Title:
I've Seen Fire and I've Seen Rain: Post-Wildfire Hydrology in Fourmile Canyon, CO

Abstract:
In September 2010, the Fourmile Canyon Fire in Colorado destroyed 169 homes and caused over $200 million in property losses. Over 300 intact homes lie within the wildfire boundary, some of which may be vulnerable to wildfire-enhanced natural hazards such as debris flows and flash floods. These potential hazards are hydrologically-driven, creating an imperative to understand hydrologic processes after wildfire. This talk will summarize the ongoing efforts by the U.S. Geological Survey in the area affected by the Fourmile Canyon Fire to investigate how landscapes impacted by wildfire respond to rainfall and snowmelt. The ultimate goal of this research is improved knowledge of wildfire impacts on water resources, vulnerability to natural hazards,and hydrologic controls on landscape recovery.