The BlueSky smoke modeling framework: current status and ongoing development

The BlueSky smoke modeling framework is a modular modeling system for creating predictions of smoke from fires. BlueSky based smoke predictions are currently available across the U.S. through the Fire Consortia for the Advanced Modeling of Meteorology and Smoke and the National Weather Service. BlueSky smoke predictions are now being implemented in Canada as well.

BlueSky has been significantly modified in the past year, starting with a ground up rewrite of the framework code. This has made BlueSky a more flexible, modular, and portable system. This is allowing for expansion of the system to include satellite detected fires (through the SMARTFIRE system), more models, and ensembling and inter-model comparison techniques. These capabilites along with rapid response field observations and comparisons with satellite detected smoke plumes is allowing for enhanced evaluation and callibration studies. Additionally, BlueSky is now being used in climate and carbon cycling applications.

This paper discusses the latest developments and work underway on the BlueSky smoke modeling framework. Specifically it discusses the largest sources of errors found to affect smoke modeling: plume rise, model choices, and fire behavior and reporting, and efforts to mitigate these issues.