Use of Fire Weather Forecasts and Products among Emergency Managers in Oklahoma

Abstract

Emergency managers (EMs) play a critical role in disseminating risk information to protect their communities from natural hazards, such as wildfires. The Integrated Warning Team Fire Warning (IWT FRW) approach is a new process where National Weather Service (NWS) forecasters collaborate with local EMs, forestry services, and fire managers to issue Fire Warnings to alert the public about ongoing wildfire hazards. While the IWT FRW process has been successfully used operationally in NWS forecast offices in Oklahoma and the Texas Panhandle, less is known about how fire warnings and pre-fire fire weather products are understood, communicated, and used more generally among key partners, particularly Emergency Managers. Researchers developed and distributed a survey to Oklahoma EMs to obtain a baseline knowledge of their understanding and use of fire weather information and products, operational procedures during fire weather conditions and ongoing fires, and how Fire Warnings were received and disseminated. Results indicate that Oklahoma EMs recognize that wildfires pose significant risk to their jurisdictions, with 70% rating their jurisdiction as “High” or “Very High” risk. Due to this level of threat awareness, EMs reported seeking out or receiving fire weather information from a number of sources, including the NWS, Oklahoma Forestry Service, and Oklahoma Mesonet/OK-FIRE. EMs also shared fire weather forecast information with their fire departments, response partners, local elected officials, and the public.