Development of a Wildfire Risk Management System for British Columbia Transmission Corporation's Rights-of-Way.

In 2003, B.A. Blackwell and Associates Ltd. began a project to develop a Wildfire Risk Management System (WRMS) for British Columbia Transmission Corporation's (BCTC) (11,00 kilometers) Rights-of-Way (ROW) across the province of British Columbia. Fuel hazard issues in the ROW are due largely to historic reliance on hand slashing in some areas. These fuels are cause for concern, particularly in terms of BC Transmission Corporation's degree of responsibility for damage caused by fire spreading from the ROW into adjacent areas. Until now, BCTC has lacked a systematic method for prioritization of fuel hazard mitigation treatments. It is intended that the development of the Wildfire Risk Management System will address the following: 1. Provide a foundation for the development of a risk management zonation strategy; 2. Provide a framework on which to assess and prioritize fuel hazards; 3. Promote the development of new guidelines for vegetation management on the ROW; 4. Promote reduction of fire risk to critical infrastructure; 5. Support public communication and education of fire risk; and 6. Support interagency planning and cooperation in the development of fire management strategies. In simple terms, we want to know at any given location and at any given time, what is the probability of wildfire occurring, and what are the potential consequences (for a given wildfire behavior) on valued resources. This enables fire and resource managers to design strategies and tactics for fire management that vary from high probability-low consequence to low probability high consequence fire risks across the ROW. The generic approach underlying the WRMS allows its application in a wide range of fire management planning circumstances from timber supply areas to protected areas and interface communities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]