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Plans to generate data/information?

I so often hear how it's hard to know what is going on around prescribed fire. Are there any efforts to collect and use data from IFTDSS so we can more accurately point to acres burned/treated with additional information about why it was/wasn't successful? 


For example, an updated percent of prescribed burns that escape containment could show how low risk this practice is. But we'd need to know # of burns/acres completed and # of escapes. Additional nuances like if it was escaped what were the impacts?

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Hi and thanks for posting. Sorry for the delay in responding. 

You pose an interesting question and we agree this would be useful data if there was a way to collect it. Right now IFTDSS is not required for prescribed fire planning - it may be in the future, but that will depend on the individual agencies. Perhaps if IFTDSS was required than data such as you are suggesting could be collected as post fire reporting. The INFORM system may be more suitable for collecting prescribed fire status. Check with you agency to see if it is possible to use the INFORM system. There is also an Interagency Data Cache being developed - this may also be a place to house this information. I would love to see the Lessons Learned center have a dedicated area for prescribed fire information - some people submit reviews to be posted, but it is definitely not comprehensive and you bring up a good point about all other prescribed fires that go off without a hitch and are very successful. 


So I can't say that IFTDSS is exactly the right place to house this info, but we will definitely keep it on our radar and if things evolve we will report back 


Kim

IFTDSS Team

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