{"id":730,"date":"2021-12-09T20:40:49","date_gmt":"2021-12-09T20:40:49","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sites.warnercnr.colostate.edu\/courtneyschultz\/?page_id=730"},"modified":"2025-10-31T16:40:07","modified_gmt":"2025-10-31T16:40:07","slug":"wildfire-decision-support-tools","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/sites.warnercnr.colostate.edu\/courtneyschultz\/wildfire-decision-support-tools\/","title":{"rendered":"Wildfire Decision-Support Tools"},"content":{"rendered":"

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]We have been <\/span>conducting <\/span>research on the Incident Strategic Alignment Process (ISAP), how fuel treatments are considered during fires, Potential Operational Delineations (PODs), and Risk Management Assistance (RMA).<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

The Incident Strategic Alignment Process (ISAP)<\/h2>\n

The Incident Strategic Alignment Process (ISAP) is an emergent framework for considering risk and developing strategy during wildland fire management and all-hazard response. In partnership with ISAP developers, the U.S. Forest Service Rocky Mountain Research Station, and the Colorado Forest Restoration Institute, we researched the ISAP through field observations and case studies of the Elkhorn Fire (Case 1), San Juan fires (Quartz Ridge, Bear Creek, Mosca fires; Case 2), and the Six Rivers Forest Lightning (SRF) Complex (Case 3). We generated several practitioner-oriented briefs and a peer-reviewed publication, which are available below.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Peer-Reviewed Article:\u00a0<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Buettner, William Cole, Tyler Aldworth, S. Michelle Greiner, Tyler A. Beeton, and Courtney A. Schultz. 2025. \u201cInnovation to Support Wildfire Risk-Based Decision-Making: Examining the Incident Strategic Alignment Process.\u201d <\/span>Fire Ecology<\/span><\/i> 21 (1): 63. <\/span>https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1186\/s42408-025-00403-1<\/span><\/a>.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Practitioner Briefs:\u00a0<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Aldworth, Tyler, William C. Buettner, S. Michelle Greiner, Tyler A Beeton, and Courtney A. Schultz. 2024b. \u201cImplementing the incident strategic alignment process on the 2023 Six Rivers Lightning Complex.\u201d <\/span>Colorado Forest Restoration Institute<\/span><\/i>, no. 2413. <\/span>https:\/\/cfri.colostate.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/22\/2024\/09\/ISAP_SixRivers_Brief_Aldworth_CFRI_2413.pdf<\/span><\/a>.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Aldworth, Tyler, William C. Buettner, S. Michelle Greiner, Tyler A. Beeton, and Courtney A. Schultz. 2024a. \u201cImproving the incident strategic alignment process: recommendations from the 2023 fire season.\u201d <\/span>Colorado Forest Restoration Institute<\/span><\/i>, no. 2048. <\/span>https:\/\/cfri.colostate.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/22\/2024\/06\/ISAP_Recommendations_Brief_Aldworth_CFRI_2408.pdf<\/span><\/a>.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Aldworth, Tyler, William C. Buettner, S. Michelle Greiner, Tyler A. Beeton, and Courtney A. Schultz. 2024c. \u201cImplementing the incident strategic alignment process on the 2023 Quartz Ridge, Bear Creek, and Mosca fires.\u201d <\/span>Colorado Forest Restoration Institute<\/span><\/i>, no. 2412. <\/span>https:\/\/cfri.colostate.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/22\/2024\/09\/ISAP_BearCreek_Brief_Aldworth_CFRI_2412.pdf<\/span><\/a>.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Aldworth, Tyler, William C. Buettner, S. Michelle Greiner, Tyler A. Beeton, and Courtney Schultz. 2024d. \u201cImplementing the incident strategic alignment process on the 2023 Elkhorn Fire.\u201d <\/span>Colorado Forest Restoration Institute<\/span><\/i>, no. 2411 <\/span>https:\/\/cfri.colostate.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/22\/2024\/09\/ISAP_Elkhorn_Brief_Aldworth_CFRI_2411.pdf<\/span><\/a>.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

How fuel treatments are considered during fires<\/h2>\n

We conducted 59 interviews with fire and fuel personnel in the western United States to understand how incident management teams consider and incorporate U.S. Forest Service fuel treatments into wildfire response. Our goals were to: 1) understand how forest and<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>fire personnel communicate about existing treatments; 2) understand what treatment <\/span>characteristics they look for to meet different objectives; and 3) gather recommendations for improving fuel treatments to support incident management.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Greiner, S. M., Schultz, C., Novak, K. M., & Lohman, A. (2025). The role of fuel treatments during incident management. Fire Ecology, 21(1), 25. Available at:\u00a0 https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1186\/s42408-025-00369-0<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n

Greiner, M., McGrath Novak, K., and Schultz, C. 2023. Assessing How Fuel Treatments are Considered During Incident Response: Final Report. CSU Public Lands Policy Group Practitioner Paper #17. Spring 2023. <\/span><\/span>PLPG Practitioner Paper #17<\/span><\/span><\/a> Note<\/span> that<\/span> this is an u<\/span>p<\/span>d<\/span>ate to our<\/span> Interim Report: <\/span><\/span>PLPG Practitioner Paper #13<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a>.<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Greiner, M., McGrath Novak, K., and Schultz, C. (2023). Assessing How Fuel Treatments are Considered During Incident Response. CSU Public Lands Policy Group, <\/span>Briefing Paper for Practitioner Paper #17<\/span><\/a>, Spring 2023.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>Note that this is an update to our Interim Briefing Paper: <\/span>Briefing Paper for Practitioner Paper #13<\/span><\/a>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Potential Operational Delineations (PODs)<\/h2>\n

Potential Wildfire Operational Delineations (PODs) are a spatial fire planning framework<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>that brings together firefighters\u2019 local knowledge and analytical products developed and maintained by the U.S. Forest Service Rocky Mountain Research Station to promote safe and effective fire response. We have conducted research to understand the use of PODs in incident management contexts and non-incident management contexts to align forest and wildfire planning objectives.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Buettner, W.C., Beeton, T.A., Schultz, C.A., Caggiano M.D., Greiner S.M. (2023). Using PODs to integrate fire and fuels planning. <\/span>International Journal of Wildland Fire<\/span><\/i>. <\/span>https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1071\/WF23022<\/span><\/a>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span>Schultz, C., Greiner, M., Kooistra, C. (2021). Research Findings: PODs, Decision Support, and Fire Management. CSU Public Lands Policy Group Briefing Paper #6, Fall 2021. <\/span>PLPG Briefing Paper #6<\/span><\/a>.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span>Greiner, S. M., Schultz, C. A., & Kooistra, C. (2020). Pre-season fire management planning: the use of Potential Operational Delineations to prepare for wildland fire events. <\/span>International Journal of Wildland Fire<\/span><\/i>, <\/span>30<\/span><\/i>(3), 170-178. <\/span>https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1071\/WF20124<\/span><\/a>\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span>Greiner, M., C. Kooistra, and C.A. Schultz. 2020. Pre-Season Planning for Wildland Fire Response: An Assessment of the US Forest Service\u2019s Potential Operational Delineations (PODs). CSU Public Lands Policy Group Practitioner Paper 5, Spring 2020. <\/span>PLPG Practitioner Paper #5<\/span><\/a>,\u202f\u00a0 <\/span>Post-Fire Addendum<\/span><\/a>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span>Greiner, S.M., Schultz, C., & Kooistra, C. (2020). Pre-Season Planning for Wildland Fire Response: An Assessment of the US Forest Service\u2019s Potential Operational Delineations (PODs). \u202fCSU Public Lands Policy Group Briefing Paper 5, Winter 2020. <\/span>PLPG Briefing Paper #5<\/span><\/a>.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Risk Management Assistance (RMA)<\/h2>\n

To support improved wildfire incident decision-making, in 2017 the U.S. Forest <\/span>Service implemented<\/span> risk-informed tools and processes, together known as Risk Management Assistance (RMA). <\/span>We assessed RMA to understand the <\/span>approach’s efficacy<\/span> and options for expanding the use of RMA concepts going forward.<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Kooistra, C. & Schultz, C. (2021). Data and dialogue: Assessing Forest Service Risk Management Assistance.<\/span><\/span> Fire Management Today, 79<\/span><\/span>(1),61-68. <\/span><\/span>Available here.<\/span><\/span><\/a>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Schultz, C. A., Miller, L. F., Greiner, S. M., & Kooistra, C. (2021). A Qualitative Study on the US Forest Service\u2019s risk management assistance efforts to improve wildfire decision-making. <\/span>Forests<\/span><\/i>, <\/span>12<\/span><\/i>(3), 344. <\/span>https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/f12030344<\/span><\/a>\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Schultz, C., Kooistra, C., Miller, L., Ferguson, M. (2020). Findings from a Third-Party Assessment of the Forest Service\u2019s Risk Management Assistance Team. CSU Public Lands Policy Group Practitioner Paper 4, Winter 2020.\u202f<\/span>PLPG Practitioner Paper #4<\/span><\/a>,\u202f<\/span>Decker Fire Addendum.pdf<\/span><\/a>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Schultz, C., Kooistra, C., Miller, L., & Ferguson, M. (2020). Findings from a third-party assessment of the Forest Service\u2019s Risk Management Assistance efforts. CSU Public Lands Policy Group Briefing Paper 4, Winter 2020. <\/span>PLPG Briefing Paper #4<\/span><\/a>.<\/span>[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_separator color=”black”][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text css=””]<\/p>\n

Want to learn more about research at the PLPG?
\n<\/strong>Click here to return to fire management research.<\/a>
\nClick here to return to all research activities.<\/a><\/p>\n

[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row]<\/p>\n<\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]We have been conducting research on the Incident Strategic Alignment Process (ISAP), how fuel treatments are considered during fires, Potential Operational Delineations (PODs), and Risk Management Assistance (RMA). The Incident Strategic Alignment Process (ISAP) The Incident Strategic Alignment Process (ISAP) is an emergent framework for considering risk and developing strategy during wildland fire management and […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":212,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-730","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/sites.warnercnr.colostate.edu\/courtneyschultz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/730","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/sites.warnercnr.colostate.edu\/courtneyschultz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/sites.warnercnr.colostate.edu\/courtneyschultz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sites.warnercnr.colostate.edu\/courtneyschultz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/212"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sites.warnercnr.colostate.edu\/courtneyschultz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=730"}],"version-history":[{"count":23,"href":"https:\/\/sites.warnercnr.colostate.edu\/courtneyschultz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/730\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1153,"href":"https:\/\/sites.warnercnr.colostate.edu\/courtneyschultz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/730\/revisions\/1153"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/sites.warnercnr.colostate.edu\/courtneyschultz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=730"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}