Flooding and debris flows can be one of the most damaging and deadly processes of the post-fire landscape. Burned area emergency rapid assessments determine the level of threat posed by post-fire conditions to critical values within and downstream of the burned area and develop appropriate actions to manage unacceptable risk. The BAER assessment team evaluates the effects of the fire on the landscape and estimates the potential risk to life and safety, as well as risk of damage or loss to critical transportation infrastructure.  Satellite-derived data, field observations, and predictive modeling help to inform post-fire hazard mitigation efforts.  Field verification of remotely sensed data and professional evaluation of conditions on the ground are critical for post-fire management.

In the first of two webinars, we will discuss the post-fire assessment process used for the U.S. Forest Service (USFS) Burned Area Emergency Response (BAER) program and how it has been adapted to help rapidly determine post-fire emergency situations using case studies from the United States, Greece, Portugal, and Canada. The second webinar is intended to be a more interactive session to discuss ways in which the process can be used or adapted to meet a wide range of needs outside of the federal government.

• Workshop attendees will gain an understanding of the U.S. Forest Service’s approach to burned area assessments.
• Attendees will also learn about the how multiple agencies cooperate in post-fire settings to accomplish post-fire risk mitigation.
• Lessons learned from post-fire experience in Europe and North America will inform the discussions and help participants develop the knowledge needed to develop a post-fire assessment process to meet their response needs

Please register for each webinar individually. Registering for Part I DOES NOT automatically register you for Part II.

If you cannot make Part I or Part II, we suggest registering so that you are notified once the recording is available online.