1. Loren Pfau PSU GEOG 588 15 December 2010

2. Overview Introduction Background Research Data Needs of Selected Parties Recommendations

3. Background Wildfires are major annual events in the US National Interagency Fire Center Statistics 10-year Average of 72,775 fires impacting 6.39 Milling acres 2010 through 26 November experienced 66,315 fires impacting 6.39 Million acres The Fourmile Canyon fire that occurred west of Boulder, CO in September 2010 destroyed 169 homes and caused an estimated $217 Million in damages Wildfires are challenging emergency operations Difficult to predict Fast-moving, long-lasting Span multiple jurisdictions and agencies Potential for significant risks to lives and property

4. Research Findings Current use of GIS in wildfire operations are highly traditional in nature Top-down, command & control model National Wildfire Coordinating Group Standard: “GIS Standard Operating Procedures on Incidents” Challenge: current layers needed for situational awareness Social media sources are becoming significant SDSU research But there are limitations The challenge, and opportunity, is to bridge the two

5. Citizen Mashup - Fourmile Canyon Fire Ramsay, Adam. “Social Media Helps with the Boulder Fire.” 9 September 2010. Retrieved on 12 December 2010 from: http://www.examiner.com/online-media-in-denver/social-media-helps-with-the-boulder-fire http://www.examiner.com/online-media-in-denver/social-media-helps-with-the-boulder-fire

6. Data Needs of Selected Parties Emergency Management NIMS / ICS Field Crews Law Enforcement General Public Media

7. Recommendations New generations of GIS for wildfire management need to take into account social media applications Both for making information available to the public and as a means of acquiring information from the public Systems design needs to Take into account nontraditional users Plan for flexibility During wildfire emergencies devote resources to non- traditional GIS tasks such as identifying and monitoring social media sites and traditional media outlets

8. High-level Architecture