Fall 2019 Training Workshops for OK-FIRE Announced

Operational since 2006, OK-FIRE is a weather-based decision-support system for wildland fire management.  OK-FIRE uses the Oklahoma Mesonet for current/recent conditions and an 84-hour forecast to predict fire weather, fire danger, and smoke dispersion conditions out to three days in the future. Accordingly, with respect to wildfire, OK-FIRE is useful for monitoring not only current fire danger conditions, but also, with its predictive component, for suppression strategies on existing fires and assessing fire danger potential over the next three days, which can aid in determining staffing levels.  With respect to prescribed fire, the system can be used to safely plan for and monitor conditions during a prescribed burn.

OK-FIRE is pleased to announce its fall schedule of training.  Workshops will consist of 6 hours of training (with an hour break for lunch) from 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.  They will be led by Dr. J. D. Carlson, OSU fire meteorologist and OK-FIRE Program Manager, and consist of a combination of presentations and lab exercises in which attendees will get hands-on experience with the OK-FIRE website.  Attendees will need to bring their own laptop computers or tablets. Since space is limited for these workshops, only those who work directly (or indirectly) with wildland fire (wildfire and/or prescribed fire) should attend.  Below is a list of the locations and dates for this fall's workshops:

                           EL RENO             Thu, Oct. 3

                           WOODWARD      Thu, Oct. 24

                           DURANT              Thu, Nov. 14

                           STILLWATER       Thu, Dec. 12

Registration is required and can be done online by clicking here or by contacting Andrea Melvin (andrea@mesonet.org; 405-325-2652) at the Oklahoma Climatological Survey.  Applications will be accepted up until the Friday before each workshop or until space is filled up, whichever occurs sooner.  There is no cost for the workshops, aside from travel costs to and from the location.  More information about each workshop (including directions) will be sent out the Monday before each workshop date.  Workshops will be filled on a first register, first served basis.  Please note again that these workshops are designed only for those who directly or indirectly work with wildland fire, and only those who fall into these categories should register.  The workshops will have similar content to those of last fall.

Attendees will learn about the fire weather, fire danger, and smoke dispersion products available on OK-FIRE, how to use them, and how to access past, current, and forecast values via maps, charts, and tables.  Wildfire, prescribed fire, and smoke applications will be covered.

 

Dr. J. D. Carlson

OK-FIRE Program Manager

Oklahoma State University

jdc@okstate.edu