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National Wildfire Coordinating Group
Fire Environment Working Team
Fire Behavior Committee
Teleconference
FINAL

March 15, 2007

Members present:

Dan Jimenez
Dave Whitmer
John Barborinas
John Saltenberger
Paul Schlobohm (FENWT)
Risa Lange-Navarro
R. Ziel
Punky Moore - notetaker

Absent:

Kelly Close
Larry VanBussum

S-490:

Significant review of the course offering was sent to Noble. Committed set of instructors made Rapid City course a success. The course clearly needs major work; however, students learned the information presented.
Major Points:

• Moved considerable amount of content to S390, S490 needs a transitional lesson
• Adapting large scale winds, no review of the new S390 material - discussed whether it is review or core material
• First exercise was not complex enough
• Unit 6 – briefing lesson should be done differently – discuss at spring meeting
• Moved stability up in the course
• Could combine critical weather patterns and extreme fire behavior lessons
• Unit 13 exercise needs to incorporate more of a progressive exercise

Phoenix course: Weather sections went well. Dedicated reviewer this time. John S. will post the review on MFC. The new course is also being offered in Minnesota.

Development group is considering reconstituting a SME group. Dialogue needs to take place on the approach for review, revision and updates. There is direction to have the course completed by fall. Discussed whether it is necessary for FBC to attend SME meeting in Boise. How does this fit into the TWT new curriculum maintenance process?

There is a new discussion area started on MFC for course reviews. Members will post information for further discussion.

S-290:

Test Course in Missoula – Risa will sit in on the course. Working on making changes in the course, specifically in the instructor guide and student workbook, cannot delete or add slides. There may not need to be a total rewrite of the course. Where FLAME is tagged on and the points relevant to the section lack continuity; this item needs to be addressed further. Standards folks will be at the test course also.

S-491:

Discussed whether there is a decision for FB courses to be online instead that can be adjusted regularly instead of on the 5-year cycle. S-491 does not appear on the Curriculum Maintenance Plan and continues to be treated similar to annual review courses. TWT and TWDT are aware that pieces get updated every year and the printed material ends up not being used. The Great Basin will present course entirely electronically first week of April.

Different strategies for courses that require annual revision are being considered. This is considered a test case to see if there is a better approach to revision than current process.

The plan for FENWT to assume responsibility of S-490 Plus courses did not have sufficient support to go forward. However, S-492/493 curriculum maintenance is now FENWT’s responsibility with the delivery structured thru McClellan. The issue is how to proceed with McClellan to ensure instructors have fire behavior experience in order to make courses successful.

Marquette Agenda Item: Training Curriculum Maintenance

Action Item #251 - Zeke will invite Pam Schallbetter and S-492/493 steering chairs to participate in curriculum delivery, and maintenance discussion during spring meeting, due date 3/22/07.

Marquette Agenda Item: Conference call with S-493/493 steering chairs and Pam Schallbetter regarding curriculum delivery, instructors and maintenance.

NWS training material review:

NWS is in the process of changing inhouse courses into COMET modules, i.e., S-591 Fire Wx Forecaster course. The Wildland Fire Behavior section needs FBC input regarding the discussion about fire behavior and especially extreme fire behavior. Request that FBC review the material and provide feedback. Members agreed what is presented should align with FBC.

Action Item #252: John S. will post documents and training material on MFC for FBC to review and provide feedback to course developers, due date 7/1/07.

Action Item #253: John S. will invite course developers to present introduction to the course development during spring meeting, either by conference call or in person, due date 3/22/07

Marquette Agenda Items:

NWS course developers present training plan introduction to FBC at spring meeting.
Paul will provide update on developing online S290 course after conversation with Deb Epps and Wendell Welch regarding S290 thru COMET.

FENWT meeting:

L. VanBussum attended, provided notes and will be at the Marquette meeting.

Marquette Agenda Item:

Weather Providers – What are the needs of the Fire Behavior community for accessing and displaying weather data? Discussed whether we should be supporting a larger or smaller RAWS network and in what configuration do we need to provide functionality for accessing online weather data. Are there other ways to provide data or is ROMAN the answer?

• What kind of weather data observations are needed
• Tolerance of observations that do not meet NFDRS or RAWS standards
• How willing to use other networks of observation data
• Where do we see the future of gridded data? How does gridded data meet needs, resolution, possible to get at the event, need it at the event?

  Action Item #254: Risa will send the weather data questions to FBANS/LTANS/IMET for response due by April 6th. Feedback will be forwarded to FENWT, due date 3/22/07.

2nd Fire Behavior & Fuels Conference status:

150 people signed up for the workshops. About 410 signed up for the conference, maybe 50 more. John B. will assist Zeke with workshops. John S. will assist with poster session – tearing down workshop rooms and setting up posters. Program is finalized, speakers have been identified and awards will be presented.

Marquette Agenda Item: Annual Refresher Video

Still waiting for more than initial input. This year, “Fire Indicators”. FBC to review video and have discussion with Ted Mason at April meeting to consider FBC recommendations for ’08 refresher.

Position Task Books rewrites for LTAN/FBAN:

Group discussion should be happening now. Proposals are on the MyFireCommunity S590 website-deadline March 12. Dave will follow-up with Zeke and Risa about proceeding further.

Timeline: April 9-13 workshop in Boise to look for SME input
S590 Rep – Still needed, a lot of people are already committed.

Action Item #255: Dave W. will inquire whether FBC can provide input from Marquette, due date 3/22/07

Action Item #256: Zeke will repost info on FBC community and Risa will post on FBAN/LTAN/IMET site, due date 3/22/07.

Budget Issues:

Have resolved FY06 budget issues, working on ‘07 budget now. Still working on conference travel. Committed $2500.00 to conference.

Marquette Agenda Item: Need to identify specific expenditures in all categories of the budget

Wind Issue Action:

There needs to be an outcome from this type of communication. FBC responsibility to ensure that the message that needs to go out is getting out in the training materials. We need to address advanced training. This kind of discussion thread energizes community. It has generated a lot of discussion in the FBAN/LTAN community.

Action Item#257: John S. will post input on FBAN/LTAN/IMET under Wind Gust topic, due date 3/22/07

Status of the search for vice Chair and vice Executive Secretary:

Funding for travel is an issue. April meeting will be difficult. Kelly Close has joined FBC and will be at the Marquette meeting.

FLAME reference pages in the IRPG:

It is too much material for the IRPG. Need to distribute wide in the FBAN/LTAN community this year. The FLAME handbook is in S-290 course material. Will evaluate it at Missoula test course along with the lesson plans on how to use it. ON the FBC discussion center, there is a copy of the file. FBC needs to review. Also referenced on the WFSTAR site.

Action Item #258: Risa will upload ppt for FLAME on MFC, due date 3/22/07

IRPG Updates:

PMS working team wants to see a working team proposal. FENWT will facilitate the transfer of info from FBC to PMS.

See Action Item#226: Risa will forward to Paul by 4/1/07.

April Meeting, Agenda & Logistics:

Zeke provided info on April meeting logistics posted on the MFC calendar .

Action Item table status:

Other items

Marquette Agenda Item: Viegas model

Received info from Bob Means (influence of slope on extreme fire behavior). Ties in with Extreme Fire Behavior panel at the conference. Model is set up on a spreadsheet. No FBAN on the development team. FBC members need to review. Link is posted on MFC.

Action Item #259: Risa will invite Joanne to join FBC at spring meeting via GoToMeeting, due date 3/22/07

Future Business:

New models:

Need to develop strategic plan for FBC considering peer review and beyond. This could be another opportunity for discussion thread on the LTAN/FBAN/IMET site. Will determine how to proceed after April meeting.

Meeting adjourned 1:00 p.m.

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