Wildfire Preparation: Recommendations for Integration of Fire Protection Strategies for the Copper Queen Hotel in Bisbee, Arizona

Abstract

This paper presents recommendations for design changes to manage wildfire threats to the Copper Queen Hotel in Bisbee, AZ. Wildfire frequency and intensity are increasing in the Western United States at an alarming rate. This is due to a rise in temperatures, which lengthens the fire season in the Southwestern United States. Smaller communities such as Bisbee may not be prepared to handle these increases, especially for historical sites such as the Copper Queen. Maintaining historic integrity while including fire safety in and around these sites is complex and requires future research. Through ArcGIS, the Copper Queen Hotel was found to be in an area with high wildfire hazard potential. After recording observations on-site and a brief informal interview with one of the owners, images were created using Photoshop to show vulnerabilities in the hotel and to provide recommendations to reduce the wildfire risk.