Use of geographic information systems and photogrammetric techniques to improve the NC division of forest resources pre-suppression fire planning and forest management

North Carolina State University (NCSU) Center for Earth Observation (CEO) is assisting the North Carolina Division of Forest Resources (NCDFR) in integrating modern spatial analysis tools and data into their daily forest management practices as well as in pre-suppression fire planning. Specific objectives of this project are to: (1) construct a geographic database useful for pre-suppression planning and forest management; (2) identify damaged forested areas within zone(s) estimated to have sustained 75-100% downed trees during hurricane Fran; (3) provide current county fire control maps for the state; (4) conduct workshops on Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and Global Positioning Systems (GPS); (5) provide guidance and assistance in implementing a statewide GIS program and (6) provide GIS tools to make utilization of data easier. In 1996 Hurricane Fran left behind much forest debris presenting a significant fire hazard to North Carolina. In early 1998, the NCSU CEO used traditional photogrammetric methods to map polygons of downed timber in the two counties determined by a preliminary survey to have the most forest damage. Topography was compiled for the 53 county region declared a disaster area after the hurricane. In addition, NCSU has compiled GIS data including roads, hydrology, land cover, places, and 1993 digital orthophoto quarter quadrangles statewide