Table 2 Illustrative crosswalk from climate mitigation and adaptation strategies to PODs frameworks, in both planning and response contexts. Strategies partially adapted from Ontl et al. (2020)
Climate mitigation and adaptation goal | Relevance to PODs framework | |
|---|---|---|
Pre-fire planning and land management activities | Fire response activities | |
Restore or maintain beneficial fire in fire-adapted ecosystems and reduce likelihood of state transition | Define “restore” and “maintain” strategic response categories to identify needs and opportunities for prescribed and managed wildfire Use PODs and PCLs to define areas for thinning and prescribed burning to restore natural fuel profiles | Use PODs and strategic response categories to establish incident objectives Manage wildfire within PODs to attain desired fire effects Leverage PODs and PCLs in fire operations |
Reduce the likelihood, severity, or extent of extreme wildfire | Use PODs and strategic response categories to define landscape fuel treatment priorities Implement treatments in PODs where they are likely to affect fire behavior, strengthen PCLs, or support incident response Design fuelbreak system and treatment needs based on PODs and PCLs | Use PCLs and treated areas for control opportunities Harden existing fuelbreaks with vegetation management |
Adapt incident response to more extreme fire conditions and exacerbated hazard to fire personnel | Identify PODs with potential for extreme fire behavior or exacerbated responder hazard Identify POD boundaries and interior PCLs that are suitable for indirect operations Pre-identify or create suitable safety zones through fuels management Harden PCLs and travel routes to support fire personnel egress | Switch to indirect response operations when direct operations are likely to be ineffective or results in unacceptable responder hazard Leverage treated areas for control opportunities, as well as lookouts, safety zones, and escape routes |