Wildfire and Debris Flows

Bart Wills

U.S. Forest Service

Watch the recorded presentation

Debris flows are common erosional processes in mountainous area around the world. Wildfires alter the normal hydrologic response in these areas by burning vegetation on steep slopes. Soils on these slopes that are exposed to rainfall events tend to act like pavement in regard to runoff, which increases the chances of debris flows. Debris flows are not well behaved events and will deposit material outside the fire perimeter, so it is important to warn people of these hazards. In this talk, Bart will discuss debris flows, how they start, where they deposit, and the hazards they present. He will also talk about the U.S. Forest Service post-fire Burned Area Emergency Response (BAER) team, the assessment of risk to critical values, and how debris flows can be mitigated.