Wildland Fire Dispatcher Support System Overview

1. Wildland Fire Decision Support System Dispatcher Role Overview Wildland Fire Management RD&A National Interagency Fire Center Boise, Idaho February 19, 2009

2. Reports Information Periodic Assessment Decision Summary Situation Validation Objectives Course of Action WFDSS Framework Decision Documentation Decision Support WFDSS Implementation Actions

3. WFDSS – Information Flow WFDSS has 7 Steps Information Situation Objectives Course of Action Validation Decision Summary Periodic Assessment

4. WFDSS – Information Flow Purpose: Documents the initial and continuing fire situation, and provides required information to complete administrative fire reporting. Information Situation Objectives Course of Action Validation Decision Summary Periodic Assessment

5. WFDSS – Information Flow Information Purpose: Provides risk assessment and decision support information to support strategic decisions and development of course of action. Situation Objectives Course of Action Validation Decision Summary Periodic Assessment

6. WFDSS – Information Flow Information Purpose: Defines objectives as stated in Land, Resource, and Fire Management Plans and lists specific management and incident requirements that will frame and influence strategic decisions and tactical implementation. Situation Objectives Course of Action Validation Decision Summary Periodic Assessment

7. WFDSS – Information Flow Information • Purpose: • Defines a specific course of action ranging from a pre-planned initial response to an individualized response for a specific situation. • Specificity varies with fire complexity and can include a defined planning area, management actions, resource commitments, and costs for the fire duration. • When the current decision is no longer meeting objectives, it can include a set of actions to be used until a new decision is completed. Situation Objectives Course of Action Validation Decision Summary Periodic Assessment

8. WFDSS – Information Flow Information Situation Objectives Purpose: Provides a review of the Situation, Objectives, and Course of Action to ensure that Objectives can be met, and in the event they cannot be met, the Validation guides the development of a new Course of Action. Course of Action Validation Decision Summary Periodic Assessment

9. WFDSS – Information Flow Information Situation Objectives Course of Action Purpose: Documents the response decision, the rationale for that decision, and stipulates the timeframe for revisiting and reassessing the decision. Validation Decision Summary Periodic Assessment

10. WFDSS – Information Flow Information Situation Objectives Course of Action Purpose: Provides a process to periodically review the current decision, response, and accomplishments to evaluate effectiveness and confirm accuracy or, if needed, indicate progression to a higher response level and associated planning activities. Validation Decision Summary Periodic Assessment

11. WFDSS – Response Levels • Response Levels are the three • stages of support and documentation of a decision • Response Level 1 – Basic Inputs • Response Level 2 – Medium Term Fire, Simulation and Value Inventory • Response Level 3 – Long Term Fire Simulation, RAVAR, and SCI Response Level 1 Response Level 2 Response Level 3

12. WFDSS – Response Levels Response Level 1 • Looks at short term fire weather forecast, forecasted fire danger and hazards and safety concerns. • Defines a specific course of action. • Management unit objectives are documented through spatial data link to Fire Management Units (FMUs). • Relative Risk Assessment will be completed if fire for resource benefit objectives are identified. • Will have the appropriate initial response per the management units objectives and plans.

13. WFDSS – Response Levels • Looks at resource availability, medium term fire behavior, values and incident complexity analysis • Incident Objectives and Management Requirements/Constraints will be documented. • Recommended actions, resources, and estimated costs evaluated. • Validation will consider fire simulation, values and resource availability. • Response Decision Rationale, and Periodic Assessment Frequency are documented. Response Level 1 Response Level 2

14. WFDSS – Response Levels • Looks at long term fire behavior (Fire Spread Probability (FSPro), Rapid Assessment Values At Risk (RAVAR) and Stratified Cost Index (SCI). • Incident Objectives and Management Requirements/Constraints will be documented. • Recommended actions, resources, and Mitigation Actions, Estimated Cost, and Contingency Actions evaluated. • Validation will consider fire simulation, values, resource availability and FSPro, and RAVAR. • Response Decision Rationale, and Periodic Assessment Frequency are documented. Response Level 1 Response Level 2 Response Level 3

15. WFDSS - Information Flow and Analysis Levels Information Periodic Assessment RL1 RL1 RL2 Decision Documentation Situation RL3 Validation Objectives Course of Action

16. Incident Documentation • Situation Documentation • Objectives • Course of Action • Decision • Validate Strategy • Reports Information • Incident Documentation • Situation Documentation • Objectives • Course of Action • Reports • Incident Documentation • Situation Documentation • Objectives • Course of Action • Decision • Reports Land and Resource Mgmt Plan Response Level 3 Spatial Data Upload – Pre-fire Planning Response Level 1 Response Level 2 Fire Management Plan • Large Fire Suppression • Long-Duration Fire • WFIP Stage III • LTIP • Fire Discovery • Situation Assessment and Documentation • Initial Action • WFIP Stage I • Extended Action • WFIP Stage II Characteristics – situation

17. WFDSS – Eleven Specific User Roles • Specific Roles Identified: • Viewer • Dispatcher • Author • Data Manager • Geographic Area Editor • National Editor • Fire Behavior Specialist • RAVAR Analyst • Super Analyst • Help Desk • Admistrator • These are 3 roles of most importance to the field

18. WFDSS – User Roles • Viewer Has the access to view an incident • DispatcherCan do everything a viewer can plus they can create incidents • AuthorCan do everything the previous two roles do and they also document the decision and request analyses to support/inform the decision • Data ManagerCan only create the Fire Management Units (or other land management units), strategic objectives and the management requirements based on land management plans and fire managements plans.

19. WFDSS – User Roles • Geographic Area EditorAuthorize new Viewer,Dispatcher, Author and Fire Behavior Specialist roles and prioritize analysis requests within their GACC • National EditorHas all the capabilities of a Geographicl Editor, but at a National level. • Fire Behavior SpecialistFormerly the FSPro Analyst role, but the name change reflects additional fire behavior tools available in WFDSS This role conducts fire behavior analyses

20. WFDSS – User Roles • RAVAR AnalystThis role is provided by the Forestry Science Lab in Missoula which accept or reject a RAVAR analysis request. And post RAVAR summary documentation. • Super AnalystHas maximum analysis authority, provides coaching and training to other analysts. • Help Desk – this role is for the folks at the NIFC HELP DESK • Administrator – This role is for the system developers

21. How to create a WFDSS Incident • The Dispatcher Role Purpose: • Enter information for a new WFDSS Incident. • Edit incident information for incidents they create. • Run simple fire behavior analyses.

22. Inside a WFDSS Incident • First Lets Look at: • Intelligence • Zone Fire Weather Forecasts • ERC- G • Values Inventory • RAVAR Results • Values at Risk Results • Basic Fire Behavior

23. INTELLIGENCE

24. Zone Fire Weather Forecasts

25. ERC-G

26. Strategic Objectives

27. Values Inventory

28. RAVAR Results

29. Values at Risk Results

30. BASIC FIRE BEHAVIOR

31. How To Create a WFDSS Incident and use the Intelligence Tab

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37. Where to find WFDSS • Request your user account now!! • http://wfdss.usgs.gov

38. Questions