Fall 2021 OK-FIRE Classes

Free training workshops will be offered this fall for both new and experienced users of OK-FIRE, the statewide weather-based decision support system of the Oklahoma Mesonet for wildland fire management, having applications to wildfire, prescribed fire, and smoke. Dr. J. D. Carlson, OK-FIRE program manager and fire meteorologist in OSU's Department of Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering, will conduct the training. Workshops will be held in a virtual format over Zoom from 1:00 p.m. to 4:30 p.m., spanning two consecutive afternoons in October, November, and December:

October 27 (Part 1), October 28 (Part 2)

November 17 (Part 1), November 18 (Part 2)

December 8 (Part 1), December 9 (Part 2)

Registration is required and can be done here. Information on the specific content of Part 1 and Part 2 of the workshops can be found on the online registration form. If a registrant can only attend one of the two consecutive afternoons, that person can sign up for the other half of the workshop on another date; however, in such cases, it would be best to attend a Part 1 workshop first and a Part 2 workshop in a later month. If a person wishes to only attend one half of the full workshop, that is acceptable, but not recommended.  Note that the registration deadline for each afternoon workshop is the Friday before the workshop date. An email reminder containing more information as well as the workshop Zoom link will be sent out to those registered several days before each workshop. If you have any questions about registration, please email Monica Mattox (mmattox@mesonet.org).

These workshops will be the first since the introduction of the revised fire danger model in June 2020. This revised model features greater resolution in space and time, a new satellite source for greenness data, and a revised set of fuel models. The Part 2 workshops will cover these changes as well as some resulting issues of which to be aware. 

Workshops will consist of a combination of presentations, website demos, and question/answer periods. Participants will learn about the available fire weather, fire danger, and smoke products on OK-FIRE, as well as their application to wildfire, prescribed fire, and smoke management. In addition to past/current conditions based on Oklahoma Mesonet data, OK-FIRE also includes a 3-day forecast component, useful for anticipating periods of high fire danger as well as identifying windows for prescribed burning. If possible, attendees are encouraged to use either tablets or computers, as the larger screens will make for easier viewing and learning. Please note that these workshops are designed for those who work directly (or indirectly) with wildland fire (wildfire and/or prescribed fire). 

Dr. J. D. Carlson

OK-FIRE Program Manager

Oklahoma State University

jdc@okstate.edu