Tentative Scope
Wildland fires continue to wreak havoc across the country. In 2022 there were over 7 million acres burned throughout the United States. The devastating effects of the Colorado Marshall Fire in 2021 showcased how fast fires can engulf and destroy infrastructure. Events such as this have necessitated that the national airport community shift focus from strictly aviation related incidents to an all-hazard approach. The infrastructure associated with airports can be vital to continued operations, and any disruption in service could have cascading effects on the National Airspace System. Airports should begin to consider the probabilities of wildland fires and protect the infrastructure that keeps the airports operational. Not all infrastructure carries the same criticality, and not all infrastructure will require additional mitigation efforts.
The objective of this synthesis is to describe the mitigation and response to protect airport infrastructure from wildland fires.
Information to be described in a concise report includes (but is not limited to):
- A literature review to include applicable mitigation and response plans and identify airport critical infrastructure that is susceptible to wildland fires.
- Describe wildland fire mitigation measures that can be adapted by airports and identify common themes and priorities in mitigation efforts.
- Interview relevant aviation representatives on their use of their respective industry mitigation efforts, including their fighting and planning resources.
Information will be collected through literature review, a survey of airports and other applicable stakeholders, and interviews with selected airports or applicable stakeholders for the development of case examples. Knowledge gaps and suggestions for future research to address those gaps will also be identified.