Introduction:

In general, fire management organisations use a pre-suppression preparedness system (PPS) to help pre-position the optimum number of initial attack resources that are required to minimise wildfire losses and suppression costs, based on potential fire behaviour and impact, values threatened, suppression difficulty, and potential fire occurrence. Alberta's preparedness system is designed to pre-position suppression resources to ensure that percent coverage objectives for each Fire Zone are met. Under current policy, percent coverage objectives vary as a function of the mean head fire intensity (HFI) for the Zone. Percent coverage defines the proportion of a Fire Zone that one or more suppression resources, which may be pre-positioned at any one of a number of predetermined locations, can reach before a fire exceeds 2 ha in size.

Fire management believe that current coverage requirements result in over-resourcing given certain circumstances and under-resourcing at other times. Hence, coverage requirements and initial attack effectiveness must be evaluated by way of a standard, scientific process that will permit seasonal comparisons.

Study Objectives:

1. Establish a methodology to determine if PPS is meeting its targets.
2. Develop criteria and methods that can be applied to compare the effectiveness of PPS from one fire season to another.

Study Methods: Review pre-suppression policy, PPS and IA effectiveness. Observe the use of SFMS and PPS at both the Provincial and Fire Zone Levels. Develop a methodology for PPS evaluation and annual comparisons. Define the information requirements for PPS evaluation and effectiveness, and establish the availability thereof.

5. Acquire historical information required to compare recommended and deployed resource levels, if possible, and evaluate PPS performance via the established methodology.
   6. Review alternative Workload Analysis and Operational Research techniques applicable to PPS.
6. Identify the strengths and weaknesses of PPS with its users, developers and the PPS Review Team, and recommend improvements to PSS as required.

Documents:

Advantage Report - The effectiveness of Alberta’s presuppression preparedness planning system  8/16/2004

Download Powerpoint Presentation on Alberta's Preparedness Planning System  8/2/2001

36072001 Pre-Suppression Preparedness System  7/10/2001