Wildfire Alternatives (WALTER), located at the University of Arizona, is an interdisciplinary research initiative aimed at improving our understanding of the processes and consequences of interactions among wildfire, climate and society. WALTER seeks to capitalize on advances in geospatial, analytical, and web delivery technology to provide access to scientific research activities and findings, educational materials, and decision support tools, such as FCS-1.

Right: The four project study areas, which can be
found in the FCS-1 model

Catalina/Rincon | Chiricahua | Huachuca | Jemez

Featuring the Fire-Climate-Society Strategic Fire Model

Decision makers, managers, and scientists all recognize the power of mechanistic spatial models for tactical management of wildland fire and have expressed a need for strategic planning tools that also include climate and human factors.

Fire-Climate-Society (FCS-1) is a prototype online model designed to be used in strategic planning for wildfire management. The model provides spatially explicit maps for any of four study areas (see map above), based on information users enter online. The resulting maps show spatially explicit information about the geographical distribution of fire probability and values at risk for the selected study area.