SGER: Benchmarking Urban and Structural Vulnerability in the Aftermath of the 2007 California Wildfires, Using Advanced Technology-based Data Collection

这一探索性研究小额赠款(SGER)项目的目的是收集灾后易腐烂的野火损害特征和脆弱性因素的基准数据集，以支持研究调查：(1)野火缓解战略的有效性；(2)测量、监测和评估野火后恢复特征的方法。大多数关于野火的研究都集中在自然环境中的野火模拟，而不是城市环境中的野火。迫切需要进行研究，以更好地了解火灾间歇等环境缓解因素和计划干预战略的重要性，包括为提高火灾易发社区的复原力而制定的“避难所到位”。最近的加州野火为调查和量化影响复苏模式和复原力的因素提供了一个独特的机会。将利用先进技术、互联网资源和应答者访谈来开发时间紧迫的灾后数据集，记录破坏特征和影响城市和结构脆弱性的潜在因素。这些数据将被用来调查城市地区、社区和个别建筑物在野火区内的表现如何变化，缓解因素对城市地区和建筑物遭受野火破坏的脆弱性的影响，以及将缓解措施纳入恢复进程的情况。这项研究采用了一种新的空间分层方法来汇编和归档描述野火破坏和脆弱性因素的易腐烂数据，采用了一种独特的方法，涉及到未得到充分利用的先进技术。将通过这项SGER调查的技术驱动的方法，以及后续研究活动的发现，对于提高火灾易发社区的复原力具有巨大的潜力。加强对城市地区、社区和个体结构在野火区内的表现如何变化以及影响其对野火破坏的长期适应能力的因素的了解，将带来许多实际的社会效益。政府、政策制定者和当地组织可以应用调查结果来检查现有的野火缓解战略，完善支持未来应对工作的计划和行动，改进事件期间的决策，并规划恢复战略。此外，通过加强对野火脆弱性的现有理解，该项目将推动野火研究的最先进水平。

The purpose of this Small Grant for Exploratory Research (SGER) project is to collect a benchmark post-disaster dataset perishable wildfire damage signatures and vulnerability factors, in order to support research investigating: (1) the efficacy of wildfire mitigation strategies; and (2) methods for measuring, monitoring and evaluating characteristics of post-wildfire recovery. Most research on wildfires has focused on modeling wildfire in natural settings rather than the urban environment. Research is urgently needed to better understand the importance of environmental mitigation factors such as fire breaks and planned intervention strategies including "shelter in place" for enhancing the resilience of fire-prone communities. The recent California wildfires present a unique opportunity to investigate and quantify elements that influence recovery patterns and resilience. Advanced technologies, internet resources and responder interviews will be used to develop time-critical post-disaster datasets, documenting damage characteristics and potential factors affecting urban and structural vulnerability. These data will be used to investigate how the performance of urban areas, neighborhoods and individual structures varies within the wildfire zones, the influence of mitigation factors on vulnerability of urban areas and structures to wildfire devastation and the integration of mitigation practices into the recovery process. This research employs a novel spatially-tiered approach to compile and archive perishable data characterizing wildfire damage and vulnerability factors, employing a unique methodology involving underutilized advanced technologies.The technology-driven methods that will be investigated through this SGER, together with the findings from subsequent research activities, have immense potential for improving the resilience of fire-prone communities. Enhancing the knowledge of how the performance of urban areas, neighborhoods and individual structures varies within wildfire zones and the factors that affect their long term resilience to wildfire devastation, will bring many practical societal benefits. Governments, policy makers, and local organizations can apply findings to examine existing wildfire mitigation strategies, refine plans for and actions supporting future response efforts, improve their decisions during events, and plan recovery strategies. Further, by augmenting existing understanding of wildfire vulnerability, the project will advance the state-of-the-art in wildfire studies.