Develop accurate computer models to determine wildfire risks and controlled-burn benefits!Although scientists now recognize that fire is essential to many ecosystems, the ecological and political issues of managing wildfire continue to be vexing. Mapping Wildfire Hazards and Risks offers multiple perspectives on using a Geographic Information System (GIS) for more effective wildfire management. This innovative technology is the ideal tool to organize and display all the information available, so authorities can make informed judgments based on all the facts.Because the authors are not merely theorizing but discussing the GIS they are actually building and using, Mapping Wildfire Hazards and Risks offers practical ideas and perspectives, including:

• specific information on the modeling approach and kinds of data utilized
• valuable discussions of the social and environmental factors included in the model
• techniques for predicting the effects of wildfire on neighborhoods, soil erosion, sedimentation, and air quality
• predictions of long-term ecosystem recovery given wildfires of different sizes and intensities
• maps, charts, tables, and formulas to make the process of building a GIS understandable and accessible

Mapping Wildfire Hazards and Risks is a compilation of the ideas of federal and state agencies, universities, and non-governmental organizations on how to rank and prioritize forested watershed areas that are in need of prescribed fire. This book provides the essential information for deciding how to set priorities for wildfire management that might reduce risks or lower future damages.