SCC-CIVIC-PG Track B: Enhancing Communities Preparedness and Resilience to Post-Wildfire Hydrology in Mountainous Areas

Post-wildfire disasters such as flash floods, severe erosion, and debris flows like the Montecito, CA event that killed 23 people in 2018 are becoming more costly to lives and infrastructure. These disasters are anticipated to increase following the record wildfire season just experienced across the western U.S. Post-wildfire disasters cross multiple scientific disciplines and impact local communities to government agencies.

A lack of observations in mountainous regions for weather, water, and land management has significantly limited the progression of scientific knowledge to better monitor and forecast post-wildfire disasters. Facing increased risk of damage to societal infrastructure and loss of human life, communities have identified the benefits from gap-filling observations of precipitation and surface water.

This project proposes to unite the scientific community, bridge with local entities, and coordinate observations and research efforts targeting the common goal of enhancing knowledge on post-wildfire hydrology and reducing the effects of post-wildfire disasters.

This project will address both civic priorities and foster research by advancing monitoring technologies and forecasting tools of risk related to post-wildfire hydrology, which are currently inadequate in complex terrain. The University of Oklahoma and National Severe Storms Laboratory researchers will reach out to and work with core civic partners to refine the needs of communities and match expertise in hydrometeorology, social science, radar field observations, and research-to-operations experience to design a field deployment strategy in Colorado during the Stage 2 portion of the project.

The project will establish a “mobile observatory” on burn areas comprised of mobile weather radars, stream sensors, disdrometers, and rain gauges. Datasets collected will advance the scientific community by providing unique, post-wildfire observations, while immediately enhancing the preparedness and resiliency of local communities by providing real-time information and capabilities to map the anticipated impacts.

The project will explore the benefits of “forecasting proximity” in terms of risk perception and engage communities through local forecasting while improving their connections to the operational forecast grid. The proposed pilot project will make several substantial contributions to hydrologic, operational forecasting, and risk assessment sciences, with direct benefit to local communities.

Because post-wildfire disasters impact basins and communities across the West, an advisory board committee will be set up that will involve several government agencies and local stakeholders from western states. It will foster the creation of coalitions for mobile observations beyond this pilot project. The results will shift flash-flooding prediction science and post-fire landscape management that translates into increased societal resilience.

This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.