A Global Early Warning System for Wildland Fire

1. A Global Early Warning System for Wildland Fire Disasters Task DI-06-13 Bill de Groot, Canadian Forest Service Johann Goldammer, Global Fire Monitoring Centre, University of Freiburg Graham Mills, Centre for Australian Weather and Climate Research Tim Lynham, Canadian Forest Service Ivan Csiszar, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Chris Justice, University of Maryland

2. Wildland fire occurs constantly around the globe

3. 1997-2007 • Wildland fire disaster: • When national fire agencies are overwhelmed by wildfire(s) activity to the point where people, homes, property, and resource-based industries can not be protected Examples of Recent Wildfire Disasters

4. Wildfire disasters occur globally • Many wildfire disasters are undocumented • Wildfire disaster in developing countries can be particularly devastating: loss of shelter, loss of all personal belongings, loss of livelihood 1997-2007 Examples of Recent Wildfire Disasters

5. There are many negative economic, social, and environmental impacts of uncontrolled wildland fire. Many of these impacts can be mitigated, and sometimes prevented, through early warning of wildfire disaster conditions.

6. Forecast Global Fire Danger • Early warning allows implementation of: • fire prevention • fire detection • resource mobilization • before wildfire disasters occur.

7. Global EWS – Fire: System Structure EWS products (www) EWS data inputs Information links CAWCR Global FDR Model (current and forecast FDR using ensemble models) CFS Global EWS Fire Mgt Products (prevention, detection, resource-sharing tools) Uni. Maryland NOAA/NESDIS Active fire monitoring, fire radiative energy Other agencies Vegetation and fuels mapping, fire mapping, etc. Regional Wildland Fire Networks 13 Regional Networks UN/ISDR, FAO, UNEP, WHO Early Warning of Fire Disaster - safety; Resource-Sharing coordination; Health warnings National Fire Organizations Nations with FDRS Nations w/out FDRS Sub-national and/or Local Capable of operating FDRS locally, or as part of larger Network Global EWS Modeling and Data Coordination • Global Fire Monitoring Centre • Global Compilation of National FDRS’s • Forecast Global FDR, weather data and EWS Products

8. Expected Impacts • The Global EWS for Wildland Fire will provide: • daily fire danger rating information to countries without operational fire danger rating systems • a common system with which to implement international resource-sharing agreements during times of wildfire disaster

9. Current Status EWS-Fire Project Plan: • Conduct background and review of fire and EWS systems • Assess current systems, define improvements, and outline options for an operational system • Develop an Implementation Plan • Integrate system within the Hyogo Framework • Coordinate implementation with user agencies through capacity building and technology transfer

10. 2008 Activities Presentations on the Global Early Warning System for Wildland Fire were made at: • GEO supported GOFC-GOLD Workshop on the Requirements for a Fire Early Warning System for Africa, in conjunction with the West Africa Regional Network Meeting on Earth Observation and Environmental Change, 12-16 November 2007, University of Ghana (Legon), Accra, Ghana • UN Wildland Fire Advisory Group/Global Wildland Fire Network meeting, 4-6 July 2008, Freiburg, Germany • GOFC-GOLD Int’l Workshop on Advances in Operational Weather Systems for Fire Danger Rating, Edmonton, Canada, 14-16 July 2008

11. 2008-2009 Activities • Develop the “Implementation Plan for a Global Early Warning System for Wildland Fire”, including a summary of three potential prototype regional systems in areas of high fire risk and/or threat to social, economic, and environmental values (Africa, South America, and Southeast Asia) • Initiate an outreach program to disseminate information on, and gain support for, the Implementation Plan by the wildland fire user community through presentations at international fora. • Secure funding to support full development of at least one prototype regional system (3-year period minimum)

12. 2009-2010 Activities • Assess and acquire regional infrastructure (hardware, software, communication networks) and human resource needs • Detailed design of regional prototype model, including integration of data collection networks, data processing (active fire monitoring, fire danger modeling, and fire weather forecasting), and early warning information dissemination • First-year trial run of system operation by Wildland Fire EWS consortium • Conduct information sessions and training workshops on system operation with regional remote sensing, weather, and wildland fire networks

13. 2010-2011 Activities • Conduct capacity building workshops on system use at regional to local levels; this includes calibration of early warning system to local and regional fire regimes, and design of fire prevention, detection, and suppression preparedness programs in response to early warning system information • Initiate transfer of operational system tasks from the Wildland Fire EWS consortium to regional agencies • Presentation of results at GEO Plenary and Ministerial Meeting (2010)

14. Outstanding Issues Secure funding • Most cost is related to in-kind funding for human resources; minor other costs • Once funding is in place, will initiate a 3-yr timeframe to implement system • If only minimal funding is available, will initially develop the system for a specific global region (several potential areas)