard Identification and Mitigation System (WHIMS)

In 1991 the Boulder County Wildfire Mitigation Group formed a technical team to begin development of a hazard rating system to identify and rate areas of Boulder County for their relative wildfire hazard. By 1992, the group realized the potential for a geographic information system (GIS) to assist in this mission and the project evolved into the Wildfire Hazard Identification and Mitigation System or, WHIMS, for short.

Goals and Objectives

Using GIS as the medium, WHIMS is designed to:

• Collect site-specific fire hazard information
• Compile the information into a central database
• Display the information as various kinds of maps, tables, and other graphical outputs
• Get the information out to individuals to be used on the ground.

WHIMS strives to:

• Identify local wildfire hazards and assess the risks to communities
• Educate and motivate homeowners and private landowners and increase community involvement with wildfire awareness and preparation
• Assist land managers and planners in making appropriate decisions about land management and development in fire prone areas
• Assist local fire protection districts in pre-attack planning
• Assist local emergency management and disaster relief agencies in with disaster assessment and emergency response

The overall goal is of the program to communicate information effectively to all interested parties and to ensure follow up with action programs. In order to accomplish this, community and interagency partnerships are a necessity.

Components

1. Data Collection, Input and Management

• Parcel Information - lot boundaries and ownership information extracted from the County Assessor's parcel ownership database.
• Terrain Data - topographic information extracted from USGS digital elevation model data (DEM).
• Vegetation Data - fuel type data was specifically mapped for the project.
• WHIMS Wildfire Hazard Data
• Questionnaire - developed with wildfire hazard experts. Site-specific hazard data are collected on-site using a hazard-rating questionnaire for each parcel. The questionnaire is filled out on-site by volunteer fire fighters involving personal contact with homeowners whenever possible. This allows the resident to ask questions and discuss the hazards and possible mitigation actions. In addition to educating homeowners during the site visit, the fire fighter becomes more familiar with his/her district. This direct contact, participation, and education opportunity is a key benefit of WHIMS.

2. Data Analysis

• Hazard/Risk Assessment
• Wildfire Behavior Modeling 

These are completed using a hazard-rating model based upon wildfire behavior models and the expertise of wildfire behavior specialists. An overall hazard rating and individual factor ratings, i.e., topography and fuels, construction, landscaping, defensible space, accessibility, water, and fire protection are produced. In addition, the mitigation potential through improved site maintenance or structure remodeling can easily be determined.

3. Information Dissemination

• Homeowners - via 'The Road Show'
• Local Fire Protection Districts & Departments
• Land Use Planners
• Emergency & Disaster Service Groups
• Forest & Resource Managers

Hazard and factor rating maps are provided to the fire protection districts for pre-attack and resource placement and planning. Information maps have been generated showing hazards and ratings both on a regional scale as well as a local scale (individual lots) . Information used by the Land Use Department for site design and land use planning. The information is available to the public.

4. Database Maintenance

• New Information
• Updates

Efforts are currently underway to survey new areas and to resurvey areas first surveyed in 1995 in order to keep the system current. To date, most fire districts in Boulder County have completed or partially completed surveys.