Research Database
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5
The Fire Weather Accuracy and Lightning Ignition Probability System
Year: 2015
Weather forecasts can help identify environmental conditions conducive to prescribed burning or to increased fire danger. These conditions are important components of fire management tools such as fire ignition potential maps, fire danger rating systems, fire behavior predictions, and smoke dispersion modeling. Fire managers use these tools to make decisions on when to conduct prescribed burns, how to manage wildfires, and how to pre-position fire suppression forces. Forecast weather conditions provide variables such as temperature, relative humidity, solar radiation, precipitation (or lack…
Publication Type: Report
The Potential Impact of Regional Climate Change on Fire Weather in the United States
Year: 2015
Climate change is expected to alter the frequency and severity of atmospheric conditions conducive for wildfires. In this study, we assess potential changes in fire weather conditions for the contiguous United States using the Haines Index (HI), a fire weather index that has been employed operationally to detect atmospheric conditions favorable for large and erratic fire behavior. The index summarizes lower atmosphere stability and dryness into an integer value with higher values indicting more fire-prone conditions. We use simulations produced by the North American Regional Climate Change…
Publication Type: Journal Article
Using Prescribed Fire as a Management Strategy in the Turnbull NWR
Year: 2015
Management strategies developed for Turnbull NWR call for the integration of a variety of techniques to restore natural stand conditions, reduce hazard fuels and improve wildlife habitat. These strategies include various types of thinning followed by the application of prescribed fire. On April 14, 2015 the NW Fire Science Consortium sponsored a technical field tour to the refuge led by Mike Rule, refuge wildlife biologist, and Doug Frederick, Assistant Fire Management Officer. The tour included five stops; starting at the Headquarters for an overview of the refuge and discussion on…
Publication Type: Report
Fire Without Borders: Observations, Experiences, and Lessons Learned from the 36-Pit Fire
Year: 2015
The 36-Pit fire near Estacada, OR broke out on September 13, 2014 and spread quickly, burning a total of 5,524 acres. The fire started by a target shooting accident in the 36 Pit quarry. Conditions were very hot and dry when the fire broke out, with temperatures ranging from the upper 80s to the mid-90s, and the relative humidity around 34%. In addition, there were 30 mph winds blowing from the east through the Clackamas River canyon...
Publication Type: Report