Presented on January 25, 2023, by

Francis Fujioka
USDA Forest Service
Fire Meteorology Research Project Leader (Retired)
Riverside Fire Lab, Riverside, California

Abstract:

Faced with an increasing threat of wildfires, the Hawai’i State Division of Forestryrequested the assistance of the USDA Forest Service in setting up a customized version of the National Fire Danger Rating System more than 50 years ago. This seminar covers a brief history of the subsequent fire science that evolved in the period from the 1970s through 2010 in service of state, federal and local fire management in Hawai’i. The importance of weather in the context of the fire spread model underlying fire danger and fire behavior analysis and prediction will be covered. Presently, the fire danger prediction system that was developed for the state is not in use. The operational challenges of implementing this technology will be discussed.