The OK-FIRE Mesonet Platform as a Hazard Communication Tool for Decision-Makers and Fire Managers

With over 50% of Oklahoma classified as rangeland and 28% comprised of forest, Oklahoma is perpetually under threat of wildfire. Between 2016 and 2018 alone, the state witnessed catastrophic fires that destroyed nearly 2 million acres. With an increasing threat in wildfire severity and acreage burned, especially in light of a changing climate and growing population, the need for fire management decision-support services was essential in Oklahoma. OK-FIRE, Oklahoma's first state-wide fire decision-support tool, was created in 2006 in response to the need for a weather- and climate-driven fire support system that would aid in efforts to protect life and property. The tool was established on the backbone of the Oklahoma Mesonet, an automated weather network, and incorporates various current and forecasted climate and weather variables. Communicated through these tools and data sets are a number of threat factors, such as smoke dispersion, spread component, and ignition component, among others. This platform provides the ability to plan for and forecast fire weather and environmental conditions and communicate these potential hazards, ultimately reducing impacts and mitigating associated threats. Decision-makers utilize this tool in two primary ways: 1) To fight wildfires by assessing current and changing conditions that may become a threat, and 2) To assess whether conditions are ideal for performing prescribed burns and during what time periods. As a decision-support tool and communication platform, OK-FIRE can act as a model for implementing similar programs in areas that face analogous threats. Forthcoming research will assess how this platform is perceived by decision-makers and how they define its value, qualitatively and quantitatively, and in terms of impact reduction. By pursuing this information, we can determine the success of the platform and provide justification for its use and value, for the current program and potential programs in the future.