How Intelligence Can Map Wildfire Risk and Help Reduce Catastrophes

Managing wildfire risk requires actions at all phases of disaster management: prevention, mitigation, preparedness, response, and recovery. In addition, all phases of action have tactical, operational, strategic and financial/economic dimensions. As an example, hazard and risk data informs a range of decisions at all phases including evacuation decisions (choosing proper protective actions such as evacuation, in-place protection, or mixed strategies), resource allocation decisions and land use (zoning) decisions, in addition to tactical decisions regarding incident management. The lending investment and insurance markets respond to how hazards and risks are well or poorly anticipated and managed.