Sunflower Burn Area Interactive Data Display Map

About the Program

Category: Risk and Emergency Management (Best in Category)

Year: 2015

Arizona wildfires peak during the climatologically dry months immediately preceding the yearly summer monsoon season. Spring wildfires around the state leave burn scars which become highly susceptible to flash flooding during the subsequent rainy summer months around the state. Numerous studies have shown how locations within or directly downstream of a burned area are much more susceptible to flash flooding and debris flows. Accurate monitoring and forecasting for these affected areas becomes even more imperative due to increased risk for runoff and reduced flood travel times. The Flood Warning Branch staff at the Flood Control District of Maricopa County (FCDMC) in cooperation from various local, state, and federal governmental agencies was tasked with creating a Data Display Map (DDM) to help all agencies and the public monitor the Sunflower fire burn area. This tool provides a one-stop-shop to gather and display critical real-time rainfall, stream, and weather gage data. Furthermore, various other map layers (burn severity, critical infrastructure, weather radar, etc.) can be overlaid onto the Google map web-based interface. Data from this tool is used for decision support and to generate flood warning products for the affected residents and recreational areas downstream of the burn.