WILDFIRE: LATEST LEARNINGS- v01.6

WILDFIRE: LATEST LEARNINGS

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General learning outcome:

FIRE MANAGEMENT:

Specific learning outcome:

A range of nocturnal processes must be considered: subsidence inversions, jets, thermal belt, Foehn winds.

Topic:

Detecting a subsidence inversion using an on-site AWS, hand-held weather meters, internet data sources and pressure charts.

Operational Awareness for Advanced Firefighters & Fire Behaviour Analysts


In most cases, relative humidity will vary in a predictable manner, reaching minima in the afternoon and maxima overnight, just before sunrise. However there may be cases where subsidence inversions cause overnight RH minima, mainly between midnight and sunrise. As these are poorly forecast, it is imperative that operations officers remain vigilant for these, especially in high country. Even a half-hourly weather reporting schedule may not pick-up their early stages of onset. At large burn-off operations, operations section should always have at least one person reporting weather on a schedule and when changes occur. This could involve hand-held meters or properly installed automatic weather stations.
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This website is dedicated to bringing forward the latest research findings. They are provided to allow firefighters to be made aware of critical safety issues ahead of the material being included in the national training curriculum.
Material prepared by Rick McRae for AFAC Research Dissemination Pilot Study, March 2012.