Raster Based GIS Conference

Southern Boulder County Wildfire Risk


Boulder County has a long history of wildfires throughout the region. Contributing factors include its steep terrain, higher summer temperatures, seasonal winds, and an increased human presence in the wildland urban interface (WUI). This is an area where human development intersects wildland vegetative fuels (Boulder County, 2021). Southern Boulder County is especially vulnerable to wildfires because its mountainous geography incorporates the Table Mesa neighborhood. In the last eleven years, the Flagstaff Fire (2012, 300 acres) and the NCAR Fire (2022, 190 acres) burned within five miles of Table Mesa (Snider, 2012, and McDaniel, 2022). Finally, the Marshall fire (2021, 6,000 acres) burned 1,000 homes and 30 commercial structures in Superior, parts of Louisville, and unincorporated Boulder County. (Boulder County, 2023). To address these increasingly destructive wildfires, a GIS wildfire risk analysis was conducted incorporating the Flagstaff, NCAR, and Marshall Fire burn areas. First, a digital elevation model (DEM) and land cover data for the contiguous United States were clipped to the Boulder County boundary. Slope, aspect, and a distance of one kilometer from Boulder County roads were calculated. Each layer was then individually analyzed to determine wildfire risk. Overall wildfire risk was calculated by first finding the sum of the reclassified slope, aspect, and distance to roads layers. This was then multiplied by land cover type. A cartographic map was produced featuring low, medium, and high risk categories. Developed areas and areas of no risk were represented with a fourth category. The analysis found that the Flagstaff and NCAR fires were in close proximity to high-risk areas, while the majority of the Marshall fire was not. Critically, wind direction, speed, and specific wildfire fuel types were not included in the GIS analysis due to time constraints. These results require ongoing resident education on the responsibility of living in the WUI.

About this Student
I hold a B.S. in Environmental Science and work full-time in traffic engineering. Some of my work includes creating GIS maps of traffic and roadway information such as traffic counts, crashes, and speed limits. I am also a part-time student at Front Range Community College working towards a GIS Certificate with 11 credits remaining. My previous GIS experience includes an introductory college course. I also completed a summer internship compiling maps of work orders and sign locations. After I earn my certificate, I plan on applying for a GIS analyst position. Eventually, I would like to become a GIS developer.