In December of 1998, as apart of the NWS Modernization and Associated Restructuring (MAR), the NWS Wakefield VA assumed the responsibility of issuing spot forecasts to portions of Eastern and Central Virginia as well as the Maryland Eastern Shore and Northeastern North Carolina. The responsibility of issuing the Routine Daily Fire Weather Forecast and Red Flag Warnings and Fire Weather Watches was transferred on February 1st of 2000.

This Operating Plan will be the governing document for fire weather procedures and cooperation between the following agencies:

The NWS has been directed by the Executive Branch and Congress to discontinue specialized fire weather services to non-Federal entities (i.e. state, county and local agencies) for non-wildfire activities, including the following:

TELEPHONE NUMBERS:

Administrative/Forecast Operations.......................(757) 899 - 2415

(Direct forecast questions to the public forecaster or fire weather program manager)

Severe Weather Reports..........................................(800) 737 - 8624

(Severe weather reports only!)

Fax.............................................................................(757) 899 - 5107

These numbers are unlisted! Please do not release to the Public.

EMAIL ADDRESSES

See APPENDIX_C for surrounding office information.
 
 

The following is a list of the USDA Forest Service Regional Zone Layouts, which fall with in Wakefield=s area:

Virginia

The following is a list of the US Fish and Wildlife Refuges within NWS Wakefield’s forecast region:

In Virginia and Maryland

Though the routine forecast attempts to depict a worst case fire weather scenario for a given period, it in no way reflects all the local variations in weather that can have an adverse effect on fire behavior within a zone. Fire Control Officers should be familiar with typical weather variations across their district or forest, such as those associated with land versus sea interaction, changes in elevation, and vegetation. The impact of seabreezes or mountain/ valley winds should also be recognized. A spot forecast should be requested whenever local effects are suspected of creating difficult fire management conditions.
 
 

A Red Flag Warning will be issued for impending Red Flag conditions or immediately when Red Flag conditions are occurring. The warning period is less than 24 hours. For North Carolina Zones the Red Flag Warning may or may not incorporate a Blow-Up alert (see below).

A Blow Up Alert will be issued by the North Carolina State Division of Forest Resources whenever existing high fire danger is coupled with specific meteorological conditions. Those conditions are the following: 1) sufficient fuels are available as denoted by a high Build –Up Index, 2) dangerous fine fuel moistures which are prompted by low relative humidities, 3) atmospheric instability, and 4) an adverse wind profile is observed or imminent.

A Blow-Up Alert underscores the potential for explosive fire conditions in all or part of the state. Once the alert has been issued it will remain in effect until one full day after the last adverse wind profile has been detected, precipitation occurs, or a significant change in the weather pattern occurs.

When a Red Flag Warning or Fire Weather Watch is issued, a headline will be placed in the Daily Fire Weather Forecast. In addition a Red Flag Warning/ Fire Weather Watch product will be issued (see below).

The Red Flag Warning/Fire Weather Watch (WBCRFWAKQ) product is the formal notification for the issuance of a Red Flag Warning or Fire Weather Watch. This product lists the zones included in the Watch and/or Warning as well as gives description of the timing and conditions which can be expected. This product will also be used to cancel a Watch or Warning. Refer toAPPENDIX_E for an example

The Daily Fire Weather Forecast is a general forecast, which is used for the day-to-day planning of land management operation, and for determining general weather trends that might impact fire behavior. The Daily Fire Weather Forecast provides a detailed prediction of elements for three specific time periods, a general 3 to 5 day forecast and a 6 to 10 day extended outlook for a zone. This forecast will cover the "Today", "Tonight", and "Tomorrow" period. The Today period covers from forecast issuance time until 7 PM LST. Tonight covers from 7 PM to 7 AM LST the following day. Tomorrow indicates from 7 AM to 7 PM LST the following day. Should an evening group be placed in the forecast, it will refer to the period from 5 PM to 10 PM LST. This forecast is issued once a day, NLT 630 AM.

Weather Parameters included in the Daily Fire Weather Forecast

The Fire Weather Forecaster will maintain a weather watch to ensure that the forecast remains accurate. When unexpected changes occur or are forecast to occur which significantly deviate from the previous forecast, the forecast will be updated. The decision to update, to an extent, is at forecaster discretion. However for the critical elements of relative humidity, wind velocity and wind profile, the forecast will be updated by the following guidelines.

If an update is needed, for Virginia counties, the forecaster will call VICC and in North Carolina, NC Forest Service.

Spot Forecasts

Spot Forecasts are special, non-routine forecasts prepared upon request from user agencies that need site-specific forecasts for: 1) controlling the spread of wildfire; 2) planning and managing prescribed fires; or 3) other specialized forest management activities.

Spot Forecast for wildfires and other emergency situations affecting life or property are available 24 hours a day from any requesting agency whether locally, state or federally funded, while Spot Forecasts for prescribed burns are only available to federally funded agencies. The response time for a prescribed burn spot forecast may be delayed due to higher priority duties of the NWS forecaster. In addition to any or all of the forecast parameters listed in the Daily Fire Weather Forecast Product, the Spot Forecast may include inversion height, inversion onset and burn-off times as well as wind profile information.

Requesting a Spot Forecast

In order to provide a more accurate and useful Spot Forecast, timely weather observations from the site MUST be given to the forecaster. At the minimum, the observation from the fire site should include temperature, humidity or wet bulb temperature, and wind speed and direction (one-minute average). Wind measurements are assumed to be at eye-level using a hand held anemometer unless otherwise indicated. The Fire Weather Spot Forecast Request Form, WS Form D-1, indicates the necessary weather information. See APPENDIX_I for a copy of this form. The actual Spot Forecast request can be made either by calling the NWS or faxing the WS D-1 to the NWS. If the Fax method is used, a call should still be made to the NWS alerting the forecast staff of the incoming request.

For fires involving thousands of acres, observations should be taken from more than one site. This will enable the forecaster to better determine the effects of the fire on local weather patterns. For prescribed burns, a weather observation should be taken and sent to the forecaster about two hours before ignition. Another observation should be taken during the fire and relayed to the NWS so that the forecaster can ensure that the forecast is still reasonable. This second observation may be transmitted to the NWS on the WS D-1 form or simply relayed by phone.

The fire location and estimated size of the project MUST be included with your Spot Forecast request. Estimate the location by direction and range from well-known points in the area. It is of the utmost importance for the forecaster to know the location of the fire site relative to the significant geographical features (the Atlantic Coast, a river, etc.) Also, include a contact name as well as the phone number.

If weather conditions develop that are not forecast and threaten the success of operations at the fire, notify the forecaster immediately. Furthermore, any feedback concerning the accuracy of the Spot Forecast (positive or negative) will assist the forecaster in subsequent forecasts for the same or similar locations.
 
 

Forecasts for sky condition, temperatures, winds and precipitation are prepared for the general public and are grouped by county jurisdictions. For the most part, the forecasts in the public zones will be similar to the information in the Daily Fire Weather Forecast. The public zone forecast includes a detailed 48-hour forecast and a more general 3 to 5 day forecast.

Special Weather Statements (SPS)

Special Weather Statements are focused for the public interests; however fire weather users may find the information presented in this product useful for planning purposes. Special Weather Statements discuss significant weather events that are occurring or are expected to occur during the forecast period. These statements can provide more detail about various types of weather as well as any watches or advisories that may significantly impact fire weather operations. The issuance of a Special Weather Statement is at the forecaster’s discretion.

Wind Advisory and High Wind Warning (NPW)

When windy conditions are expected in the absence of convective weather, a Wind Advisory or High Wind Warning will be issued. These products are also geared for the public, but the conditions forecasted will still have an impact on fire weather operations. Typically, the conditions that warrant the issuance of either one of these products occurs during the winter and spring months, after a passage of a strong cold front.

A Wind Advisory is issued when sustained wind speeds of 31 to 39 mph (27 to 34 knots) are expected to occur for longer than an hour, or when wind gusts between 46 and 57 mph (40 to 49 knots) are forecasted for any duration.

A High Wind Warning is issued when sustained wind speeds of 40 mph (35 knots) or greater are expected for a duration of an hour or more, or for winds of 58 mph (50 knots) of any duration.

Short Term Forecasts (NOW)

Short Term Forecasts are issued by the NWS as needed. These brief forecasts give more detail to the public zone forecast, such as the location and movement of a thunderstorm.

Public Information Statement (PNS)

This product can be used to heighten the public’s awareness of an upcoming weather event.

As per agreement between the NWS Wakefield and the VICC (Virginia Interagency Coordination Center), if during a prolonged dry period, conditions warrant the need to heighten the public’s awareness for fire danger, NWS Wakefield will issue a PNS highlighting the area of concern and recommended precautions. This statement will only be issued at the request of VICC.
 
 

User agencies are responsible for paying overtime, travel and per diem cost for special services. Costs to be recovered from the user are calculated on the basis of expense reports submitted by the Forecast Office to NWS Eastern Region Headquarters. Billing of the user agencies is handled by the appropriate NWS administrative division based on the expense report. Bills include a statement of services rendered, as well as the dates and locations of services provided.

Costs for special services pertaining to interagency training (i.e. ATMU) should be handled by cooperative agreement among the agencies involved with the specific training objective.
 
 

Air Transportable Mobile Unit

The ATMU is a modularized, mobile system of equipment used by an IMET for data collection and product preparation. The ATMU is a national resource. Twenty-five ATMU’s are cached across the country, mainly in the Western US. The CASHE site that supports North Carolina and Virginia is in London, KY, where 2 ATMU units are maintained. The CASHE site in Grand Rapids, MI supports Maryland. The ATMU is available upon request for duty at an incident fire, a critical prescribed burn, or other weather-sensitive incident in Virginia, Maryland or North Carolina.

Each ATMU consists of two (2) modules. The first module contains a theodolite with tripod and a calculator for determining the winds aloft, 2 belt weather kits, weather balloons, a nozzle and regulator for a helium tank, office supplies and miscellaneous expendables. It is 27.6 cubic feet and weighs 201 pounds. The second module, know as the computer module, contains a laptop computer with a satellite docking station and satellite dish for downlinking weather data and a printer. It is 5 cubic feet and weighs 55 pounds. A separate module, the microREMS, is a self-contained portable weather station with instruments for measuring temperature, dew point and wind. It is powered by a solar panel and battery. It is 8.2 cubic feet and weighs 125 pounds.

For Agencies in North Carolina and Virginia, requests for an ATMU, microREMS, and IMET should be made through the US Forest Service Region 8 Dispatch. For Maryland Users, the Requests should be routed through the US Forest Service Region 9. The Fire Weather Program Leader or the Meteorologist-in-Charge at the Wakefield Forecast Office should be made aware of the need for these services. Typically, an IMET nearest to the incident will be deployed. (Note: Presently, the Wakefield Office does not have a certified IMET on site. Thus, the IMET would likely come from one of the surrounding offices. The USDA FS Regions should have a list of available and certified IMET’s.) Also, during times of limited resources, the IMET may come from another area of the country.

Individuals making the requests should provide the following information:

Upon arrival at the incident, the IMET meteorologist will:

NWS Fire Weather Meteorologists are available to assist fire control agencies with training at fire behavior school and other weather related courses. Travel costs and any necessary overtime are paid for by the User agency. Requests for assistance should be forwarded to the Meteorologist–in–Charge at the NWS Wakefield Forecast Office by written letter.

Other Special Services

Other Special Services include weather station visitations requested by user agencies, weather observer training, and course development work. These activities would typically be conducted at user agency facilities.
 
 
 
 

Fire weather observation stations provide specialized weather observations for fire weather forecasts, wildfire control suppression, and various other land management operations. These stations may be either manned sites operated by fire control agencies, or unmanned stations such as RAWS (Remote Automatic Weather Station). All observation stations are assigned a 6-digit identifier. The first two digits indicate the state (10 for Maryland, 44 for Virginia and 31 for North Carolina.) The second two indicate the county where the station is located. The last two digits are assigned consecutively with each new station that comes online. The NWS Wakefield Fire Weather Program Leader should be contacted for assignment of the 6-digit identification number to stations within Wakefield’s forecast area. Observation times are normally 1300 EST (1400 EDT) for manned sites.

Quality Control, Inspection and Training

The Fire Weather Program is a cooperative effort between the National Weather Service and federal, state, local, and private control interests involved in the management of timber and grassland. Wildfires pose a serious threat to these lands. Accurate and timely weather information is one of the most important tools available to the land manager.

Observations are the most important single effort the control agencies put into the Fire Weather Program. Potential fire danger is derived from these observations. The Fire Danger Rating System is the guidance tool that, together with the weather forecast, is used to make a variety of management decisions. It is important that observers be well trained and informed of the necessity for accurate, timely, and representative observations. The fire control agencies are responsible for training, inspection, and quality control of observational sites and data at their stations. The NWS Fire Weather Meteorologist will assist when requested and when resources are available.

Transmission of Fire Weather Observations

Fire control agencies should transmit their Fire Weather Observations as soon as possible using normal communications links. For the US Forest Service, National Park Service and the US Fish and Wildlife Service, transmission is usually done via WIMS (Weather Information Management System). The North Carolina State Division of Forest Resources normally transmits the observation via a IBM-PC network. The Maryland Department of Natural Resources uses an FTS network to access the observations.

Fire Weather Station Supplies and Equipment Maintenance

Anemometer oil, hygrothermograph charts, psychometric wicking, ink, and other supplies needed for taking observations should be provided by the fire control agency. The National Weather Service can furnish selected forms and relative humidity tables.

The fire control agency is responsible for providing normal periodic maintenance of all equipment at their fire weather stations.

Severe Weather Reports

Severe weather reports are extremely important and helpful to forecasters at the National Weather Service. Our most important responsibility is to warn the public of impending weather hazards. Very little information is available from remote locations in Maryland, North Carolina, and Virginia. Typically, these areas coincide with the areas of concern by land management and fire control agencies.

If severe weather is occurring, please relay the information immediately to the National Weather Service forecasters so they can promptly warn the general public. Call in reports toll free to the Wakefield Forecast Office at 1-800-737-8624. This number is unlisted and for severe weather reporting only.

The National Service will gladly provide free training about severe weather to individuals interested in helping us with this task. The group of people the NWS trains to report severe weather is known as SKYWARN.

Fire Weather Forecast Users in Maryland use the Internet as their primary mode to receive the forecast while North Carolina and Virginia users use this as a secondary means of receiving the forecast. The Wakefield homepage has links to the Daily Fire Weather Forecasts as well as the Fire Weather Watch/Red Flag Warning Product from the Wakefield, Raleigh, Blacksburg, Morehead City, Sterling, and Mount Holly offices. In addition to the Daily Fire Weather Forecast, the website also has links to various drought indices as well as other Fire Weather related sites.

If the forecasts are unavailable via the WIMS network as well as through Internet, the forecast may be faxed or e-mailed to predetermined distributing agencies. In Virginia the information will be funneled to VICC while in North Carolina either US Forest Service or the NC Forest Service, and the Maryland DNR for Maryland users.

Spot forecast information will be disseminated only to the requesting agency by means of a FAX or telephone.
 
 

I. INTRODUCTION

II. AUTHORITY

III. OBJECTIVES

IV. RESPONSIBILITIES

VI. BILLING PROCEDURES

VII. AMENDMENTS

VIII. TERMS OF NATIONAL AGREEMENT

IX. TECHNICAL MONITOR FOR NWS

X. SIGNATORY PAGE

XI. APPENDIX OF DEFINITIONS
 
 

I. INTRODUCTION

A. Fire Weather Office Operating Plan