New Set of Publications! PODs for Non-Incident Management: Case Studies

CFRI authors created a set of publications that highlight case studies were PODs were used for non-incident management.

The Potential Operational Delineations (PODs) spatial
fire planning framework brings together firefighters’ local knowledge and advanced fire modeling products to inform fire response and empower pre-planning. Before smoke is in the air, agency partners and cooperators collaboratively identify and document the most effective potential control lines (PCLs) on the landscape where there is a high likelihood of containing wildfires (e.g., roads, streams, ridges, etc.). While PODs can inform incident response, the framework can also support pre-fire wildfire mitigation and other cross-boundary planning efforts. This series explores innovations from the field and shares how land managers across the West are using and adopting the PODs framework to meet local needs.

  • San Juan National Forest Case Study
    • In 2019, the SJNF collaboratively developed landscape-scale PODs as a forest-wide planning tool for fire management. These PODs supported internal communication with non-fire and fuels specialists about the potential positive and/or negative effects of prescribed and unplanned fire on highly valued resources and assets.
  • WADNR Forest Health Assessment and Treatment Framework Case Study
    • The Washington Department of Natural Resources (WADNR) and partners are using PODs as a framework for prioritizing forest vegetation treatments across all lands in eastern Washington. The collaborative processes and analytical products give planners tools to prioritize treatment locations that maximize forest health and wildfire response benefits through landscape-level treatments within priority PODs, and enhance PCLs where appropriate with better signage, access, fuel removal, and/or shaded fuelbreaks.
  • San Isabel National Forest Case Study
    • Staff initiated the Wet Mountains Wildfire Potential Control Locations NEPA project to reduce potential fire behavior and provide safe and effective response. Fuels treatments along POD boundaries can enable landscape-scale outcomes.