Geospatial Information
Technologies Hold Promise for Wildland Fire Management, but Challenges Remain Gao ID: GAO-03-1114T August 28, 2003Over the past decade, a series of devastating and deadly wildland fires has burned millions of acres of federal forests, grasslands, and deserts each year, requiring federal and management agencies to spend hundreds of millions of dollars to fight them. GAO was asked to provide an interim update on key segments of an ongoing review of the use of geospatial information technologies in wildland fire management. Specifically, GAO was asked to provide an overview of key geospatial information technologies and their uses in different aspects of wildland fire management and to summarize key challenges to the effective use of these technologies. The final report is expected to be issued in September 2003. GAO's review focused on the five federal agencies that are primarily responsible for wildland fire management: the Department of Agriculture's Forest Service and the Department of the Interior's National Park Service, Bureau of Land Management, Fish and Wildlife Service, and Bureau of Indian Affairs.
Geospatial information technologies--sensors, systems, and software that collect, manage, manipulate, analyze, model, and display information about locations on the earth's surface--can aid in managing wildland fires by providing accurate, detailed, and timely information to federal, state, and local decision makers, fire-fighting personnel, and the public. This information can be used to help reduce the risk that a fire will become uncontrollable, to respond to critical events while a fire is burning, and to aid in recovering from fire disasters. However, there are multiple challenges to effectively using these technologies to manage wildland fires, including challenges with data, systems, infrastructure, staffing, and the effective use of new products. Clearly, effective management of information technology and resources could help address these challenges. In our final report, due to be issued next month, we will further discuss geospatial information technologies, challenges to effectively using these technologies, and opportunities to improve the effective use of geospatial information technologies. We will also make recommendations to address these challenges and to improve the use of geospatial technologies in wildland fire management.
GAO-03-1114T, Geospatial Information: Technologies Hold Promise for Wildland Fire Management, but Challenges Remain
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United States General Accounting Office:
GAO:
Testimony:
Before a Public Forum Hosted by Representative Joel Hefley and
Representative Mark Udall:
For Release on Delivery:
Expected at 1 p.m. MDT:
Thursday, August 28, 2003:
GEOSPATIAL INFORMATION:
Technologies Hold Promise for Wildland Fire Management, but Challenges
Remain:
Statement of David A. Powner,
Acting Director, Information Technology Management Issues:
GAO-03-1114T:
GAO Highlights:
Highlights of GAO-03-1114T, a testimony before Representative Joel
Hefley and Representative Mark Udall
Why GAO Did This Study:
Over the past decade, a series of devastating and deadly wildland
fires has burned millions of acres of federal forests, grasslands, and
deserts each year, requiring federal land management agencies to spend
hundreds of millions of dollars to fight them. GAO was asked to
provide an interim update on key segments of an ongoing review of the
use of geospatial information technologies in wildland fire
management. Specifically, GAO was asked to provide an overview of key
geospatial information technologies and their uses in different
aspects of wildland fire management and to summarize key challenges to
the effective use of these technologies. The final report is expected
to be issued in September 2003.
GAO‘s review focused on the five federal agencies that are primarily
responsible for wildland fire management: the Department of
Agriculture‘s Forest Service and the Department of the Interior‘s
National Park Service, Bureau of Land Management, Fish and Wildlife
Service, and Bureau of Indian Affairs.
Note: The graphics in this report are in color and are best viewed
electronically.
What GAO Found:
Geospatial information technologies”sensors, systems, and software
that collect, manage, manipulate, analyze, model, and display
information about locations on the earth‘s surface”can aid in managing
wildland fires by providing accurate, detailed, and timely information
to federal, state, and local decision makers, fire-fighting personnel,
and the public. This information can be used to help reduce the risk
that a fire will become uncontrollable, to respond to critical events
while a fire is burning, and to aid in recovering from fire disasters.
However, there are multiple challenges to effectively using these
technologies to manage wildland fires, including challenges with data,
systems, infrastructure, staffing, and the effective use of new
products. Clearly, effective management of information technology and
resources could help address these challenges. In our final report,
due to be issued next month, we will further discuss geospatial
information technologies, challenges to effectively using these
technologies, and opportunities to improve the effective use of
geospatial information technologies. We will also make recommendations
to address these challenges and to improve the use of geospatial
technologies in wildland fire management.
www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-03-1114T
To view the full product, including the scope and methodology, click
on the link above. For more information, contact David Powner at (202)
512-9286 or pownerd@gao.gov.
[End of section]
Congressman Hefley and Congressman Udall:
We appreciate the opportunity to join in today's forum to discuss our
ongoing work on geospatial information technologies that can be used to
aid in wildland fire management. At your request, we will provide an
overview of key geospatial information technologies and their uses in
different phases of wildland fire management. We will also discuss key
challenges to effectively using these technologies. This statement
provides an interim update on key segments of our ongoing review of the
use of geospatial information technologies in wildland fire management.
We expect to issue our final report next month.
In brief, geospatial information technologies--sensors, systems, and
software that collect, manage, manipulate, analyze, model, and display
information about locations on the earth's surface--can aid in managing
wildland fires by providing accurate, detailed, and timely information
to federal, state, and local decision makers, fire-fighting personnel,
and the public. This information can be used to help reduce the risk
that a fire will become uncontrollable, to respond to critical events
while a fire is burning, and to aid in recovering from fire disasters.
However, there are multiple challenges to effectively using geospatial
technologies--all complicated by the fact that wildland fire management
extends beyond a single agency's responsibility and requires a
collaborative interagency approach. Key challenges include issues with
geospatial data, systems, infrastructure, staffing, and the use of new
products.
Clearly, effective interagency management of information resources and
technology could help address the challenges faced by the wildland fire
community in using geospatial information technologies. The National
Wildfire Coordinating Group--comprising representatives from the five
land management agencies[Footnote 1] and from other federal, state, and
tribal organizations--has several initiatives planned or under way to
address challenges to effectively using geospatial technologies and to
improve the interagency management of information resources. However,
progress on these initiatives has been slow. In our report, due to be
issued in September 2003, we further discuss the use of geospatial
technologies in support of wildland fire management, challenges to
effectively using these technologies, and opportunities to address key
challenges and to improve the effective use of geospatial technologies.
We will also make recommendations to improve the use of geospatial
technologies in support of wildland fire management. An overview of the
approach we used to perform our work--our objectives, scope, and
methodology--is provided in appendix I.
Background:
Over the past decade, there has been a series of devastating and deadly
wildland fires on federal lands. These fires burn millions of acres of
forests, grasslands, and deserts each year, and federal land management
agencies spend hundreds of millions of dollars to fight them. Wildland
fires also threaten communities that are near federal lands. During the
2002 fire season, approximately 88,458 wildland fires burned about 6.9
million acres and cost the federal government over $1.6 billion to
suppress. These fires destroyed timber, natural vegetation, wildlife
habitats, homes, and businesses, and they severely damaged forest soils
and watershed areas for decades to come. The 2002 fires also caused the
deaths of 23 firefighters and drove thousands of people from their
homes. Only 2 years earlier, during the 2000 fire season, approximately
123,000 fires had burned more than 8.4 million acres and cost the
federal government over $2 billion.
Wildland Fire Management Life Cycle: An Overview:
Effectively managing wildland fires can be viewed in terms of a life
cycle--there are key activities that can be performed before a fire
starts to reduce the risk of its becoming uncontrollable; other
activities that can take place during a fire to detect the fire before
it gets too large and to respond to it; and still others that can be
performed after a fire has stopped in order to stabilize, rehabilitate,
and restore damaged forests and rangelands.
* Pre-fire activities can include identifying areas that are at risk
for wildland fire by assessing changes in vegetation and the
accumulation of fuels (including small trees, underbrush, and dead
vegetation) as well as these fuels' proximity to communities; taking
action to reduce fuels through a variety of mechanisms (including
timber harvesting, management-ignited or prescribed fires, mechanical
thinning, and use of natural fires); and monitoring fire weather
conditions. Other activities during this phase can include providing
fire preparedness training and strategically deploying equipment and
personnel resources to at-risk areas.
* Activities that take place during a fire include detecting fires,
dispatching resources, planning the initial attack on the fire,
monitoring and mapping the fire's spread and behavior, and planning and
managing subsequent attacks on the fire--if they are warranted.
* Post-fire activities can include assessing the impact of the fire,
providing emergency stabilization of burned areas to protect life,
property, and natural resources from post-fire degradation, such as
flooding, contamination of a watershed area, and surface erosion;
rehabilitating lands to remove fire debris, repair soils, and plant new
vegetation; and monitoring the rehabilitation efforts over time to
ensure that they are on track.
* Other activities--such as enhancing community awareness--can and
should take place throughout the fire management life cycle.
Figure 1 depicts a fire management life cycle, with key activities in
each phase.
Figure 1: Wildland Fire Management Activities:
[See PDF for image]
[End of figure]
Federal Land Management Responsibilities:
Five federal agencies share responsibility for managing the majority of
our nation's federal lands--the Department of Agriculture's Forest
Service (FS) and the Department of the Interior's National Park Service
(NPS), Bureau of Land Management (BLM), Fish and Wildlife Service
(FWS), and Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA). While each agency has a
different mission and responsibility for different areas and types of
land, they work together to address catastrophic wildland fires, which
often cross agency boundaries. In addition, state, local, and tribal
governments and private individuals own thousands of acres that are
adjacent to federal lands and are similarly susceptible to wildland
fires. Figure 2 shows the number of acres of land managed by each of
the five federal agencies.
Figure 2: Acres of Land Managed by Federal Land Management Agencies:
[See PDF for image]
[End of figure]
The National Fire Plan:
After years of catastrophic fires, in September 2000, the Departments
of Agriculture and the Interior jointly issued a report on managing the
impact of wildland fires. This report forms the basis of what is now
known as the National Fire Plan--a long-term multibillion-dollar effort
to address the nation's risk of wildland fires. The plan directs
funding and attention to five key initiatives:
* Hazardous fuels reduction--investing in projects to reduce the
buildup of fuels that leads to severe fires.
* Firefighting--ensuring adequate preparedness for future fires by
acquiring and maintaining personnel and equipment and by placing
firefighting resources in locations where they can most effectively be
used to respond to fires.
* Rehabilitation and restoration--restoring landscapes and rebuilding
ecosystems that have been damaged by wildland fires.
* Community assistance--working directly with communities to ensure
that they are adequately protected from fires.
* Accountability--establishing mechanisms to oversee and track progress
in implementing the National Fire Plan, which includes developing
performance measures, processes for reporting progress, and budgeting
information.
A key tenet of the National Fire Plan is coordination between
government agencies at the federal, state, and local levels to develop
strategies and carry out programs. Building on this goal of
cooperation, the five land management agencies have worked with state
governors and other stakeholders to develop a comprehensive strategy
and an implementation plan for managing wildland fires, hazardous
fuels, and ecosystem restoration and rehabilitation on federal and
adjacent state, tribal, and private forest and rangelands in the United
States. In developing these integrated plans and initiatives, the land
management agencies identified other federal agencies that have roles
in wildland fire management: agencies that manage other federal lands,
including the Department of Defense and Department of Energy; agencies
that research, manage, or use technologies that can aid in wildland
fire management, including the Department of the Interior's U.S.
Geological Survey, the National Aeronautical and Space Administration,
the Department of Commerce's National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration, and the Department of Defense's National Imagery and
Mapping Agency; and agencies with other fire-related responsibilities,
including the Department of Homeland Security's Federal Emergency
Management Agency and the Environmental Protection Agency. The
integrated plans also identify key state and local organizations that
may collaborate on wildland fire management.
An Interagency Framework Supports the National Fire Plan:
Over the past four decades, the Departments of Agriculture and the
Interior have established an interagency framework to handle wildland
fire management--a framework that currently supports the National Fire
Plan. In 1965, the Forest Service and the Bureau of Land Management
established the National Interagency Fire Center, in Boise, Idaho. The
fire center is the nation's principal management and logistical support
center for wildland firefighting and now includes the five land
management agencies, the National Weather Service, and the Department
of the Interior's Office of Aircraft Services. The Department of
Homeland Security's Federal Emergency Management Agency and the
National Association of State Foresters also have a presence at the
center. Working together, representatives from this mix of
organizations exchange fire protection information and training
services and coordinate and support operations for managing wildland
fire incidents while they are occurring, throughout the United States.
In 1976, the departments established the National Wildfire Coordinating
Group to coordinate government standards for wildland fire management
and related programs, in order to avoid duplicating the various
agencies' efforts and to encourage active collaboration among entities.
This group comprises representatives from the five land management
agencies and from other federal, state, and tribal organizations.
Figure 3 identifies these member organizations. The coordinating group
seeks to foster more effective execution of each agency's fire
management program through agreements on common training, equipment,
and other standards; however, each agency determines whether and how it
will adopt the group's proposals. The group is organized into 15
working teams, which focus on issues including information resource
management (IRM), fire equipment, training, fire weather, and wildland
fire education. Most recently, the coordinating group established the
IRM program management office to further support the IRM working team
by developing guidance and products. In addition, the IRM working team
has established two subgroups to focus on specific issues involving
geospatial information and data administration.
Figure 3: National Wildfire Coordinating Group: Member Organizations:
[See PDF for image]
[End of figure]
In recent years, we have reported that despite these interagency
efforts, the Forest Service and the Department of the Interior had not
established clearly defined and effective leadership for ensuring
collaboration and coordination among the organizations that respond to
wildland fires.[Footnote 2] Further, the National Academy of Public
Administration recommended that the Secretaries of Agriculture and the
Interior establish a national interagency council to achieve more
consistent and coordinated efforts in implementing national fire
policies and plans.[Footnote 3] In response to these concerns, in April
2002, the Secretaries of the two departments established the Wildland
Fire Leadership Council. This council comprises senior members of both
departments and of key external organizations, and is supported by the
Forest Service's National Fire Plan Coordinator and the Department of
the Interior's Office of Wildland Fire Coordination. The Council is
charged with providing interagency leadership and oversight to ensure
policy coordination, accountability, and effective implementation of
the National Fire Plan and Federal Wildland Fire Management Policy.
Figure 4 identifies members of the Leadership Council.
Figure 4: Members of the Wildland Fire Leadership Council:
[See PDF for image]
[End of figure]
Numerous Geospatial Technologies Can Be Used to Address Different
Aspects of Wildland Fire Management:
Geospatial information technologies--sensors, systems, and software
that collect, manage, manipulate, analyze, model, and display
information about positions on the earth's surface--can aid in managing
wildland fires by providing accurate, detailed, and timely information
to federal, state, and local decision makers, fire-fighting personnel,
and the public. This information can be used to help reduce the risk
that a fire will become uncontrollable, to respond to critical events
while a fire is burning, and to aid in recovering from fire disasters.
Specific examples of geospatial technologies include remote sensing
systems, the Global Positioning System, and geographic information
systems. In addition, specialized software can be used in conjunction
with remote sensing data and geographic information systems to
manipulate geographic data and allow users to analyze, model, and
visualize locations and events. Table 1 describes key geospatial
technologies.
Table 1: Key Geospatial Technologies:
Technology: Remote sensing systems; Description: Remote sensing
systems observe data that are either emitted or reflected by the earth
and the atmosphere, collecting these data from a distance--such as
from a satellite or an aerial platform. Remote sensing systems involve
different observing technologies, including cameras, scanners, radar
and sonar systems, radiometers, lasers, and thermal devices--to name a
few--and are capable of collecting data from one or more bands of the
electromagnetic spectrum.[A] Data from different bands provide
different kinds of information. For example, data observed in the
infrared band can identify heat sources that are not observable in the
visible band of the electromagnetic spectrum. When data are collected
from multiple bands, a more sophisticated analysis can be performed.
Key factors that differentiate one sensor from another include the
type(s) of data collected, the resolutionb of the images, the width (or
swath) of area covered on the ground, and the rate at which the
sensor's platform revisits an area on the ground.; After being
observed, remotely sensed data need to be processed--a function which
can include referencing the data to a position on earth, calibrating
them, and then transforming them into a usable format. The resulting
product can be an image or a quantitative data product, which can in
turn be used as an input to other geospatial technologies, including
geographic information systems and specialized software.
Technology: Global Positioning System; Description: The Global
Positioning System is a constellation of orbiting satellites that
provides navigation data to military and civilian users around the
world. These satellites orbit the earth every 12 hours, emitting
continuous navigation signals. With the proper equipment, users can
receive these signals and use them to calculate time, location, and
velocity. Receivers have been developed for use on aircraft, ships,
and land-based vehicles, as well as via mobile hand-held units. Data
from the Global Positioning System can be used to reference remotely
sensed aerial images or ground-based human observations to specific
geographic coordinates, a process called geo-referencing.
Technology: Geographic information systems; Description: A geographic
information system (GIS)
is a system of computer software, hardware, and data used to
manipulate, analyze, and graphically display a potentially wide array
of information associated with geographic locations. These systems can
receive input from remotely sensed images from satellites and aerial
platforms, as well as from other sources including human observation,
tabular data, and maps. These systems are capable of relating multiple
layers of data (such as roads, vegetation, structures, and utilities)
concerning the same geographical location and representing these
multiple layers of information as one composite result.
Technology: Specialized software; Description: Specialized software
for modeling, decision
support, and visualization complements the sensing, positioning, and
GIS technologies described above by allowing analysts and managers to
analyze data and explore different scenarios--and thereby make better
informed decisions. For example, fire behavior specialists use such
software to model fire behavior. Inputs to these models come from
satellite images as well as weather data, tabular data, and on-the-
ground observations.
Source: GAO research and analysis.
[A] A spectral band is a set of adjacent wavelengths in the
electromagnetic spectrum. Examples include the ultraviolet, visible,
near infrared, mid-infrared, and thermal infrared bands.
[B] Spatial resolution is a measure of the size of the smallest feature
that can be distinguished in an image. That is, in a 30-meter
resolution image, one could discern objects 30 meters and larger.
Images with smaller discernable objects are considered to have higher
resolutions.
[End of table]
While individual technologies can be used to obtain information and
products, the integration of these technologies holds promise for
providing even more valuable information to decision makers. For
example, remote sensing systems provide images that are useful in their
own right. However, when images are geo-referenced and combined with
other layers of data in a geographic information system--and then used
with specialized software--a more sophisticated analysis can be
performed and more timely and sound decisions can be made. Figure 5
provides an overview of the relationships among the different
technologies and some resulting products.
Figure 5: Overview of the Flow of Data Among Key Geospatial Information
Technologies and Resulting Products of These Technologies:
[See PDF for image]
[End of figure]
Federal Land Management Agencies Are Using Geospatial Technologies to
Support Wildland Fire Management:
The geospatial information technologies mentioned above--remote
sensing systems, the Global Positioning System, geographic information
systems, and specialized softwareæare being used to some extent in
managing wildland fires. These technologies are used throughout the
wildland fire management life cycle. Key examples follow.
Examples of Geospatial Technology Use: Pre-fire:
Before a fire starts, local and regional land managers often use
vegetation and fuels maps derived from remote sensing data in
conjunction with a geographic information system to understand
conditions and to identify areas for fuels treatments. Some land
management offices have also developed software to help them assess
risk areas and prioritize fuels treatment projects. For example, figure
6 depicts a vegetation map, and figure 7 depicts a map showing areas
with increased risk of fires. Interestingly, an area that the map
identified as being at high risk of fire later burned during the Hayman
fire of 2002.
Figure 6: Vegetation Map, Rocky Mountain Region, Colorado, August 1999:
[See PDF for image]
[End of figure]
Figure 7: Fire Hazard Map, Rocky Mountain Region, Colorado, August
1999:
[See PDF for image]
[End of figure]
Land management agencies also use geospatial products related to the
weather to aid in fire planning, detecting, and monitoring activities.
Weather-based products are derived from ground-based lightning
detection and weather observing systems as well as from fire-related
weather predictions from the National Weather Service. Figure 8 depicts
a seasonal fire outlook, and figure 9 depicts a fire danger map that is
based on daily weather predictions.
Figure 8: National Wildland Fire Outlook:
[See PDF for image]
[End of figure]
Figure 9: Fire Danger Map:
[See PDF for image]
[End of figure]
Examples of Geospatial Technology Use: During-fire:
During a fire, some fire responders use satellite and aerial imagery,
in combination with Global Positioning System data, geographic
information systems, and specialized fire behavior modeling software,
to obtain information about the fire and to help plan how they will
respond to it. For example, the Forest Service uses satellite data to
produce images of active fires. Also, the National Interagency Fire
Center manages an aerial infrared program that flies aircraft equipped
with infrared sensors over large fires to detect heat and fire areas.
These images contribute to the development of daily fire perimeter
maps. Figure 10 depicts a satellite image of active fires. Figure 11
depicts a satellite image of a fire perimeter, and figure 12 depicts an
aerial infrared image and a fire perimeter map based on that image.
Some incident teams also use fire growth modeling software to predict
the growth of wildland fires in terms of size, intensity, and spread,
considering variable terrain, fuels, and weather. Using this
information, incident managers are able to estimate short-and long-term
fire behaviors, plan for potential fires, communicate concerns and
needs to state and local governments and the public, and request and
position resources. Figure 13 shows the output of a fire behavior
model.
Figure 10: Satellite Images of Fires in Northwest United States, July
21, 2003:
[See PDF for image]
Note: Image from NASA's Aqua satellite, Moderate Resolution Imaging
Spectroradiometer (MODIS).
[End of figure]
Figure 11: Satellite Image Showing Early Fire Perimeters for the Rodeo
and Chediski Fires, Arizona, June 2002:
[See PDF for image]
Note: Image from the U.S. Geological Survey's Landsat satellite.
[End of figure]
Figure 12: An Aerial Infrared Image and Resulting Fire Perimeter Map:
[See PDF for image]
[End of figure]
Figure 13: Output of a Fire Behavior Model:
[See PDF for image]
[End of figure]
Geospatial technologies are also used to provide information on active
fires to the general public. The wildland fire community and the U.S.
Geological Survey established an Internet Web site, at www.geomac.gov,
to provide access to geospatial information about active fires. This
site allows visitors to identify the location of wildland fires on a
broad scale and then focus in to identify information on the location
and status of specific fires. Figure 14 shows images from the Web site.
Figure 14: Internet-Based Maps of Active Fires:
[See PDF for image]
[End of figure]
It is important to note that there are many commercial products and
services available for use during a fire--ranging from high-resolution
aerial and satellite imagery, to handheld Global Positioning System
devices, to enhanced visualization models, to on-site geographic
information systems, equipment, and personnel. Incident commanders
responsible for responding to fires often choose to purchase commercial
products and services to supplement interagency resources.
Examples of Geospatial Technology Use: Post-fire:
After a fire occurs, burned-area teams have recently begun to use
remote sensing data in conjunction with geographic information systems
to determine the extent of fire damage and to help plan and implement
emergency stabilization and rehabilitation efforts. Typical products
include burn severity and burn intensity maps. Figure 15 depicts a
satellite image and a burn severity map showing areas that have a high
priority for emergency stabilization measures. Geospatial technologies
also aid in monitoring rehabilitation efforts for years after a fire to
ensure that restoration plans are on track.
Figure 15: Burn Severity Map, Hayman Fire, June 2002:
[See PDF for image]
[End of figure]
New Uses of Geospatial Information Technologies to Aid in Wildland Fire
Management Are under Development:
The Forest Service and Interior are researching and developing new
applications of geospatial information technologies to support business
needs in wildland fire management. In addition, the Joint Fire Science
Program, a partnership of the five land management agencies and the
U.S. Geological Survey, funds numerous research projects each year on
fire and fuels management. Once again, these initiatives vary greatly-
-ranging from research on remote sensing systems to the development of
interagency information systems with geospatial components, to
improvements in existing software models. Examples of these efforts
include the following:
* Sensor research. Several new research projects are under way on LIDAR
and hyperspectral sensors.[Footnote 4] For example, a BLM state office
is researching the use of high-resolution hyperspectral and LIDAR
imaging technologies for improving the identification of vegetation;
planning hazardous fuels projects; and monitoring wildland urban
interface projects, the effects of wildland fires, and fire
rehabilitation efforts. Additionally, the Forest Service is exploring
the use of mobile LIDAR systems for assessing smoke plumes, and it is
conducting research on using LIDAR data, satellite data, and modeling
techniques to forecast air quality after a fire.
* Vegetation data and tools. The five land management agencies and the
U.S. Geological Survey are working together to develop a national
geospatial dataset and a set of modeling tools for wildland fire
planning. This effort, called LANDFIRE, is to provide a comprehensive
package of spatial data layers, models, and tools needed by land and
fire managers. The system is expected to help prioritize, plan,
complete, and monitor fuel treatment and restoration projects on
national, regional, and local scales. A prototype of the system covers
central Utah and Northwestern Montana and is expected to be completed
by April 2005.
* Interagency information systems. The five land management agencies
are developing information systems for use by Interior and Forest
Service offices to track efforts under the National Fire Plan. The
National Fire Plan Operations and Reporting System is an interagency
system designed to assist field personnel in managing and reporting
accomplishments for work conducted under the National Fire Plan. It is
a Web-based data collection tool with geographic information system
(GIS) support that locates projects and treatments. It consists of
three modules--hazardous fuels reduction, restoration and
rehabilitation, and community assistance. While the agencies are
currently using the system, it will not be fully operational until
2004. Another information system, the Fire Program Analysis system, is
an interagency planning tool for analysis and budgeting to be used by
the five federal wildland fire management agencies. The first module--
preparedness--is scheduled for implementation in September 2004 and
will evaluate the cost effectiveness of alternative initial attack
operations in meeting multiple fire management objectives. Additional
system modules are expected to provide geospatial capabilities and to
address extended attack, large fires and national fire resources,
hazardous fuels reduction, wildland fire use, and fire prevention.
* Improvements in existing systems. There are multiple efforts planned
or under way to improve existing systems or to add geospatial
components to systems that are currently under development. For
example, researchers at a federal fire sciences laboratory are
exploring possible improvements to the Wildland Fire Assessment System,
an Internet-based system that provides information on a broad area of
national fire potential and weather maps for fire managers and the
general public. Specifically, researchers are working to develop
products that depict moisture levels in live fuels, which will aid in
assessing the potential for wildland fires.
The Wildland Fire Community Faces Numerous Challenges in Using
Geospatial Information Technologies Effectively:
There are numerous challenges in using geospatial information
technologies effectively in the wildland fire community. Key challenges
involve data, systems, infrastructure, staffing, and the effective use
of new products and technologies--all complicated by the fact that
wildland fire management extends beyond a single agency's
responsibility.
* Data issues. Users of geospatial information have noted problems in
acquiring compatible and comprehensive geospatial data. For example,
GIS specialists involved in fighting fires reported that they did not
have ready access to the geospatial data they needed. They noted that
some local jurisdictions have geospatial data, but others do not.
Further, they reported that the data from neighboring jurisdictions are
often incompatible. Geospatial information specialists reported that
the first days at a wildland fire are spent trying to gather the
geospatial information needed to accurately map the fire. While
concerns with data availability and compatibility are often noted
during fire incidents, these issues are also evident before and after
fire incidents. For example, we recently reported that the five land
management agencies did not know how effective their post-fire
emergency stabilization and rehabilitation treatments were because,
among other reasons, local land units do not routinely collect
comparable information.[Footnote 5] As a result of unavailable or
incompatible data, decision makers often lack the timely, integrated
information they need to make sound decisions in managing different
aspects of wildland fire.
On a related note, the development of data standards is a well-
recognized solution for addressing some of the problems mentioned
above, but there are currently no nationally recognized geospatial data
standards for use on fires. GIS specialists frequently cited a need for
common, interagency geospatial data standards for use with fires. They
noted that the land management agencies and states do not record
information about fires--such as fire location, fire perimeter, or the
date of different fire perimeters--in the same way.
System issues. In 1996, NWCG reported that there was a duplication of
information systems and computer applications supporting wildland fire
management, noting that agencies were using 15 different weather-
related software applications, 9 logistics applications, and 7 dispatch
applications.[Footnote 6] Since that time, the number of applications
has grown--as has the potential for duplication of effort. Duplicative
systems not only waste limited funds, but they also make
interoperability between systems more difficult.
This issue is complicated by the fact that there is no single,
comprehensive inventory of information systems and applications that
could be of use to others in the interagency wildland fire community. A
single comprehensive inventory would allow the wildland fire community
to identify and learn about available applications and tools, and to
avoid duplicating efforts to develop new applications. We identified
five different inventories of software applications--including
information systems, models, and tools--that are currently being used
in support of wildland fire management. While these listings are not
limited to geospatial applications, many of the applications have
geospatial components. The most comprehensive listing is an inventory
managed by NWCG.
This inventory identifies 199 applications used in support of wildland
fire, but even this inventory is not complete. That is, it did not
include 45 applications that were included in the other inventories.
Additionally, it did not include 23 applications that we had
identified.
Infrastructure issues. Many geospatial specialists noted that there are
problems in getting equipment, networking capabilities, and Internet
access to the areas that need them during a fire. For example, at a
recent fire in a remote location, geospatial specialists reported that
they were unable to produce needed information and maps because they
had problems with networking capabilities. Again, this issue is
critical during a fire, when incident teams try to set up a command
center in a remote location. However, it is also an issue when federal
regional managers try to obtain consistent information from the
different land management agencies' field offices before or after
fires. The majority of local field offices have equipment to support
geospatial information and analysis, but some do not.
Staffing issues. Geospatial specialists noted that the training and
qualifications of the GIS specialists who support fire incidents is not
consistent. Specifically, officials noted that skills and
qualifications vary widely among those who work with geographic
information systems. For example, some GIS specialists are capable of
interpreting infrared images as well as developing maps, but others are
not. Some have experience working with GIS applications but are not
specifically trained to develop GIS maps for fires.
Use of new products. While many commercial vendors are developing
geospatial products and services that could be of use to the wildland
fire community--including advanced satellite and aerial imaging; GIS
applications and equipment; and advanced mapping products including
analyses, visualization, and modeling--many have expressed concern that
the wildland fire community is not aware of these advancements or has
little funding for these products. Land managers acknowledged the value
of many of these products, but noted that they need to be driven by
business needs. Agency officials also expressed concern that the cost
of these products and services can be prohibitive and that licensing
restrictions would keep them from sharing the commercial data and
products with others in the wildland fire community.
Clearly, effective interagency management of information resources and
technology could help address the challenges faced by the wildland fire
community in using geospatial information technologies. Such an
approach could address the implementation and enforcement of national
geospatial data standards for managing wildland fires; an interagency
strategic approach to systems and infrastructure development; a plan
for ensuring consistent equipment and training throughout the wildland
fire community; and a thorough evaluation of user needs and
opportunities for meeting those needs through new products and
technologies.
The National Wildfire Coordinating Group--comprising representatives
from the five land management agencies and from other federal, state,
and tribal organizations--has several initiatives planned or under way
to address challenges to effectively using geospatial technologies and
to improve the interagency management of information resources.
However, progress on these initiatives has been slow. In our report,
due to be issued in September 2003, we further discuss the use of
geospatial technologies in support of wildland fire management,
challenges to effectively using these technologies, and opportunities
to address key challenges and to improve the effective use of
geospatial technologies. We will also make recommendations to improve
the use of geospatial technologies in support of wildland fire
management.
In summary, the federal wildland fire management community is using a
variety of different geospatial technologies for activities throughout
the fire management life cycle--including identifying dangerous fuels,
assessing fire risks, detecting and fighting fires, and restoring fire-
damaged lands. These technologies run the gamut from satellite and
aerial imaging, to the Global Positioning System, to geographic
information systems, to specialized fire models.
Local land managers and incident teams often acquire, collect, and
develop geospatial information and technologies to meet their specific
needs, resulting in a hodgepodge of incompatible and duplicative data
and tools. This problem is echoed throughout the fire community, as
those who work with different aspects of fire management commonly cite
concerns with unavailable or incompatible geospatial data, duplicative
systems, lack of equipment and infrastructure to access geospatial
information, inconsistency in the training of geospatial specialists,
and ineffective use of new products and technologies. These challenges
illustrate the need for effective interagency management of information
technology and resources in the wildland fire community. We will report
on opportunities to improve the use of these technologies in our final
report.
This concludes my statement. I would be pleased to respond to any
questions that you may have at this time.
Contact and Acknowledgements:
If you have any questions on matters discussed in this statement,
please contact David Powner at (202) 512-9286 or by E-mail at
pownerd@gao.gov, or Colleen Phillips at (202) 512-6326 or by E-mail at
phillipsc@gao.gov. Individuals making key contributions to this
statement include Barbara Collier, Neil Doherty, Joanne Fiorino,
Chester Joy, Richard Hung, Anjalique Lawrence, Tammi Nguyen, Megan
Secrest, Karl Seifert, Lisa Warnecke, and Glenda Wright.
Appendix I: Objectives, Scope, and Methodology:
Our objectives were to provide an overview of key geospatial
information technologies for addressing different aspects of wildland
fire management and to summarize key challenges to the effective use of
geospatial technologies in wildland fire management. To accomplish
these objectives, we focused our review on five key federal agencies
that are responsible for wildland fire management on public lands: the
Department of Agriculture's Forest Service and the Department of the
Interior's National Park Service, Bureau of Land Management, Fish and
Wildlife Service, and Bureau of Indian Affairs.
To identify key geospatial information technologies for addressing
different aspects of wildland fire management, we assessed policies,
plans, and reports on wildland fire management and technical documents
on geospatial technologies. We assessed information on Forest Service
and Interior efforts to develop and use geospatial technologies. We
also interviewed officials with the Forest Service and the Interior,
interagency organizations, commercial vendors, and selected states to
determine the characteristics and uses of different geospatial
technologies in supporting different phases of wildland fire
management. In addition, we met with officials of other federal
agencies, including the Department of the Interior's U.S. Geological
Survey, the Department of Defense's National Imagery and Mapping
Agency, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, the
Department of Commerce's National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration, and the Department of Homeland Security's Federal
Emergency Management Agency, to identify their efforts to develop
geospatial information products in support of wildland fire management.
To summarize key challenges to the effective use and sharing of
geospatial technologies, we reviewed key reports and studies on these
challenges. These include the following:
Burchfield, James A., Theron A. Miller, Lloyd Queen, Joe Frost, Dorothy
Albright, and David DelSordo. Investigation of Geospatial Support of
Incident Management. National Center for Landscape Fire Analysis at the
University of Montana. November 25, 2002.
Committee on Earth Observation Satellites, Disaster Management Support
Group. The Use of Earth Observing Satellites for Hazard Support:
Assessments & Scenarios. National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration, n.d.
Department of Agriculture (Forest Service) and Department of Interior.
Developing an Interagency, Landscape-scale Fire Planning Analysis and
Budget Tool. n.d. [December 2001].
Fairbanks, Frank, Elizabeth Hill, Patrick Kelly, Lyle Laverty, Keith F.
Mulrooney, Charlie Philpot, and Charles Wise. Wildfire Suppression:
Strategies for Containing Costs. Washington, D.C.: National Academy of
Public Administration, September 2002.
Fairbanks, Frank, Henry Gardner, Elizabeth Hill, Keith Mulrooney,
Charles Philpot, Karl Weick, and Charles Wise. Managing Wildland Fire:
Enhancing Capacity to Implement the Federal Interagency Policy.
Washington, D.C.: National Academy of Public Administration, December
2001.
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Wildland Fire
Management: Some Information Needs and Opportunities. Working paper,
National Hazards Information Strategy, July 2002.
National Wildfire Coordinating Group. Information Resource Management
Strategy Project: Wildland Fire Business Model. National Interagency
Fire Center. August 1996.
National Wildfire Coordinating Group, Information Resource Management
Working Team, Geospatial Task Group. Geospatial Technology for Incident
Support: A White Paper. April 12, 2002.
We also interviewed federal officials from interagency wildland fire
groups including the national fire directors, the National Wildfire
Coordinating Group's (NWCG) Information Resource Management (IRM)
working team, NWCG's IRM program management office, the IRM working
team's geospatial task group, and the Wildland Fire Leadership Council
to discuss challenges and ongoing efforts to address these challenges.
In addition, we reviewed post-fire reports on the Hayman, Biscuit, and
Cerro Grande fires to identify how geospatial technologies were used on
these fires and to evaluate any challenges the incident teams may have
encountered in using these technologies. We attended federal and
commercial conferences on geospatial information technologies,
interviewed representatives from selected states and commercial
vendors, and observed group discussions on challenges in effectively
using these technologies and plans for addressing them.
We conducted our review at the federal agencies' headquarters in
Washington D.C., the Forest Service's Remote Sensing Applications
Center and Geospatial Service and Technology Center in Salt Lake City,
Utah; the U.S. Geological Survey's Rocky Mountain Mapping Center in
Denver, Colorado; the U.S. Geological Survey's Earth Resources
Observation Systems Data Center in Sioux Falls, South Dakota; the
National Interagency Fire Center in Boise, Idaho; and the Forest
Service's Rocky Mountain Research Station, Fire Sciences Laboratory in
Missoula, Montana.
Forest Service and Interior officials generally agreed with the facts
as presented in this statement and provided technical corrections,
which we have incorporated. We conducted our work supporting this
statement and our overall report between October 2002 and August 2003,
in accordance with generally accepted government auditing standards.
(310454):
FOOTNOTES
[1] Five federal agencies are primarily responsible for wildland fire
management: the Department of Agriculture's Forest Service and the
Department of the Interior's National Park Service, Bureau of Land
Management, Fish and Wildlife Service, and Bureau of Indian Affairs.
[2] U.S. General Accounting Office, The National Fire Plan: Federal
Agencies Are Not Organized to Effectively and Efficiently Implement the
Plan, GAO-01-1022T (Washington, D.C.: July 31, 2001); Severe Wildland
Fires: Leadership and Accountability Needed to Reduce Risks to
Communities and Resources, GAO-02-259 (Washington, D.C.: Jan. 31,
2002); Wildland Fire Management: Improved Planning Will Help Agencies
Better Identify Fire-Fighting Preparedness Needs, GAO-02-158
(Washington, D.C.: Mar. 29, 2002).
[3] Frank Fairbanks, Henry Gardner, Elizabeth Hill, Keith Mulrooney,
Charles Philpot, Karl Weick, and Charles Wise, Managing Wildland Fire:
Enhancing Capacity to Implement the Federal Interagency Policy
(Washington, D.C.: National Academy of Public Administration, December
2001).
[4] LIDAR sensors measure the reflection of emitted light;
hyperspectral sensors observe data in multiple contiguous channels of
the electromagnetic spectrum.
[5] General Accounting Office, Wildland Fires: Better Information
Needed on Effectiveness of Emergency Stabilization and Rehabilitation
Treatments, GAO-03-430 (Washington, D.C.: Apr. 4, 2003).
[6] National Wildfire Coordinating Group, Information Resource
Management Strategy Project: Wildland Fire Business Model (National
Interagency Fire Center: August 1996).
