Joint Action Group for the National Wildland Fire Weather Needs Assessment 12 Dec 2006, 10:00 – 12:00 EST Cochairs: Dr. Al Riebau, Mr. Eli Jacks OFCM: USAF Lt. Col. Dave Andrus Telecon # , pass code # GoToMeeting ID is https://

Agenda Welcome and administrative actions Welcome and administrative actions Primary goal Primary goal JAG-established goals JAG-established goals Action item update Action item update Survey status Survey status Analysis plans Analysis plans Timeline Timeline Open discussion Open discussion Plans for next meeting Plans for next meeting Review new action items Review new action items

Welcome and Administrative Actions Welcome! Welcome! –Federal Coordinator for Meteorology, Samuel P. Williamson Administrative remarks Administrative remarks –Attendance roster –Facility information –GoToMeeting use ROA approval ROA approval

Primary Goal The Western Governors urge NOAA to: The Western Governors urge NOAA to: Complete a National Needs Assessment Report, by NOAA ’ s Office of the Federal Coordinator for Meteorology, of federal, state and local fire managers needs for weather information in their wildfire and prescribed fire decision making processes and a framework to meet those needs by the NWS and Predictive Services. Complete a National Needs Assessment Report, by NOAA ’ s Office of the Federal Coordinator for Meteorology, of federal, state and local fire managers needs for weather information in their wildfire and prescribed fire decision making processes and a framework to meet those needs by the NWS and Predictive Services.

JAG-Established Goals Comprehensive assessment of weather and climate needs of providers and users in their wildland fire and fuels management activities Comprehensive assessment of weather and climate needs of providers and users in their wildland fire and fuels management activities Assessment of provider agency capability to deliver weather and climate information to fire managers and other users Assessment of provider agency capability to deliver weather and climate information to fire managers and other users Raise the critical nature of fire weather to a new level of community awareness Raise the critical nature of fire weather to a new level of community awareness

Action Item Update Closed action items Closed action items – Assessment information gathering tool – Observational data survey development – Fire modeling survey development – Forecast products and services survey development – Information dissemination survey development – Survey contact list – Survey cover letters – JAG-developed contact list

Action Item Update Open actions items Open actions items – NWS provide information on product shortfalls and gaps (Hockenberry) – Predictive services provide information on product shortfalls and gaps (Ochoa)

Fire Congress Special Session Special session – 39 participants Special session – 39 participants –Speakers presented material on each functional area –Active dialog on fire weather needs Data collection, integrity, processing and archival Data collection, integrity, processing and archival –Need for data integrity, especially with historical/climatological data –Need for data requirements study –Need for data standards

Fire Congress Special Session Forecast products and services Forecast products and services –One standard doesn’t fit all –Need longer term forecasts for season-ending events and fire behavior Modeling, prediction, and data assimilation Modeling, prediction, and data assimilation –Need to investigate use of models to determine optimal observational data density Information dissemination and technologies Information dissemination and technologies –Need for improving speed at which data and products are available to the user –Interest in common repository (web location) for current information on various research efforts

Fire Congress Special Session Education, training, outreach, partnering and collaboration Education, training, outreach, partnering and collaboration –Need to examine potential benefits of distance learning Socioeconomic impacts Socioeconomic impacts –Concerns raised with alerting general public to fire danger vulnerability (arson) –Also addressed need to alert law enforcement of danger vulnerability for public safety

Survey Status Early survey effort – 174 contacted, 83 returns Early survey effort – 174 contacted, 83 returns Fire Congress survey given to 437 federal attendees – 22 returns Fire Congress survey given to 437 federal attendees – 22 returns Online version sent to Online version sent to –1161 federal (who didn’t attend Fire Congress) –369 non-fed through various outreach efforts –??? others, as forwarded by JAG members –Total online distribution well over 1,500 –Online returns to date: 260+ Total contacts = 2,000+ Total contacts = 2,000+ Total returns = 360+ Total returns = 360+

Online Survey Respondents

Survey Analysis Plans JAG assistance needed to for initial evaluation of responses within each functional area JAG assistance needed to for initial evaluation of responses within each functional area –Subject matter expertise is critical component of evaluation –Determine overall theme of responses –Document most prevalent needs, gaps, and concerns addressed by multiple respondents OFCM involved in all functional areas OFCM involved in all functional areas –Provide analysis framework & coordinate effort –Validate and augment initial results –Synthesize all functional area results JAG members will be given opportunity to comment throughout the process JAG members will be given opportunity to comment throughout the process

Survey Analysis Plans Data - Paul Schlobohm (FENWT) Data - Paul Schlobohm (FENWT) R&D - Al Riebau R&D - Al Riebau Forecast products and services - Eli Jacks Forecast products and services - Eli Jacks Modeling, prediction, and data assimilation - ?? Modeling, prediction, and data assimilation - ?? Information dissemination and technologies - Larry Bradshaw Information dissemination and technologies - Larry Bradshaw Education, training, outreach, partnering and collaboration - ?? Education, training, outreach, partnering and collaboration - ?? User response, decision support, and resulting user impacts - ?? User response, decision support, and resulting user impacts - ?? Funding and human resource considerations - ?? Funding and human resource considerations - ?? Socioeconomic impacts - ?? Socioeconomic impacts - ??

Timeline Dec 22– Survey responses due Dec 22– Survey responses due Jan – Analysis work Jan – Analysis work Feb – Draft assessment Feb – Draft assessment Feb 21? – JAG meeting on draft assessment Feb 21? – JAG meeting on draft assessment Mar– Assessment editing continues Mar– Assessment editing continues Apr 18? – JAG meeting on assessment results Apr 18? – JAG meeting on assessment results Jun – Presentation to WGA Jun – Presentation to WGA

Open Discussion

Meeting Plans Feb 21? Feb 21? Apr 18? Apr 18?

New Action Items

Agenda Welcome and administrative actions Welcome and administrative actions Primary goal Primary goal JAG-established goals JAG-established goals Action item update Action item update Survey status Survey status Analysis plans Analysis plans Timeline Timeline Open discussion Open discussion Plans for next meeting Plans for next meeting Review new action items Review new action items

Backup Slides

JAG-Established Functional Areas Data collection, integrity, processing and archival Data collection, integrity, processing and archival Fire weather research and development Fire weather research and development Forecast products and services Forecast products and services Modeling, prediction, and data assimilation Modeling, prediction, and data assimilation Information dissemination and technologies Information dissemination and technologies Education, training, outreach, partnering and collaboration Education, training, outreach, partnering and collaboration User response, decision support, and resulting user impacts User response, decision support, and resulting user impacts Funding and human resource considerations Funding and human resource considerations Socioeconomic impacts Socioeconomic impacts