Julie Symons, an Environmental Planner with Enplan, recently authored a very timely piece on the influences of selective thinning and prescribed burning on wildfire severity in ponderosa pine forests. The article was published in the professional scientific journal, The California Geographer.
Results of the study on which Julie reported suggest that various combinations of forest treatments can be effective at reducing the potential for severe fire spreading into wildland-urban interface (WUI) areas. This is particularly relevant for our state, as California is a region noted for its high intensity fires amplified by annual summer drought and long-term drought cycles. This study allowed for the assessment of California Public Resources Code 4291, which requires property owners in wildland areas and along WUI's to create 100 feet of defensible space for fire protection around their homes. Over 20% of the State of California, and over 5 million homes in California are in the WUI area. This is the highest proportion of state coverage nationally. In addition, the article suggests approaches for U.S. Forest Service lands that can result in more resilient ecosystems in similar western U.S. forests.
Geospatial technology at work tracking California fires
Our geospatial team has created a web tool useful for fire management agencies and local residents to track current California fires. The Wildfire Viewer is a web application that displays wildfire locations and perimeters over Google Maps imagery. The data displayed is obtained from multiple government agencies.
The current viewer coverage area inlcudes all of California. Data is updated to the site every hour.
"We are helping to provide better data access during these difficult times by applying the technology we know best," said Randall Hauser, Principal of ENPLAN.
ENPLAN's Wildfire Viewer currently displays data available from GeoMAC and MODIS. The GeoMAC site is a place for government agencies to upload information as it becomes available. Participating agencies uploading data include the USGS, US Forest Service, US Fish and Wildlife Service, NOAA, National Parks Service, BLM, Bureau of Indian Affairs, National Interagency Fire Center, National Wildfire Coordinating Group, among others.
Wildfire Viewer also tracks fire heat detections collected by NASA from two satellites orbiting the earth, Terra and Aqua, equipped with advanced Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) instruments. The satellites collect fire and thermal anomalies data which can be used to estimate burn area sizes, fire intensity, and particulate emissions.
UAAB Final EIR approved by CAL FIRE
CAL FIRE has approved the Final Environmental Impact Report (EIR) ENPLAN completed for the Ukiah Air Attack Base (UAAB) Relocation Project pursuant to provisions of the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA).
UAAB is located within the Ukiah Municipal Airport (UMA) and serves as an important fire attack base for CAL FIRE forest fire suppression operations. The project includes the relocation of the UAAB to a new location at the airport, and would include a 4,200-square-foot air operations building; a 3,200-square-foot warehouse/shop; a 2,900-square-foot aircraft hangar; a taxiway; new water, sewer, electrical, and phone lines; sidewalks; and other improvements.
Principal areas of study in the EIR included aeronautic tie-ins and approvals, noise impacts and issues, safety issues, transportation and traffic, air quality, biological resources, cultural resources, hydrology/water quality, and associated mitigation measures.
Public review of the Draft EIR was completed on March 12, 2008. The Final EIR was approved and signed by CAL FIRE on May 9, 2008.
"I thought DGS and ENPLAN did a fantastic job on this difficult and complex environmental study. CAL FIRE is fortunate we have [ENPLAN's] kind of expertise to help us on projects like UAAB," said Dan Foster, CAL FIRE Senior Environmental Planner.
ENPLAN incorporates Digital Multi-Spectral Aerial Photography
ENPLAN recently acquired the ability to offer clients digital, multi-spectral orthoimagery. Our partner, HJW Geospatial, recently added the Microsoft (formerly Vexcel) UltraCamX large-format digital camera to their system.
ENPLAN is one of the first in Northern California to take advantage of the new digital aerial mapping camera. Imagery can now be collected as multispectral data, including RGB and near-infrared datasets (Nir). The Nir spectral data supports analysis of tree cover, wetlands, and vegetation association, and can be applied to other biological surveys. The camera offers a large image format at 14,430 x 9,420 pixels. The exposure overlaps 80% forward and 50% side, compared with the typical 60% and 30% overlaps. This gives greater ground visibility and less tilting of buildings, trees, and other features.
Our multi-spectral imagery is orthorectified using ENPLAN's high-definition LiDAR digital elevation data (DEM) and merged into a single image file. "RGB and the near-infrared data will couple nicely with our LiDAR DEM data to improve the quality and efficiency of our surveys and analyses, " said Don Burk, ENPLAN's Environmental Services Manger. Our final product consists of data in digital and map form delivered on DVD media for seamless integration into a client's current GIS. Data will also be provided in formats compatible with planning, surveying, and engineering software to be used in mitigation planning and project design.
See our Products - Aerial Imagery page on our website for more information about ENPLAN's orthoimagery.
Click here to see more information about the Microsoft UltraCamX.
ENPLAN Staff Biologist Granted Federal Fish and Wildlife Permit
Our team's Wildlife Biologist, Darrin Doyle, recently received a U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Federal Recovery Permit to survey and collect federally endangered or threatened vernal pool branchiopods, making him one of the few people in the state to hold the permit. Special permission must be granted in order for a biologist to survey and collect specimens for the purpose of environmental analyses. In order to obtain the permit, Doyle had to correctly identified all vernal pool branchiopods species, including the non-listed species, occurring in California, Oregon, and Washington during the permit exam.
ENPLAN is now fully qualified to handle surveys where testing of branchiopods is necessary in support of CEQA and NEPA environmental documentation and regulatory agency permitting processes. Mr. Doyle's permit allows him to survey for the vernal pool fairy shrimp and vernal pool tadpole shrimp, which are common to the northstate area. Prior to a site's development, our team can conduct both wet-season surveys and dry-season soil collection to establish the presence or absence of the protected species. If vernal pool shrimp are found on a site, ENPLAN can work with the developer or land owner to plan for proper mitigation.
