GIS and Fire Modeling

Position: GIS and fire modeling
Working for: USFS, Pacific Southwest Research Station, Sierra Nevada Research Center
Where: 1731 Research Park Dr, Davis, CA
Starting: flexible, suggest July 13, 2009
Duration: up to 1 yr
Level: GS 4 or 5 depending on experience
Who may apply: students, grad or undergrad (must be enrolled at least half time throughout duration)

Required qualifications:
• Demonstrated skill and proficiency using GIS
• Familiarity with basic principles of forest ecology
• Knowledge of Sierra Nevada forest systems

Desired skills:
• Ability and willingness to learn
• Knowledge of fire ecology and fire management
• Some background in silviculture
• Field experience, preferably in forests
• Experience programming (ArcScripts, Python, macros)

Work description:
• Modeling fire across Sierran landscapes using the spatial fire models FARSITE and FlamMap
• Using Forest Vegetation Simulator to model fuel reduction treatments and assess effectiveness at reducing landscape-level fire spread and effects
• Measure sensitivity of spatial fire models to various model inputs
• Integrate fire/fuel treatment modeling with wildlife habitat suitability/occupancy assessments
• Use Landsat TM-derived burn severity images to assess and explain ecological effects of fires and interactions among fires
• Field data collection using standard forest inventory techniques

Narrative:
This work involves a substantial amount of modeling both fire and forest dynamics. While prior experience with the models would be ideal, it is by no means necessary. The hiree needs only to be interested and willing to learn these models. The required and desired knowledge regarding forest ecology and silviculture is due the use of data collected from forest inventory plots and modeling of silvicultural treatments.
The hiree will work directly under Brandon Collins with PSW-SNRC. Brandon’s interests lie in understanding spatial characteristics of wildland fires. He is also interested in examining how coordinated fuels treatments can be implemented to modify fire spread and effects across forested landscapes.

To apply: Send resumè and a brief letter explaining how your experiences relate to the required and desired skills listed above to Brandon Collins bmcollins@fs.fed.us. If you are interested in more information before