NOAA Tests Next-Gen Tools for Transformative Wildfire Detection

Published Date: 23/07/2024

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NOAA's Next Generation Fire System and Integrated Warning Team paradigm are being tested to speed up fire detection and warning, using artificial intelligence and real-time data to save lives and property. "Two experimental tools that will revolutionize wildfire detection and warning underwent a week-long test run in NOAA's new Fire Weather Testbed in June. The Next Generation Fire System (NGFS) and the application of the Integrated Warning Team paradigm to wildfire were put through their paces in a series of hands-on simulations with National Weather Service fire weather forecasters, state wildfire managers, researchers, and social scientists. 

NGFS, developed by NOAA Satellites, uses artificial intelligence to rapidly and autonomously identify fires from observations collected by geostationary satellites. This reduces response time when a swift initial attack is most critical. The Integrated Warning Team paradigm speeds up the exchange of information between meteorologists and land managers to issue fire warnings through NWS channels for rapidly spreading wildfires threatening life and property.

The Fire Weather Testbed, located at NOAA's Global Systems Laboratory in Boulder, Colorado, provided a unique environment for teams to evaluate the new tools and warning services. During the simulations, teams reacted to actual weather and fuels forecasts leading up to the fire outbreaks. Meteorologists used chat rooms to alert their forestry and firefighting partners of emerging hotspots and evolving weather conditions. The fire managers then identified lives and property at risk, and collaborated with their NWS partners to determine if the areas in a wildfire's path needed a fire warning.

The NGFS uses artificial intelligence and data fusion capabilities to enable efficient and effective decision-making. The system displays information about the fire's location and intensity on a dashboard, providing access to satellite imagery and other data layers such as fire weather outlooks and Red Flag Warnings, wildfire incident perimeters, governmental boundaries, agency jurisdictions, and fuels data.

The first Integrated Warning Team fire warnings were issued in Oklahoma in March 2022, and similar warnings were issued during nine separate wildfires in Oklahoma and Texas during 2022 and 2023. The Warning Team alerted incident commanders to move firefighting crews to safety just before a dangerous wind shift.

Social scientists participated in the design and preparation of the exercise, and surveyed participants to gain additional feedback. The evaluation was deemed an overwhelming success, and the data will be analyzed to assist NOAA Satellites and the NWS in deploying these new technologies and services to support wildfire operations across the country.

NOAA's Global Systems Laboratory (GSL) is a research laboratory that develops and transition new weather, water, and climate forecast models and tools into operations. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) is a scientific agency within the United States Department of Commerce that focuses on the conditions of the oceans and the atmosphere.

The National Weather Service (NWS) is a government agency that provides weather forecasts, warnings, and other weather-related products to protect life and property. NOAA Satellites is a government agency that operates a fleet of satellites that provide critical data for weather forecasting, climate monitoring, and other activities.

FAQS:

Q: What is the Next Generation Fire System (NGFS)?

A: The NGFS is a system developed by NOAA Satellites that uses artificial intelligence to rapidly and autonomously identify fires from observations collected by geostationary satellites.

Q: What is the Integrated Warning Team paradigm?

A: The Integrated Warning Team paradigm is a approach that speeds up the exchange of information between meteorologists and land managers to issue fire warnings through NWS channels for rapidly spreading wildfires threatening life and property.

Q: What is the Fire Weather Testbed?

A: The Fire Weather Testbed is a research facility located at NOAA's Global Systems Laboratory in Boulder, Colorado, that provides a unique environment for teams to evaluate new fire detection and warning tools and services.

Q: How does NGFS use artificial intelligence?

A: NGFS uses artificial intelligence and data fusion capabilities to enable efficient and effective decision-making, providing critical information about the fire's location and intensity on a dashboard.

Q: What is the goal of the Next Generation Fire System and Integrated Warning Team paradigm?

A: The goal of the Next Generation Fire System and Integrated Warning Team paradigm is to speed up fire detection and warning, saving lives and property by providing critical information to forecasters, land managers, and emergency responders.

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