Hydrosphere Resource Consultants

Projects by Discipline / Environmental Science

San Pedro Wildfire Hazard Assessment and Mitigation Plan

 

One of the most important migratory stopovers and winter habitats for birds in the Western Hemisphere is the San Pedro Riparian National Conservation Area (SPRNCA), a 40-mile-long section of the San Pedro River in southern Arizona managed by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM). Perennial streams such as the San Pedro are rare in the desert Southwest – this conservation area is the most extensive riparian ecosystem in the region.  The SPRNCA supports nearly five hundred species of birds, mammals, fish and reptiles.  It provides critical habitat for up to four million migratory birds each year.


A century of suppressing wildfires has led to a build-up of unnatural amounts of vegetation and debris in the SPRNCA – fuel for wildfires that could consume this critical habitat. While the BLM has reduced fuel-loading inside the SPRNCA, they have had little data about fire hazards on privately owned property adjacent to the conservation area.

To address these fire hazards, the BLM hired Hydrosphere and its subcontractor, Anchor Point, to evaluate the potential for wildfire on lands adjacent to the SPRNCA and to recommend actions that could reduce the risk for loss of life, property, structures, and other valued resources.

  • Hydrosphere services employed in this project included:
  • Wildfire Hazard Assessment
  • Mitigation Planning
  • Mitigation Recommendations for Individual Homes
  • Derivation of Hazard Maps using GIS
  • Public Information Campaign
  • Public Meeting Leadership

The Hydrosphere team began its wildfire hazard assessment with a comprehensive review of the geographic area and the public interests at stake. This was accomplished through a series of public meetings, personal interviews with fire and emergency services personnel, and questionnaires sent to community leaders. In addition, seven community-level surveys and individual assessments of more than 400 homes were conducted to determine which properties were at greatest risk. Physical wildfire hazard was analyzed using a BEHAVE model, which incorporated factors such as fuels, slope, aspect, and weather. Maps of the high fire hazard areas were then combined with the high-risk properties to determine where mitigation recommendations should be focused.


 In total, mitigation plans were developed for six communities and three rural areas adjacent to the conservation area, encompassing 173 square miles. Individual home survey results and site-specific recommendations were provided to the BLM Tucson Field Office and made available to property owners.

For more details on the Fire Hazard Assessment and Mitigation Plan for this project and copies of Hydrosphere's reports, please visit the BLM's website:
http://www.blm.gov/az/sfo/fire/mitigation.htm.

 

Read more about Hydrosphere's wildfire services.