Esri's Collector App and CAL FIRE―

Smarter Emergency ManagementDave Shew, Staff Chief, Planning and Risk Analysis, CAL FIRE

Plenary Presentation

ESRI’s Collector App & CAL FIRE

Smarter Emergency ManagementPresented by Staff Chief David Shew, CAL FIRE

Content:

▪California’s Fire Problem

▪Steps We Are Taking To Deal With It

▪But….. How Well Is It Working???

▪Enter Electronic Data Collection

▪Pre and Post Fire Environments

▪Results and Future Analysis

▪Program Expansion to “All Risk”

California’s Fire Problem

An Overview

Land Management and Fire Suppression Policies?

• Drought

conditions are

more severe

since stands are

denser than

what historically

occurred.

Perhaps the

most successful

ad campaign

EVER!

Examples of Standing Dead Trees –

Killed from Bark Beetle

California’s Large Fires

California has always had large fires…..

IMPACTS OF DROUGHT AND CLIMATE CHANGE:

• Fire ignitions continue to increase – more than 1600 starts in 2016 than our normal 5 year average

• More large devastating fires – recent Valley and Butte Fires

• 200 – 300 initial attack fires each week, on average

• Longer fire seasons across the West– on average, now 70 days longer than 40 years ago

• Recognition that “status quo” won’t solve the problem

• Current efforts focused on prevention – attempt to be more proactive

What Are We Doing About It?

Steps We Are Taking……

WE DO HAVE A PLAN:

Challenges

&

Opportunities

Drought

GrantsClimate Change

CALIFORNIA STATE FIRE PLAN

“A natural environment that is more resilient and man-

made assets which are more resistant to the occurrence

and effects of wildland fire through local, state, federal

and private partnerships.”

• Have to learn to live with fire

• This is the guiding vision to address wildland fire in California

• Need to be more resilient, and resistant to wildfire.

Let’s Look at Current Prevention Efforts: In no specific order………………

• 2010 Strategic Fire Plan Fire Hazard Severity Mapping

• Land Use Planning Forest Rangeland Risk Assessment

• Incident Reporting Statistics CalMAPPER

• Wildland Pre-Fire Engineering California Forest Stewardship Program

• Defensible Space Inspections Environmental Impact Reports

• Damage Inspections Forest Carbon Plan

• Public Education Fire Suppression Cost Recovery

• Vegetation Treatment Programs Wildland Urban Interface Building Codes

• Grants Communities At Risk

• Law Enforcement Local Fire Safe Councils

• WUI Building Codes Fire Adapted Communities

• Firewise Communities MOU for Prescribed Fire

• State Fire Safe Council Cohesive Strategy

BUT……How Well Is It Working???

Enter Electronic Data Collection!!!

STRUCTURES DAMAGED OR DESTROYED BY WILDFIRES SINCE

Boles Fire in 2014:

Year 2014 2015 2016 TOTAL

Structures Damaged 9 156 76 241

Structures Destroyed 239 3097 1219 4555

TOTAL: 248 3253 1295 4796

Pre and Post Fire Environments

The Collector App At Work!

Pre and Post Fire Data Analysis Using Collector:

• Pre-Fire:

• Defensible Space Inspections

• Statewide Database

• Post-Fire:

• Data Collection – Structures Damaged & Destroyed

• Post-Fire Recovery Efforts

• “Big Data” Analysis and Review

• Apply Results to Improvements of Codes and Regulations

Defensible Space Inspections:

We want to use this: To combat this:

Monthly Statistical Reports:

• Data Collected Monthly for:

• Inspections Conducted

• Violations and Citations

• Education Hours

• Public Contact

Example of Damage Inspection Details and

Damage Inspection Map

Damage Inspection Form (DINS):

To Implement the Program, CAL FIRE has:

• Worked very closely with ESRI Staff to create the Apps

• Created Powerpoints for classroom and online training

• Taped Videos providing step by step instructions on how to use the App

• Purchased 450 Electronic Tablets and distributed them across the State

• Traveled around California providing personal classroom, hands-on training

• Created Standardized Crystal Reports to allow everyone in the Department access to the Data

Results and Future Analysis

These Activities have led to improved analysis:

• Goose Fire – Fresno County, 2016

• 22 Residential Structures inspected by DINS Teams – 4 MH’s, 18 SFR

• 2/4 MH’s damaged or destroyed:

• 1 Failed, 1 uninspected

• 3/18 SFR’s damaged or destroyed:

• 1 Failed, 2 uninspected

• If your home passed the DSI Inspection, it didn’t burn –

• 100% Survivability

So What Does Our Future Look Like?

• Goal to collect a minimum of

250,000 inspections per year

• Establish Statewide database for

structures in State Responsibility

Area (31 Million Acres)

• Achieve number and type of

structures

• Available for Post Fire comparison

• Engage with Researchers to

thoroughly analyze data

• Evaluate effectiveness of Building

Codes and Fire Safety Regulations

• Initiate improvements when

identified to reduce risk of wildland

fires

Program Expansion

There are more than just fires……..

Expansion of Collector App for Future Uses:

• Floods

• Earthquakes

• Wind Events

• Snow Emergencies

• Education Hours

• Fire Perimeters

• Burn Permits

THANK YOU!

Questions?