The interagency fuels treatment decision support system: Functionality for fuels treatment planning

The Interagency Fuels Treatment Decision Support System (IFTDSS) is a web-based software and data integration framework that organizes fire and fuels software applications into a single online application. IFTDSS is designed to make fuels treatment planning and analysis more efficient and effective. In IFTDSS, users can simulate fire behavior and fire effects using the scientific algorithms and processes found in desktop applications including FlamMap, Behave, FOFEM, and Consume. Strategic-level goals of IFTDSS are to
• simplify the fuels treatment planning decision-support process;
• improve the overall quality of analysis and planning;
• control long-term costs;
• encourage scientific collaboration;
• reduce agency information technology (IT) workload in deploying and maintaining fuels applications and data; and
• promote interagency collaboration within the fire and fuels community.

This paper discusses the tools and processes IFTDSS offers to fire, fuels, and resource managers responsible for planning fuels treatment within a framework of hazard analysis and risk assessment. We outline how fire and
fuels treatment planners can use IFTDSS to identify areas of high hazard and risk, evaluate the potential burning risk and hazard level for valued resources (values at risk) within the area of interest, and simulate the effectiveness of fuels treatments in reducing the potential harm to values at risk.