Near-surface wind is the driving environmental factor for wildland fire spread and behavior. Local-scale terrain and vegetation can significantly alter wind over small scales that are not captured by standard weather prediction models and are not easily anticipated by even experienced fire managers. The USFS Missoula Fire Sciences Lab has developed a fast-running, high-resolution, wind model called WindNinja for use by wildland fire managers. In conjunction with continuous model development, the lab has conducted a number of field campaigns in different types of complex terrain aimed at collecting near-surface, high-resolution wind data that can be used to evaluate WindNinja and other high-resolution wind models. This webinar will give an overview of the WindNinja model, the new mobile interface (WindNinja-Mobile) and future project plans.
This webinar will be presented by Dr. Natalie Wagenbrenner, Research Meteorologist, Missoula Fire Sciences Laboratory, USDA Forest Service. It is being hosted by the Southern Fire Exchange in cooperation with the USDA Forest Service Missoula Fire Sciences Laboratory.