Networks within networks: scaling response operations in the lightning complex fires in northern california, August 2020

Wildfire risk has increased dramatically in California over more than two decades, 2000 - 2021, reflecting the intense impact of climate change on state’s environmental and ecological systems. Most urgent is wildfire at wildland-urban-interface (WUI), challenge to prevent cascading disaster for regions connected via interdependent lifelines transportation, communications, electrical power, water, sewer, gas line distribution systems that characterize geographic regions. To what extent do large, multi-organizational, multi-jurisdictional networks organizations learn from experience adapt their performance response dynamic conditions an actual extreme event? This article identifies four types operating 2020 Lightning Complex Wildfires northern documents rapid escalation costs based a preliminary analysis 209 incident reports filed by Department Forestry Fire Protection (CalFire) SCU engulfed large sections five counties southeastern San Francisco Bay Region. The concludes Interagency Incident Management Networks provide essential intelligence support local management operations context risk.