What is the Southern Community Assessor?
Community Assessor is a web-mapping application that allows approved assessors to create and manage wildfire risk assessments at the community, subdivision, or individual home level. All information is collected using a modified version of the National Fire Protection Association’s (NFPA) 1144 Standard for Reducing Structure Ignition Hazards from Wildland Fire. The data collected is stored in a centralized database to extract community wildfire risk information within an area, such as a city or county. Access to the Community Assessor requires an approved user account.
Who uses it?
The application is used by SGSF Mitigation and Prevention Program Coordinators and Specialists, WUI Coordinators, local fire departments as well as homeowners or neighborhood associations to set up assessment projects for cities and counties, delineate community boundaries within a jurisdiction, assign team members to projects, conduct wildfire risk assessments for those communities while out in the field, and then produce data and reports to be used for developing wildfire risk management strategies for communities. Specifically, SGSF WUI Coordinators utilize these reports for developing Community Wildfire Protection Plans (CWPP) and to inform Firewise USA® risk assessments.
What can it do?
The Community Assessor consists of a web application and a field-based mobile app. It allows authorized users to sketch out community boundaries on a map and enable assigned project team members to complete community wildfire risk assessments, search and download data, and run reports for communities throughout the Southern states. The main features of the app include:
-
- Role-based access for WUI Coordinators, managers, and local fire departments
- Easy-to-use web-based organization of projects and communities within projects
- Community boundary map delineation tools
- Ability to assign project team members to specific communities
- Mobile community wildfire risk assessment forms (iOS and Android)
- Associate photos to community risk assessments
- Report with detailed community information
- Community Hazard Rating / Scoring
- Detailed mitigation strategies
How can I request access?
While anyone can view the results of a community risk assessment on the Southern Wildfire Risk Explorer, access to the Community Assessor app requires a SouthWRAP user account and SGSF approval. If you’re already working with your local WUI Coordinator, ask them about Community Assessor or contact us through the form on the homepage for more information.