WFDSS Unit 1 - Overview

What is WFDSS and why? WFDSS process and the “Guidance for Implementation of Federal Wildland Fire Management Policy” Linkage between WFDSS, Letter of Delegation and an Incident Action Plan Identify WFDSS Cost Levels for approving a Decision Describe the components FSPro, RAVAR, and SCI Roles and responsibilities of the home unit’s WFDSS team WFDSS Regional and National Support Unit 1: OBJECTIVES

WFDSS A web-based risk assessment/decision support and documentation system designed to enhance a manager’s ability to analyze fire conditions and develop risk-informed strategies for operational implementation. Replaces: – Wildland Fire Situation Analysis (WFSA) – Wildland Fire Implementation Plan (WFIP) – Long-Term Implementation Plan (LTIP) – Strategic Implementation Plan (SIP) WFDSS Overview3

Guidance for Implementation of Federal Wildland Fire Management Policy Issued in February 2009 by the Fire Executive Council. Some of the guidelines include: Wildland fire is a general term describing any non-structure fire that occurs in the wildland. Wildland fires are categorized into two distinct types: a.Wildfires – Unplanned ignitions or prescribed fires that are declared wildfires. (Note: This includes events formally termed wildland fire use. ) b.Prescribed Fires - Planned ignitions. A wildland fire may be concurrently managed for one or more objectives and objectives can change as the fire spreads across the landscape… Management response to a wildland fire on federal land is based on objectives established in the applicable Land/ Resource Management Plan and/or the Fire Management Plan. Managers will use a decision support process to guide and document wildfire management decisions. The process will provide situational assessment, analyze hazards and risk, define implementation actions, and document decisions and rationale for those decisions. (Handout 1.1.1)

Unplanned Ignition “Wildfire” Planned Ignition “Prescribed Fire” L/RMP or FMP allows protection objectives only L/RMP or FMP allows resource and protection objectives only Preplanned Response Develop Response through decision support process Prescribed Fire Plan Implement Response to Wildfire Implement Prescribed Fire Plan Objectives Achieved Objectives Not Met Objectives Achieved Fire Report Federal Wildland Fire Management Policy – February 2009 Appendix B: Wildland Fire Flowchart Wildland Fire Ignition This chart depicts, in general, the process to be taken given an ignition, regardless of source. Management actions depend on the provisions in the approved Land, Resource and Fire Management Plan and/or Fire Management Plan for an area. This chart is generally applicable to most agencies’ fire management programs. However, specific exceptions may exist. WFDSS

Interagency Standards for Fire and Fire Aviation Operations Department of the Interior Bureau of Land Management National Park Service U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Department of Agriculture Forest Service 2010 “Mandatory use of WFDSS is required for all agencies.” Decisions in WFDSS once approved and published becomes a system of record. (Handouts 1.1.2)

Intention - Objectives Actions – Key Decisions Outcomes - “Telling the Story” Linkages with other Documentation Delegation of Authority WFDSS Decision Action Report (DAR) Incident Action Plan (IAP) Key Decision Logs (KDL)ICS 209 WFDSS Periodic Assessments Incident Documentation

WFDSS Approval Requirements Cost Estimate BIABLMFWSNPSUSFS $0-$2M Agency Superintendent Field/ District Manager Project Leader/ Refuge Manager Park Superintendent District Ranger $2M-5M Regional Director State Director Regional Director Forest Supervisor $5M-10M BIA DirectorBLM DirectorFWS DirectorNPS Director Forest Supervisor $10M-50M BIA DirectorBLM DirectorFWS DirectorNPS Director Regional Forester >50M BIA DirectorBLM DirectorFWS DirectorNPS DirectorUSFS Chief Recreated from 2010 Redbook

FSPro & RAVAR?

FSPro - F ire S pread Pro bability model ( those tie dye maps ) Initially tested on 5 fires in 2005 Initially tested on 5 fires in 2005 Grows fire simulations in 2D (like FARSITE) Grows fire simulations in 2D (like FARSITE) Can model thousands of fires over a set time period Can model thousands of fires over a set time period When combined with RAVAR, provides an understanding of risk When combined with RAVAR, provides an understanding of risk

FSPro - Fire Spread Probability Model Will Not Will Not  Tell you what day the fire will arrive at a given point  Give you possible fire perimeters  Give Fire Behavior Outputs - Flame length, Rate of spread, etc.

25% 100% 75% FSPro Probabilities with 4 Simulations: 50% No Growth Calm winds South wind West wind

Situation Page – FSPro (Outputs)

FSPro - Histogram

FSPro - Value at Risk

RAVAR What is RAVAR? What is RAVAR? – Rapid Assessment of Values at Risk

Risk is composed of two main parts: probability and change in value (losses or benefits) FSPro – gives you probabilities FSPro – gives you probabilities Then the RAVAR process adds values Then the RAVAR process adds values – Will aid in assessing risk. RAVAR RAVAR – Is good with losses of things (like structures) – Not Yet good with benefits or losses to resources RAVAR

The Tier I Map and Report Identifies private structures, public infrastructure, public reserve areas, and hazardous waste sites Identifies private structures, public infrastructure, public reserve areas, and hazardous waste sites Public infrastructure includes water supply systems and reservoirs, major power lines, pipelines, communication towers, recreation facilities, and other significant landmarks. Public infrastructure includes water supply systems and reservoirs, major power lines, pipelines, communication towers, recreation facilities, and other significant landmarks. Tier 1 also identifies designated wilderness and roadless areas, wild and scenic river corridors, and national recreation areas. Tier 1 also identifies designated wilderness and roadless areas, wild and scenic river corridors, and national recreation areas. RAVAR

The Tier II Map and Report Identify highly valued natural resources and management priorities that may be affected by an ongoing fire event. Identify highly valued natural resources and management priorities that may be affected by an ongoing fire event. Examples of Tier II layers include sensitive wildlife habitat, recreation zones, and restoration priority areas. Examples of Tier II layers include sensitive wildlife habitat, recreation zones, and restoration priority areas. RAVAR

WFDSS Overview20

In FY 2006, the FS adopted a performance measure designated the SCI. In FY 2007, the SCI was also incorporated into the WFDSS). In FY 2006, the FS adopted a performance measure designated the SCI. In FY 2007, the SCI was also incorporated into the WFDSS). The SCI is simply a set of regression equations developed to estimate suppression expenditures on individual large wildland fires (fires greater than 300 acres). The SCI is simply a set of regression equations developed to estimate suppression expenditures on individual large wildland fires (fires greater than 300 acres). Characteristics of the fire, such as fire size, the fire environment (slope, aspect, energy release component, fuel model, etc), housing values within proximity to the fire, and geographic area are used in a statistical model to come up with an estimate of the cost of the fire. Characteristics of the fire, such as fire size, the fire environment (slope, aspect, energy release component, fuel model, etc), housing values within proximity to the fire, and geographic area are used in a statistical model to come up with an estimate of the cost of the fire. Stratified Cost Index (SCI)

Strategic Objectives & Management Requirements –Established by LRMP/FMP and preloaded into WFDSS Incident Objectives & Incident Requirements –Agency Administrator with Resource Specialist’s Input Courses of Action - Strategic Direction –Agency Administrator with Fire Specialist’s Input Rationale –Agency Administrator and/or approving official Roles of WFDSS Team

WFDSS Implementation At the regional office, our goal is to build capacity at the local level. There are regional and national resources available to help with – Fire Behavior Analysis – RAVAR – DAR development Support : Excerpt from CA Mob Guide National Decision Support Center (Handouts 1.1.3) (Handouts 1.1.4)

WFDSS Implementation Take home messages Get a WFDSS User account on both the WFDSS Production and WFDSS Training Sites Identify a local WFDSS team Ensure that team members knows their roles and responsibilities Identify backups; have a contingency plan Make sure everyone has an account with appropriate user privileges and correct contact information Develop your own scenario and practice with your team on the WFDSS Training Site

WFDSS Unit 2 – Decision Process

List the parts of a completed DAR and recognize how it relates to the tabs on the WFDSS screen. Obtain data on incident situation in WFDSS Write narratives sufficient to document a decision in WFDSS Validate, Approve and Publish a Decision in the WFDSS Training System Conduct a Periodic Assessment Exercises Unit 2: OBJECTIVES

UNIT LEVEL Viewer Dispatcher Author Data Manager Fire Behavior Specialist (FSPro) REGIONAL LEVEL Geographic Area Editor Fire Behavior Specialist (FSPro) NATIONAL LEVEL National Editor RAVAR Analyst Super Analyst Help Desk National Fire Decision Support Center WFDSS - Users Roles (Handout 1.1.4)

INCIDENT LEVEL Individual Ownership (Author) Group Ownership (Author & Group Owners) Editor Reviewer (Also can be an Editor) Approver (Also can be an Editor) You can not be both a Reviewer and an Approver WFDSS - Incident Privileges

Decision Support Process One Decision Process; Two Phases 1. Situation Assessment and Analysis Incident Information Fire perimeter maps and additional GIS data Strategic LRMP/FMP Objectives & Requirements Current and forecasted weather Current and projected fire behavior Values at risk 2. Decision Documentation and Rationale Incident Specific Objectives and Requirements Courses of Action Rationale Published Report Monitoring with periodic assessment (Handout ) Fire Behavior Analysis

WFDSS at the System Level

Create a Incident in WFDSS

WFDSS at the Incident Level

Planning Area

Relative Risk

Unit Level - Objectives Strategic Objectives (Handout 2.1.1) These are broad statements, specified in land and resource management and fire management plans that describe an existing resource condition that should be maintained. Objectives deal with large areas over long time periods and project intended outcomes of management activities that contribute to the maintenance or achievement of desired conditions. Management Requirements Management requirements are derived from land and resource management plan and fire management plan standards and guidelines information. They provide the foundation, framework, and limitations for potential management activities. Management Requirements are not commitments or final implementation decisions.

Incident Level - Objectives

Incident Objectives (Handout 2.1.2) Incident objectives are objectives specific to the particular incident. They are precise statements that reflect tactical accomplishment milestones to be accomplished on the incident. Incident Objectives can serve as a means for tracking incident accomplishments and workload demand thresholds. Incident Requirements Incident requirements provides the incident management organizations direction in incident management. They provide the foundation, framework, and limitations for potential suppression or management related activities.

SMART Objectives The relationship between incident objectives, strategies, and tactics: Incident objectives state what will be accomplished. Strategies establish the general plan or direction for accomplishing the incident objectives. Tactics specify how the strategies will be executed. Key Points Incident objectives should have the following SMART characteristics: 1. Specific – The wording must be precise and unambiguous in describing the objective. 2. Measurable – The design and statement of objectives should make it possible to conduct a final accounting as to whether objectives were achieved. 3. Action Oriented – The objective must have an action verb that describes the expected accomplishments. 4. Realistic – Objectives must be achievable with the resources that the agency (and assisting agencies) can allocate to the incident, even though it may take several operational periods to accomplish them. 5. Time Sensitive – The timeframe should be specified (if applicable). ICS-300: Intermediate ICS for Expanding Incidents—Student Manual September 2005

Strategic Objectives From the Land Management Plan: “Utilize local cultural resource specialists or Native American representatives if possible prior to engagement and in the planning process to identify Native American traditional areas, and protect these areas when possible.”

Incident Objectives Based on the Strategic Objective from the LMP: “Provide protection to Traditional Cultural Properties with the Pit River Area from suppression damage by utilizing minimum impact suppression tactics (M.I.S.T.) with available fire fighting resources during suppression activities.”

Incident Objectives “S” Cultural Properties/Pit River Area “M” Provide Protection/From Suppression Activities “A” Utilizing/M.I.S.T “R” Available/Fire Fighting Resources “T” During/Suppression Activities

Management Requirements From the Land Management Plan: “For All Threatened, Endangered, and Forest Service Sensitive Species of animals and plants: Utilize local technical specialists if possible prior to engagement, and in the planning process.”

Incident Requirement Based on the Management Requirement from the LMP: “Locate incident bases, camps, and helibases outside Goshawk Protected Activity Centers (PACs) in Mill and Mountain Home Creeks.”

Exercise 2-2 Review Handout – Sample Pending Decision and based on the situation awareness write: – Three (3) Incident Objectives as a Word Document – Three (3) Incident Requirements as a Word Document Be able to discuss the decision-making rationale for the objectives and requirements

Begin Exercises 2-2 Break into your Groups

Courses of Action Strategic Directions Strategic Directions is a part of the Course of Action (COA). They describe the strategic thinking that leads to the management of the incident. From these Strategic Directions, incident personnel (IMT’s) can develop the Tactical Operations that will meet these strategies. One or more Strategic Directions comprise the COA. After creating the strategic directions, select the ones you want to include in the current decision. These selections become your course of action

Courses of Action

Rationale Considerations for writing your rationale for approving the decision What is your decision space? What authorities do you have manage an incident? What is the current situation? What is the current risk ? What do you want to achieve or protect and why? How will the courses of action meet incident objectives? What is the likelihood of success? (Handout 2.1.3)

Rationale Decision Space? “The Forest does not have a fire for resource objective policy.” Authorities? “Manage the fire under unified command with the local County Fire.” Current Situation? “Currently weather conditions are pushing the fire towards.” Current Risk? “Values at risk by this Incident include. Protect and Why? “Two main objectives are to mitigate risk to structures and future flooding.” COA meeting Incident Objectives? “Aggressive 24 hour suppression actions are being conducted.” Success? “The IMT is confident that current tactics are working.”

Exercise 2-3 Decision Rationale Review Handout – Sample #2 Pending Decision and based on the situation awareness write a Rationale to document the decision.

Begin Exercises 2-3 Break into your Groups

WFDSS – Home Page WFDSS Home Page R5 WFDSS Information Page R5 FTP Site ftp://ftp2.fs.fed.us/incoming//r5/FAMSAC/bowden/2010wfdss-training/

Exercise 2-3 From the WFDSS Training Site locate your assigned Incident and perform the following – Validating the Courses of Action – Begin Review/Approval Process – Review/Approve Decision – Publish a Decision – Conduct a Periodic Assessment (Unit 2 – Lesson 2)

Incident Names Move to the Computer Room

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