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March 2015 Newsletter
In This Issue
FFI Interagency Monitoring Tool Updated
 The FFI (FEAT/FIREMON Integrated) interagency, plot-level monitoring tool to assist managers with collection, storage, and analysis of ecological information was recently updated.
Photo courtesy of Steve Sutherland, USFS.
Changes include -
- Updated master species list that matches 2014 NRCS-PLANTS database
- New Administrative Unit species replace tool
- New macroplot report
- Modified standard reports to better accommodate three-part forms
- Updated functionality for custom tree reports
- New plot photo protocol
- Updated GIS toolbar for Arc 10.2
- Improved FuelCalc and FOFEM export functionality
FFI software components provide for: data entry and storage, summary reports, analysis tools, GIS connection, and personal digital assistant use or field tablet data collection (with FFI-Lite). FFI can help managers fulfill monitoring mandates set forth in land management policy and encourage cooperative, interagency data management and information sharing.
For more information and to download FFI and FFI-Lite version 1.05.03, user guides, and other supplemental documents, visit the FFI-FRAMES website. |
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Smoke Can Influence Tornado Severity
 Smoke from fires can influence tornado intensity, according to a study conducted by the University of Iowa.
The study, published in Geophysical Research Letters, examined smoke impacts on a historic severe weather outbreak on April 27, 2011. The weather event produced 122 tornadoes and resulted in 313 deaths across the southeastern United States.
Environmental conditions lead to the high potential for tornado formation, but smoke lowered the base of clouds and increased wind shear (wind speed variations with respect to altitude), which increased the likelihood of more severe tornadoes.
The satellite image above ( courtesy of Brad Pierce, NOAA) shows tornado tracks coming for the southeastern US on April 27, 2011. Tornado tracks are the red lines, the thickest of which indicate a magnitude 5 tornado. The yellow markers are fires, and in the overlay, particulate matter in the air is highest in the red zones and lowest in the purple.
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Wildfire Risk and Fuel Treatment Analysis Workshop
 The Wildfire Risk and Fuel Treatment Analysis Workshop on Jan 27-29 in Missoula, MT, offered an opportunity for federal agencies to build capacity in conducting wildfire risk assessments using the best tools and science available to inform fire and fuels management decisions.
The workshop introduced risk framework concepts, steps, and recent applications from project to national scales to help forests and regional staff support local wildfire risk assessments.
The workshop was organized by USDA FS Washington Office Fire and Aviation Management (WO-FAM) Fuels and Fire Ecology group, with support from Rocky Mountain Research Station, Pyrologix LLC, USDA Pacific Northwest Research Station Western Wildland Environmental Threat Assessment Center (WWETAC), TEAMS enterprise unit, and FS Regions 1 and 5.
There were 38 workshop participants, and another 50+ people participated via a workshop simulcast.
Learn much more by visiting the workshop website. |
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Human Dimensions in Safety and Wildland Fire
 The 13th International Wildland Fire Safety Summit and 4th Human Dimensions of Wildland Fire Conference - Managing Fire, Understanding Ourselves: Human Dimensions in Safety and Wildland Fire will be April 20-24 in Boise, ID.
This joint conference is focused on bringing past experience, current science, and new ideas together in an effort to tackle future challenges. More than 300 participants from emergency services, state, federal, and local governments, industry, NGOs, and research and education are expected to attend.
The NRSFN will be there. Stop by and visit with us in the exhibitor's hall.
For more information, visit the conference website. |
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FireWorks Educational Trunk - Master Class
 The annual free "master class" on teaching with the FireWorks educational trunk will be June 18-19 at the Missoula Fire Sciences Laboratory.
The class -
- consists of two days of intense, entertaining, hands-on activities for teaching students about wildland fire behavior, ecology, management, and activities related to traditional fire use
- focuses on ecosystems in the Northern Rocky Mountains and North Cascade range
- reflects recent advances in fire research
- contains activities for every age group, K-12 and adult education
The FireWorks program is a valuable resource for teachers (OPI and University of Montana credit available), youth leaders, agency educators, communication specialists, and outdoor educators. FireWorks trunks contain a wide variety of materials including laboratory equipment, specimens, CDs, books, and kits of specialized materials for teachers. Trunks are currently available for loan in eight states: AK, CO, ID, MT, NV, OR, UT, and WY.
For more information, visit the FireWorks website.
To register for the class, email Ilana Abrahamson. |
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