Raster Based GIS Conference

Identifying Major Fire Risk Areas Around Colorado Towns


The purpose of this project is to identify and rank the areas with the greatest need of forest thinning around the towns and cities across Colorado according to their proximity to urban areas, forest fire fuel loads, slope angle and aspect. This is intended to assist in the development of forest thinning management plans by indicating which areas pose the highest severe wildfire potential for Colorado’s urban areas. By utilizing the findings of this project, state and local governments will be better equipped to focus resources in areas that will result in the greatest reduction of potential extreme wildfire risk to urban areas with a population greater than 250.

About this Student
This is my second semester at Front Range Community College as I work to attain 29 credit hour GIS Certificate. My previous work and educational experiences are in Renewable Energies and Biofuels and I decided to pursue GIS as a career due to how interesting and widely applicable the industry is, as well as a growing personal desire to work from home. As my wife and I grow our family it has become more apparent how much time I spend each year commuting to and from work, so the goal is to get rid of the commuting time and exchange it with being present for my family. I try to spend as much time as possible recreating outdoors outside of work and school with my wife and my dog, no matter the season. My favorite activities are mountain biking, snowboarding/splitboarding, white water rafting, camping, and hiking, and I am constantly on the lookout for the next new place to adventure off to in Colorado. So far, my favorite places in Colorado to recreate are Crested Butte, the Headwaters of the Rio Grande, Steamboat Springs, the Arkansas River Valley, and the Glenwood Springs area.