HIGICC Conference September 24, 2009 Hawaii Fire Risk Mapping Project Rich Nezelek, Sr. Imagery Analyst Chris Chiesa, Chief Information Officer Pacific Disaster Center www.pdc.org
Presentation Overview Pacific Disaster Center Mission Support to Hawaii Fire Community Big Island (Hawaii County) Fire Fuels Mapping and Risk Mapping Project
PDC Mission Provide applied information research and analysis support for the development of more effective policies, institutions, programs and information products for the disaster management and humanitarian assistance communities of the Asia Pacific region and beyond.
Our Center Applied Science & Technology Information Products Supporting: Policy & Decision Makers, Disaster Managers Humanitarian Assistance Observation Systems /Data Advanced Applications, Algorithms, Models Integrating Information, Science, Technology Improve Decision- Support Capabilities GIS,, Visualization and Display Systems Communication Systems and Networks
Hawai i Natural Hazards and Vulnerabilities Atlas Local level data: Hawaii natural hazards and R & V data including: Lava flows, FEMA flood zones, hazardous dams Emergency services including: Police and fire stations, hospitals, shelters Public facilities including: Schools, hotels, banks Transportation networks including: Airports, seaports, bridges Elevation data including: Shaded relief, 500 foot contours http://atlas.pdc.org/
Fire Risk Assessment & Mapping http://fireweb.pdc.org/
Polipoli Fire (Maui) January 2007
Fire risk to a community is complex and results from multiple factors, including: Fuels, Land use, and Weather Cycles The identification/modification of fuel types for Hawaii permits improved fire hazard analysis by Planning, Fire and Civil Defense personnel. The work in Hawaii Country builds on previous projects completed for Maui and Kauai Counties.
HAWAII COUNTY Fire Hazard Mapping and Urban/Wildland Risk Assessment The objectives of the Fire Hazard Mapping and Urban/Wildland Risk Assessment support multiple goals: Assisting the Fire Agencies by providing higher-resolution, more up-to date fire fuels & risk maps to support short-term prevention & mitigation projects. Providing fire risk data to Hawaii County for use in assessing Urban/Wildland Risk areas for as part of overall long-term planning processes
HAWAII COUNTY Fire Hazard Mapping and Urban/Wildland Risk Assessment The Hawaii County Hazard Mapping and Wildland/Urban Risk Assessment uses several GIS layers in its process of determining Fire Hazards and Risk. The following list includes data typical of this process: Fire Fuels Map this initial map has been created between PDC and the assistance of Hawaii County Fire Departments, leveraging recently created NOAA landcover data Spread Component Data related to Fuels Ignition Component Data related to Fuels Slope Data Derived from 10M DEM Elevation Data Aspect Data Derived from 10M DEM Elevation Data Hawaii County Development Data Parcel Zoning by Community Plan Parcel Landuse Type
PROCESS STEPS Step 1. Fire Fuels Map The Fuels map has several c components related to Fuel Type: Spread Component (SC) Energy Release Component (ERC) Burn Index (BI) and Ignition Component (IC)
PROCESS STEPS Step 1. Fire Fuels Map The Fuels map has several components related to Fuel Type: Spread Component (SC) Energy Release Component (ERC) Burn Index (BI) and Ignition Component (IC)
PROCESS STEPS Fire Fuels Map Since the Spread Component and Ignition Component give the best indication of potential fire hazard, these two indicators are used as the primary means of representing Fire Fuels Hazards
Fire Fuels Map Spread Component Data related to Fuels Create a SC Grid by re-classing the Updated Fuels Map using the Spread Component Values indicated in the chart. PROCESS STEPS
Fire Fuels Map Ignition Component Data related to Fuels Create an IC Grid by re-classing the Updated Fuels Map using the Spread Component Values indicated in the chart. PROCESS STEPS
Step 2. Terrain Inputs - Derived from a 10 meter DEM of Hawaii County. The two necessary elements are Slope and Aspect PROCESS STEPS
PROCESS STEPS Step 2. Terrain Inputs - Derived from a 10 meter DEM of Hawaii County. The two necessary elements are Slope and Aspect Create Slope from the 10M DEM and reclassify the grid as follows:: Slope % Rating 0-5 Mild 1 5-20 Moderate 2 20-40 Steep 3 40+ Extreme 4 Reclass Value
Step 2. Terrain Inputs - Derived from a 10 meter DEM of Hawaii County. The two necessary elements are Slope and Aspect Create Aspect from the 10M DEM and reclassify the grid as follows:: PROCESS STEPS Aspect Ratin g Direction 0-22.5 4 N 22.5-67.5 4 NE 67.5-112.5 3 E 112.5-157.5 2 SE 157.5-202.5 1 S 202.5-247.5 1 SW 247.5-292.5 2 W 292.5-337.5 3 NW 337.5-360 4 N -1 0 Flat The Aspect grid is re-classed to reflect normal Trade Winds. This grid can also be re-classed to reflect Kona winds be reversing the rating. Similarly, these can adjusted to reflect any wind pattern the user may want to assess.
PROCESS STEPS Fire Risk Map Application for ArcView Allows for user selected grids to be used in generating Fire Risk Maps fro a variety of climate and weather conditions Select Climate Select Data Select Weather Run the App
Step 3. Combining Hazard Grids A Fire Hazard Map can now be generated by combining the four grids. Multiply the grids together as follows: Spread Component Ignition Component Slope Component Aspect Component PROCESS STEPS
Additional Capabilities / Next Steps One of the key opportunties of this process and resultant data is the opportunity to establish processes to regularly update the Fuels Map and Fire Hazard Map, and even extend to a Development Risk Map at a parcel- or neighborhood level. For example: 1. Tracking and updating changes to the landscape based on new or proposed developments. In assessing the location, scope and type of new development, the Country can update the Fire Fuels Map and incorporate with planned develop to create a Development Risk Map to assess urban/wildland fire risks. 2. Tracking and updating changes in Fire Fuels type based on mitigation or prevention actions taken by Fire Agencies, as well as impacts by natural or human caused fires. 3. Tracking changes in cultivated lands, including tasks such as the ability to adjust the Fire Fuels Map relative to which cane fields are bare, fallow or actively growing agriculture. This would allow the ability to analyze where fire risk may be greater due to cane fields adjacent to existing Fire Fuels or Development Risk areas.
Chris Chiesa cchiesa@pdc.org Rich Nezelek rnezelek@pdc.org Pacific Disaster Center www.pdc.org Mahalo!