Teton commissioners to consider $33k Xylo wildfire “Fire Pathways” modeling tool
The Teton County Commission is scheduled April 21 to vote on a $33,000 agreement with Xylo Risk for wildfire spread/structure-ignition modeling and a parcel-level mitigation dashboard for parts of Jackson, South Park and Alta.
Teton County’s Board of County Commissioners is scheduled to consider approving a $33,000 agreement with Xylo Risk Inc. (XyloPlan) for a “Fire Pathways” wildfire modeling study and a map-based mitigation dashboard, according to the April 21 meeting packet and staff report. The work is intended to support Community Wildfire Protection Plan (CWPP) implementation by identifying likely fire spread pathways, “entry points” into developed areas, and prioritizing home-hardening/defensible-space and vegetation-management actions. (Teton County Board Agreement for a Fire Pathways Analysis Packet)
Under the scope, XyloPlan would analyze local fire weather and run wind-driven fire simulations, then produce parcel-level structure risk and mitigation prioritization, “work unit” grouping for coordinated neighborhood mitigation campaigns, and a risk analytics platform that visualizes risk and mitigation return-on-investment scenarios. Deliverables include GIS files and support for one remote stakeholder presentation; the agreement term is one year and does not auto-renew. (Teton County Board Agreement for a Fire Pathways Analysis Packet)
Fire/EMS staff say they plan to seek a 50/50 reimbursement line-item grant from the Teton Conservation District for up to $16,500 of the cost, with the balance covered by cost savings from a Station 7 capital project and unused snow-plowing funds. The grant application narrative says the modeling will focus on selected areas including the Town of Jackson and the southern area of the county. (BCC Attachment — Grant Application with the Teton Conservation District for Fire Pathways Analysis)
The contract includes data and privacy provisions that restrict XyloPlan from processing personal information unless a data security and privacy addendum is executed; it also allows the company to use county-provided data in aggregated or de-identified form to improve its tools. The agreement also states the modeling outputs are a limited assessment tool and should not be relied on as a comprehensive wildfire mitigation program. (Teton County Board Agreement for a Fire Pathways Analysis Packet)