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Rapid Assessment of Fuel Load Using the GLOBE Observer Fire Fuel App
  • +2
  • Jennifer Taylor,
  • Russell Parsons,
  • Holli Riebeek Kohl,
  • Travis Andersen,
  • David Overoye
Jennifer Taylor
University of Colorado at Boulder

Corresponding Author:jennifer.l.taylor@colorado.edu

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Russell Parsons
US Forest Service Missoula
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Holli Riebeek Kohl
Science Systems and Applications, Inc.
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Travis Andersen
University Corporation for Atmospheric Research
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David Overoye
Science Systems and Applications, Inc.
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Abstract

Forests are becoming drier due to a warming climate thus increasing the risk of wildfires. In recent years, wildfires have grown larger and more severe. In the U.S., over 80% of wildfires are human-caused and such events can substantially extend the fire season. At the same time, more and more people are living in areas where wildfires can burn. Recent fires have illustrated the devastating consequences of fires in the Wildland Urban Interface (WUI). In this context, the ability to rapidly assess fuel load is crucial in assessing and managing the risk of wildfires. Current methods for monitoring fuel loads (e.g., FIREMON, Brown’s Transect) are accurate but time- and personnel-intensive. The Global Learning and Observations to Benefit the Environment (GLOBE) Observer Fire Fuel app is being developed using the Photoload Sampling Technique to offer options in rapidly assessing fuel loads by 1) providing citizen scientists with a fast and easy method to monitor WUI fuel loads, enabling them to contribute to the knowledge of fuels in their communities, and empowering them to think more about how fuels might be managed in their area; and 2) offering natural resource managers and fire science researchers a detailed, scientific application that primarily aids experts already studying fuels to better collect the fuels data they need. This poster will provide an overview of the GLOBE Observer Fire Fuel app and the current app development status. We will highlight the value and opportunity the power of smartphones and tablets offer to rapidly assess fuel loads via an app-based method compared to collecting the data on paper. We greatly welcome input from the fire science community at this point of the fire fuel app development.