NWCG Fire Weather Working Team Meeting Minutes -- October 8

FIRE WEATHER WORKING TEAM MEETING

Minutes and Actions
Gettysburg, PA October 8-9, 2002

SUMMARY OF ACTION ITEMS

1) Heath Hockenberry/Rick Ochoa/ROMAN development team - ROMAN (Real-Time Observations Monitor and Analysis Network) is a web based weather observations monitor linking RAWS, airport observations and other miscellaneous observations to a single user interface. A white paper will be written outlining ROMAN operational issues such as alternative solutions of deployment to a server and maintenance. The white paper should be finalized by the next FWWT meeting.

2) Wayne Mitchell/Paul Schlobohm- Compose white paper to articulate topic organization flow chart which was developed by the FWWT. The white paper should include alternatives and consequences of any combination of the FWWT and the FDWT. The white paper is due to NWCG for their January 2002 meeting.

3) Everyone - Please review NWCG glossary term ownership spread sheet and get comments back to Heath by mid November. FWWT "ownership" will be marked by a red "FWWT" in the far left column of the spreadsheet. If any new terms need to be introduced please outline those suggestions in the same form as the original spreadsheet.

4) Rick Ochoa- Compose white paper to be presented to FWWT at next meeting, addressing Predictive Services program direction and accomplishments.

5) Patti Hirami- Collect policy and procedures in developing Annual Operating Plans. Highlight differences and similarities in a matrix form and post it on the FWWT site. Deadline around Thanksgiving.

6) Dick Bahr - Post the National Agreement on the FWWT site.

7) Rusty Billingsley - Track down station numbering procedures.

8) Larry Bradshaw- Round up action items from last FDWT meeting concerning station numbering procedures. Forward information to Rusty.

9) Phil Sielaff/Paul Schlobohm - Edit issue paper for 24/7 coverage from FDWT, FWWT, SHWT and IOSWT. Make sure to include year-round NFDRS hourly standards from nat'l agreement, FireRAWS and add a NWS signature to the issue paper.

10) Heath Hockenberry- Update FWWT contact list.

MINUTES

Topic #1 - "ROMAN", the observation monitoring project led by Randy Hart, Ed Delgado (both from the Eastern Great Basin GACC) and Tim Mathewson (from the Rocky Mountain GACC). ROMAN will be a comprehensive national observation monitoring system. The web site for the ROMAN system is http://www.met.utah.edu/firewx/ . Ed Delgado presented the background structure and content of the ROMAN system. ROMAN can be used by all levels of fire management, GACC Predictive Services and the National Weather Service to monitor all kinds of meteorological observations, from RAWS to ASOS airport sites.

Discussion after the presentation focused on operational issues and workload analysis. In addition, consensus was reached that ROMAN provided a good compliment to ASCADS, WIMS and WFAS. As a result, action item #1 was generated:

1) Heath Hockenberry/Rick Ochoa/ROMAN development team - ROMAN (Real-Time Observation ...) is a web based weather observations monitor linking RAWS, airport observations and other miscellaneous observations to a single user interface. A white paper will be written outlining ROMAN operational issues such as alternative solutions of deployment to a server and maintenance. The white paper should be finalized by the next FWWT meeting.

Topic #2 - The merging of the FDWT and the FWWT, led by Wayne. It was emphasized that this proposal was in the "suggestion" stage, with no real set plan of merger. One of NWCG's concerns was that a proliferation of many groups could lead to lower working efficiency. There is also a "perception of overlap" amongst the FDWT and the FWWT.

Discussion mainly focused on organizing a flow chart of weather and fire danger. Discussion also focused on a need for better communication between team chairs or the need for a coordination body between groups to help intercede for the NWCG.

Wayne and Paul then presented the flow chart to the NWCG and the results were twofold:

The NWCG is concerned about coordinating research and the development of new systems. They are also concerned with the number of working teams currently reporting to NWCG.

The overall result of the initial FWWT flow chart discussion along with Wayne and Paul's presentation to the NWCG was action item #2.

Topic #3 - FCAMMS was presented by Patti Hirami. The presentation focused on smoke management, including models, emissions and regulations, EPA coordination and prescribed fire model input. A discussion of the MM5 model consortia followed and how output from these models would be used by fire managers.

It was agreed that a critical step to interpreting the model data was monitoring by a meteorologist. How to do this was the question, as well as how to properly design a final user interface for the products being produced and, hopefully, reviewed by the meteorologist.

Rusty Billingsley then commented that the NWS as not extremely clear on the role they are to play in smoke management. He stated that meso-modeling continues to be more art than science, reemphasizing the need for meteorologist interpretation of the consortia output. Also, Rusty mentioned the NWS is seeking customers for future products which could be generated by the National Digital Forecast Database (NDFD). The NWS future is gridded products. How these products are to be used in smoke management is still to be answered.

Topic #4 - Satellite Communications Cost for the Forest Service. It continues to go up. But, these costs will be necessary for IMET support in the future. A Hughes Global Commercial Satellite will be used for IMETs with data access rates up to 1200 kbps, and the eventual expectation is up to 4 users per dish.

During the communications discussion, the question was posed to Rusty about the NWS policy concerning use of agency IMETs. Rusty reiterated that the official NWS stand is exactly what is stated in the newly adopted National Agreement, which is to be posted on the FWWT web site.

Topic #5 - Predictive Services direction. Rick Ochoa presented a slide show outlining the basic future plans of Predictive Services. A proposed Predictive Services Group, composed of national and regional fire managers, intelligence officers and GACC meteorologists, would provide the overall program direction. Predictive Services will also be a topic of discussion at the upcoming intell/GACC meteorologist meeting as well as the December center manager meeting in San Antonio.

Heath Hockenberry moved on to the discussion of the Data Standards group called the DAWG group. An important aspect was reviewing ownership of terms in the NWCG Glossary of Terms handbook. This resulted in action item #3.

3) Everyone - Please review NWCG glossary term ownership spread sheet and get comments back to Heath Hockenberry by mid November. FWWT "ownership" will be marked by a red "FWWT" in the far left column of the spreadsheet. If any new terms need to be introduced please outline those suggestions in the same form as the original spreadsheet.

Heath then gave a presentation on the two systems GACC Meteorologists currently use to perform their jobs - FX-Net and AWIPS. The differences and similarities were expressed as well as the basic costs for the systems.

The overall result of the Predictive Services and AWIPS discussions was action item #4.

4) Rick Ochoa- Compose white paper to be presented to FWWT at next meeting, addressing Predictive Services program direction and accomplishments.

Topic #6 - Status of National Agreement and annual operating plans. Dick led the discussion on the National Agreement and stated that amendments in the future will require only the signature of Rick and Rusty as long as no financial alterations are made. There is also no mention of state support in the National Agreement.

There was a discussion on annual operating plans as set forth by the national agreement. The point was made that the AOP must involve those people directly affected by its implementation. Dick Bahr then pointed out that land management entities and representatives are now required to sign off on all AOP's, or there is no legal authority to transfer money. Finally, verification was discussed which is outlined in the National Agreement as a joint venture between land management and those providing decision-making products. Rusty Billingsley also made the point that the NWS would appreciate feedback on AOP's and verification from the wildland fire agencies.

The above discussion generated action items #5 and #6.

5) Patti Hirami - Collect policy and procedures in developing Annual Operating Plans. Highlight differences and similarities in a matrix form and post it on the FWWT site. Deadline around Thanksgiving.

6) Dick Bahr - Post the National Agreement on the FWWT site.

Topic #6 - An update on National Weather Service Policy & Procedures, including MAR. Rusty stated that the new way of providing policy in the NWS is updating a NWS document called 10-4. This document provides NWS policy on product specifications, IMETs, coordination, AOP's and training/professional development.

There was also a discussion on IMET certification standards on an interagency basis.

A question was posed on the process of amending the 10-4 NWS policy. Rusty stated that the NWS Regional Headquarters locations fed him suggestions. Also, it was mentioned that the 10-4 policy updates needed feedback from Rick, the GACC's, the FWWT and the fire directors.

Rusty stated that on January 1, 2003, all NWS offices will assume fire weather forecast operations in California.

Some discussion was then held on weather station numbering which prompted the next action items.

7) Rusty Billingsley- Track down station numbering procedures.

8) Larry Bradshaw- Round up action items from last FDWT meeting concerning station numbering procedures. Forward information to Rusty.

Topic #7 - Weather data delivery systems and RAWS. ASCADS is presently 14 yrs old. A next generation ASACDS is underway, with a 2003 interim addition, (two-year patch) in the works which will speed up ASCADS significantly. The "Diagram Grande" was discussed and produced the lead agencies in this effort. By 2005, all NFDRS stations will go through ASCADS.

The main issue discussed was Wallops Island data reliability. It has suffered this year so the need for a backup has been addressed. In the future the new ASCADS will be able to redundantly ingest from 3 different sources. So, a letter was circulated addressing support for round-the-clock operational requirements. Also, Fire RAWS has really surged in the past few years and now does not have the staff to support its growth.

This led to the next action item.

9) Phil Sieloff/Paul Schlobohm- Edit issue paper for 24/7 coverage from FDWT, FWWT, SHWT and IOSWT. Make sure to include year-round NFDRS hourly standards from nat'l agreement, FireRAWS and add the NWS as a distinct signer of the issue paper.

THE NEXT MEETING IS TENTATIVELY SCHEDULED AT THE END OF APRIL OR BEGINNING OF MAY IN SALT LAKE CITY. THIS WILL BE COORDINATED BY DICK BAHR.