Catalina-Rincon Analysis Area Maps

Ownership map

The lands within and surrounding the Catalina-Rincon FireScape analysis area consist of the combination of Federal, State, and private lands.The ForeScape project expands the scale of treatments in the coming years on the Santa Catalina Ranger District. The project analysis area looks beyond the district and includes lands managed by the U.S. Department of the Interior, National Park Service (NPS-Saguaro National Park); the State of Arizona (Oracle State Park and Arizona State Trust Lands); Pima County; and private owners. The assessment that guides the Catalina-Rincon FireScape project describes existing and desired conditions for vegetation and fuels, priority treatment areas, modeled effects of various fuels treatments, effects of projects on valued resources, and other useful analyses. Including lands beyond the Forest Service boundary in this assessment forms a basis for collaboration with neighbors on fire management projects that meet mutual needs.

Ecological Units map

Across the various ownerships and jurisdictions is an array of vegetation types spread across varying elevations, topography, and geologic influences referred to as "ecological units."  Vegetation in these mountains transitions from southwestern desert scrub and desert grassland at the lower elevations to chaparral, oak savanna, and oak woodland at mid-elevations, then to coniferous woodland at higher elevations. Twenty-nine ecological units have been defined in the analysis area.

Predicted Flame Length model run

Based on the results of modeling using FlamMap, current fuel loadings across the project area are predicted to support severe effects, should a wildland fire occur. The model was run by the agency partners over a regional fuels map developed by the planning team. Model parameters were input for an elevation of 4500 feet, which was extrapolated to elevations above and below this level by FlamMap.

Flame length is a good indicator of fire behavior and effects on the landscape. The red areas on Figure 3 depict locations where wildland fire in the project area, under the specified conditions, is predicted to spot, cause crown fires, and be very difficult to control. This sample model run is based on 90th percentile weather and fuel conditions for southeastern Arizona. Using 97th percentile conditions observed during the large wildland fires of the past decades would turn additional areas on the map red, indicating flame lengths greater than 11 feet.

The data used to create the maps listed above are available. Email azfirescape@cals.arizona.edu with your request.