Page 147 - Mapping the Nation: Taking Climate Action

Because the data is visualized on a US map rather than in a static list, decision-makers can also see clusters of structures in need of preventive measures, making it more efficient to implement multiple fixes at one time. Anyone in the National Park System can sign in to the site via a smartphone, tablet, or computer to view the data. Fire managers can edit and update the assessment database, including noting steps taken to harden structures and make them less susceptible to fire. "We're able to do this process and present these tools because we've invested in the data," Edel said. Assessing Thousands of National Park Structures While visiting thousands of sites, Hartsburg and a team of contractors working with local park resources used Field Maps, noting details such as a building's roofing material, any nearby firewood, and the presence of propane tanks and reliable water sources, and taking pictures as they did so. In 2016, for example, the team visited Isle Royale National Park on Lake Superior in Michigan, accessible only by boat or plane. On her visit to the Daisy Farm Campground area of the island, Hartsburg noted a heavy fuel load of shrub and timber within 300 feet of a cabin, but she also observed a reliable nearby water source, a fire-resistant roof, and no overhead hazards. Recommendations made after the site visit included removing dead or dying shrubs and trees within 100 feet of the building and installing a sprinkler system to better protect the structure. Included in an assessment report is a detailed estimate of the labor hours or equipment needed to create a defensible space around the structure to protect it from wildfire. Once the in-person visits were completed, the work moved into a phase where high-priority locations are to be revisited every 5 to 10 years. Each location will be assessed to see what treatments have been or still need to be made to make it more resilient to wildfire threats. To prioritize the structures, the National Park Service uses data collected during the risk assessment to generate a "likelihood of ignition" score and rating. The criteria are borrowed from the National Fire Protection Association's Firewise USA program. That score is used in conjunction with the structure's "asset priority index" value from the Facility Asset Management database, which uses a 100-point scale and is based on criteria related to how the structure contributes to the park: resource preservation (both natural and cultural), visitor use, park operations, its ability to be substituted, and finally, the wildfire hazard potential—based on a geospatial product produced by the US Department of Agriculture Forest Service and Rocky Mountain Research Station—that indicates wildfire likelihood and intensity across the US. "We throw those things in the GIS blender and come up with a score that we then use for ranking treatment priority and plan across the entire park service where to allocate limited resources," Edel said. "We have the data, we have the process, and we have the way to then allocate that money in the most prioritized manner. This is a really solid way to make decisions." The most vulnerable historical structure is Old Faithful Inn in Yellowstone National Park. 146 Wildfire