WaTech connects wildfire imagery and shared GIS data for Spokane response and recovery

During the Spokane County wildfire response, WaTech brought partner imagery, property records and infrastructure information into shared GIS workflows. Those datasets supported immediate response and were also used for damage assessment, remediation and rebuilding permit planning.

Shared geographic information helps emergency managers prioritize inspections and coordinate resources without checking every location in person. For assessors and recovery teams, carrying those datasets forward provides a common basis for evaluating damage and planning rebuilding.

WaTech’s account of the Spokane County wildfire response describes an operational use of shared GIS infrastructure, rather than a new product launch. Its State Geospatial Program Office coordinated geographic information from county, state, federal, tribal and private partners to give responders a common picture. Post-disaster imagery accessed through partners including Vexcel helped identify damaged buildings and locations needing inspection, while thermal imagery highlighted remaining heat to support decisions about residents returning. Property and infrastructure layers supported county assessors and informed public-facing evacuation and damage dashboards. The same geographic information later supported remediation and rebuilding permit work. The practical significance is continuity: data assembled for emergency response also serves recovery teams. WaTech identifies year-round data sharing and its centralized Geoportal 2.0 platform as foundations for this coordination. The account provides concrete applications but does not quantify response-time improvements or assessment accuracy.

Evidence supplied by WaTech.