2. Overview What is the GTG? Who are the members of GTG? Accomplishments
Strategic Plan
Being part of the interagency fire GIS team

3. What is the GTG? Interagency group created in October 1999
Reports to the Information Resource Management Working Team (IRMWT) under the National Wildfire Coordinating Group (NWCG)
Provides the NWCG IRMWT and all other NWCG working teams with quality information and advice concerning the use of geospatial data, applications, and processes in support of interagency wildland fire management

4. NWCG Membership USDA Forest Service, Fire and Aviation Management
Federal Emergency
Management Agency,
U.S. Fire Administration
National Association of
State Foresters
Bureau of Indian Affairs
Bureau of Land Management
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
National Park Service
Fire Systems Research, U.S. Forest Service
Intertribal Timber Council
Source: National Wildfire Coordinating Group

5. Working Teams

6. Goals and Objectives of GTG
Provide a coordinated interagency point of contact for the NWCG IRMWT regarding the use of geospatial technology
Recommend and review interagency standards and processes
Encourage and recommend the development of geospatial data and applications to support interagency fire management
Provide a coordinated interagency point of contact for the NWCG IRMWT regarding the use of geospatial technology in support of wildland fire management.
B. Work to ensure coordination with all NWCG Working Teams, Federal, and State agencies at all levels to provide proper and efficient use of geospatial technology in the support of wildland fire management. Interact with existing technical groups that specialize in areas of geospatial sciences that may influence the use of geospatial components and technologies for wildland fire management.
C. Recommend and review interagency standards and processes to ensure that quality geospatial information and tools are available for use in wildland fire management activities.

7. Who are the Members ? Agency Member Technical Advisors USFS Joe Frost
Katy Madrid Hipke
BLM
Susan Goodman
Sean Triplett
NPS
Doug Stephen
Brian Sorbel
FWS
Bill Leenhouts (Vice Chair)
BIA
Luther Arizana
Ted Tower, Richard Moore
USGS
Liz Lile
John Guthrie
Eastern States
Sue McLellan (Chair)
Western States
Skip Edel
IRMWT Liaison
Andrea Olson (FWS)

8. Web Site: gis.nwcg.gov

9. GTG Direction
2001
IRMWT gave clear direction to GTG stating that the group was not operational, but a standards organization
No involvement with GEOMAC
No involvement with operational training

10. Standards Facilitate data sharing
Increase interoperability among geospatial technologies
Standards contribute to making life simpler
Increase the reliability and effectiveness of the GIS products produced.
The purpose of geospatial standards in wildland fire management is to

11. Data Standards Data layer standards Data item standards Fire Perimeter
Fire history (polygon)
Data item standards
NWCG Data Administration Working Group

12. GTG Accomplishments 2002 Presented two issue papers to IRMWT
Developing an Interagency Standard for the Transfer and Documentation of GIS Fire Perimeters
A Recommended Approach for Simplifying Wildland Fire Occurrence Reporting and Creating GIS Layers from Wildland Fire Occurrence Data

13. GTG Accomplishments
The National Wildfire Coordinating Group (NWCG) Data Administration Working Group has approved:
Daily Fire Perimeter Data Layer Standard
Fire History Data Layer Standard
These standards were developed by the NWCG’s Geospatial Task Group (GTG) and are an agreed upon minimum interagency national standard.
Source: Information Bulletin No MAR-2007
Local field offices may add attributes to meet their needs.

14. GTG Accomplishments
The NWCG Geographic Information System (GIS) Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) on Incidents Project (GSTOP) June 2006
Details in another presentation

15. GIS Technical Specialist:
4 Types of Positions
ICS positions
Wildfire Skill positions
Technical Specialist Positions
Wildfire Skill Positions
GTG proposed that the GIST be transferred from a Technical Specialist position to an ICS position with a position task book and required / recommended training

16. Geographic Information System Specialist (GISS)
Position was included in the 2006 release of the Wildland Fire Qualification System Guide, PMS
The PMS is available on the NWCG Publication Management System web page
Information about the GISS position can be found on page 105 of the PMS document.

17. GISS
The GISS position has replaced the GIS Technical Specialist (GIST) position
The GIST position title and code will be made inactive in IQCS.
The GIST position title and code will no longer be used on incident qualification cards or in the Resource Ordering and Status System (ROSS).

18. GISS
A transition guidance letter has been released from NWCG specifying grandfathering procedures for the GIST to GISS conversion, and is available on the NWCG website.
Links to Task Book & information are on the GTG website: gis.nwcg.gov

19. GAO Report on Geospatial Technologies and Wildland Fire

20. GAO Report on Geospatial Technologies and Wildland Fire
Recommendations
Develop an interagency geospatial strategy for effectively using geospatial information technologies in all phases of wildland fire management
Develop an interagency IRM strategy for wildland fire management
Develop an interagency enterprise architecture for wildland fire management

21. NWCG Geospatial Task Group’s Geospatial Strategic Plan
The GTG vision is that geospatial technologies are pervasive and transparent in wildland fire management and that the resulting products and services are integral to and enhance decision making in all phases of wildland fire management.

22. Strategic Plan Goals
DATA: Quality geospatial data is easily accessible and used appropriately.
SYSTEMS: Stable, trusted, effective, and dependable systems that have a geospatial component are available to meet wildland fire needs.
INFRASTRUCTURE: A common interagency infrastructure is in place to meet the business needs of the wildland fire community.

23. Strategic Plan Goals…
STAFFING: Personnel are willing and able to support, maintain, and utilize geospatial technologies as appropriate.
USE OF NEW PRODUCTS: The wildland fire community is using the most appropriate geospatial technology.
COMMUNICATION: Effectively communicate wildland fire interagency geospatial issues, policies and standards.

24. Be part of the team http://gis.nwcg.gov
You can recommend issues by contacting a GTG member or your IRMWT representative

25. Final thoughts

26. Final Thoughts
GTG