A number of new forecast applications, generally based on operational mesoscale NWP model output, have been developed in recent years to focus on particular needs of fire weather forecasters, and many of these were available in either operational or experimental forms during this season. These include wind change guidance products, fields of fire danger index, gustiness forecasts, and techniques to understand the linking of mid-tropospheric dry air to the surface. Examples of these products, and how they related to both the more traditional synoptic forecast guidance, and to the critical fire behaviour days will be illustrated for events in Western Australia, South Australia, Victoria, Tasmania, and New South Wales. Emphasis will be placed on how these forecast processes can be incorporated into both meterological practice, and into incident management.
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