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Type: Journal Article
Author(s): Nicholas S. Skowronski; Scott Haag; Jim Trimble; Kenneth L. Clark; Michael R. Gallagher; Richard G. Lathrop Jr.
Publication Date: 2016

Large-scale fuel assessments are useful for developing policy aimed at mitigating wildfires in the wildland-urban interface (WUI), while finer-scale characterisation is necessary for maximising the effectiveness of fuel reduction treatments and directing suppression activities. We developed and tested an objective, consistent approach for characterising hazardous fuels in the WUI at the scale of individual structures by integrating aerial photography, airborne laser scanning and cadastral datasets into a hazard assessment framework. This methodology is appropriate for informing zoning policy questions, targeting presuppression planning and fuel reduction treatments, and assisting in prioritising structure defence during suppression operations. Our results show increased variability in fuel loads with decreasing analysis unit area, indicating that fine-scale differences exist that may be omitted owing to spatial averaging when using a coarser, grid-based approach. Analyses using a local parcel database indicate that approximately 75% of the structures in this study have ownership of less than 50% of the 30 m buffer around their building, illustrating the complexity of multiple ownerships when attempting to manage fuels in the WUI. Our results suggest that our remote-sensing approach could augment, and potentially improve, ground-based survey approaches in the WUI. Journal compilation © IAWF 2016.

Citation: Skowronski, N. S., S. Haag, J. Trimble, K. L. Clark, M. R. Gallagher, and R. G. Lathrop. 2016. Structure-level fuel load assessment in the wildland-urban interface: a fusion of airborne laser scanning and spectral remote-sensing methodologies. International Journal of Wildland Fire, v. 25, no. 5, p. 547-557. 10.1071/WF14078.

Cataloging Information

Regions:
Keywords:
  • coniferous forests
  • conifers
  • fire hazard reduction
  • fire management
  • fire suppression
  • forest management
  • fuel management
  • ladder fuels
  • LiDAR - Light Detection and Ranging
  • light
  • New Jersey
  • overstory
  • remote sensing
  • risk assessment
  • wildfire hazard
  • wildfires
Tall Timbers Record Number: 32897Location Status: In-fileCall Number: Journals - IAbstract Status: Fair use, Okay, Reproduced by permission
Record Last Modified:
Record Maintained By: FRAMES Staff (https://www.frames.gov/contact)
FRAMES Record Number: 55009

This bibliographic record was either created or modified by Tall Timbers and is provided without charge to promote research and education in Fire Ecology. The E.V. Komarek Fire Ecology Database is the intellectual property of Tall Timbers.