Rapid assessment of wildfire damage using Forest Inventory data: A case in Georgia

The rapid assessment of damage caused by natural disasters is essential for planning the appropriate amount of disaster relief funds and public communication. Annual Forest Inventory and Analysis (FIA) data provided initial estimates of damage to timberland in a timely manner to State leaders during the 2007 Georgia Bay Complex Wildfire in southeast Georgia. FIA plots were selected from within the shape file (a polygon outline of the fire perimeter) of the burn area and processed with the National Information Management System. Forest area and total volume by stumpage products were compiled for the wildfire area. A mortality factor determined by the Georgia Forestry Commission was used to estimate the volume of damaged timber, and the value of damaged timber was assessed using Timber Mart-South stumpage prices.