Wildfire Preparedness Mapping Using GIS | Identify Wildland Fire Hazards

Understand the landscape

Taking a geographic approach to wildland fire preparedness allows leaders to holistically plan for wildland fires and successfully reduce risks. This data-driven approach uses ArcGIS to understand wildland fire risk to communities, critical infrastructure, and the environment. GIS-based tools help determine where to conduct mitigation work such as hazardous fuel treatments.

Prepare for wildland fire with location intelligence

Determine risk
Identify trends
Develop a plan

Understand relationships that influence fires

Fire staff can use GIS to map factors such as weather conditions, topography, fuel moisture, vegetation type, land management, and fire history. Layering that information with the location of high-value resources such as critical habitat, infrastructure, and housing developments reveals areas at greatest risk.

Risk map of average wildfire hazard potential in the United States

Visualize patterns to gain insights

Fire staff can use GIS to map, analyze, and prioritize fire prevention and detection programs. Preparedness mapping for at-risk areas informs initial attack plans. These maps also support evacuation modeling by showing population shifts, social inequities, and traffic patterns that influence evacuation strategies.

Fire Safety Survey on a desktop, tablet, and smart phone

Inform plans with reliable data

Accurate data is key to effective planning. Staff can use GIS to collect data on defensible spaces and promote community education, while utilities use the same technology to assess network vulnerabilities related to infrastructure, weather, and clearances. This data, along with the resulting preparedness maps, transforms holistic plans like community wildfire protection plans (CWPP).

Average wildfire risk map and a sign showing today’s fire danger as very high

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As wildfire risk grows, so does business concern

Businesses use locational and operational awareness to plan for wildfire risk.

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ArcGIS tutorial

Analyze fire preparedness

Determine the adoption rate for smoke detectors in the forested areas of Marin County, California.

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Is the risk of wildfire increasing where you live?

Analyze the potential risk of wildfire across the United States using ArcGIS Living Atlas of the World.

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Mapping the inferno

Resources available in the ArcGIS Living Atlas help fire staff map, analyze, and understand wildfires and fire risk in the US and across the world.

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Building consensus and combating wildland fire

A web map with data from a Community Wildfire Protection Plan can be shared with the public and other agencies.

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Solutions for wildland fire preparedness

Emergency Management Operations

Helps you identify potential threats, defines the area affected, and quickly determines the impact to population, facilities, and infrastructure.

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Target Hazard Analysis

Identify properties and buildings that could result in a loss of life, or have a negative impact on the community, if a fire were to occur.

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Pre-Incident Planning

Used to inventory fire pre-incident plans and understand hazards and risks that affect responding personnel and building occupants.

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Address Data Management

Used to maintain an authoritative address repository and continuously improve the quality of address data.

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Community Data Aggregation

Used to aggregate authoritative data (for example, addresses and parcels) and deliver focused maps and locators to key stakeholders.

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Reimagining CWPPs: Embracing the digital era

Transforming community wildfire protection plans from paper-based to digital plans with ArcGIS Hub makes them more accessible, engaging, and user-friendly. Intuitive, cloud-based GIS technology fosters community involvement and streamlined planning processes for wildfire prevention.

Read about digital CWPPs

Go to the CWPP Hub Template

Wildland fire strategies

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Preparedness

Understand the landscape

Prepare for wildland fire with location intelligence

Understand relationships that influence fires

Visualize patterns to gain insights

Inform plans with reliable data

As wildfire risk grows, so does business concern

Analyze fire preparedness

Is the risk of wildfire increasing where you live?

Mapping the inferno

Building consensus and combating wildland fire

Solutions for wildland fire preparedness

Emergency Management Operations

Target Hazard Analysis

Pre-Incident Planning

Address Data Management

Community Data Aggregation