Department of Commerce & NOAA Award $34 Million to Reduce Wildfire Risk
Today, the Department of Commerce and NOAA announced the award of more than $34 million to six research universities in NOAA’s Cooperative Institute system. The funding, which will be provided over five years, aims to reduce the risk to Americans’ lives and property from wildfires. This initiative is part of President Biden’s Investing in America agenda under the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. The ultimate goal is to improve the understanding and modeling of wildfire behavior and integrate that into weather forecasting and wildfire warnings.
Improving Understanding and Modeling of Wildfire Behavior for Better Predictions
The funding will support wildfire preparedness and response by generating knowledge and tools to help NOAA build and deploy new observing systems that detect and monitor wildfires and their impacts. It will also advance high-resolution models to predict fires, emissions, and air quality. The aim is to provide more accurate and timely information to prevent wildfires, support firefighting crews, and keep communities safe.
NOAA’s Fire Weather Testbed: Advancing Experimental Products for Operations
A new NOAA Fire Weather Testbed will be established with the funding. This testbed will enable scientists and forecasters to evaluate experimental products and accelerate their transition to operations. The goal is to improve the ability to detect fire starts, speed detection of fire starts, and provide more real-time actionable information to prevent wildfires.
Enhancing Firefighters’ Safety and Decision-Making with Improved Forecasting
During active wildfires, specifically trained and certified weather forecasters, known as incident meteorologists (IMETs), are deployed by NOAA to provide emergency support at fire locations. IMETs play a crucial role in interpreting weather information, assessing its effect on the fire, and communicating findings to fire crews. The research sponsored by the awards announced today will be focused on improving IMETs’ and other forecasters’ ability to protect Americans’ lives and property.
Comprehensive Approach: NOAA’s Efforts to Combat Increasing Wildfire Threats
Wildfires have become a year-round threat due to climate change. To address this escalating problem, NOAA has developed a comprehensive approach to its wildfire research. This includes developing early detection and forecast tools such as satellite-based fire detection systems, improving high-resolution weather models to predict smoke transport, and providing real-time analysis to accurately predict fire behavior. NOAA is also accelerating the development of tools to improve the delivery of fire-related information and services, making it more accessible to a wider audience.
The funding announced today will support the research and development efforts of several NOAA laboratories and cooperative institutes. The aim is to enhance observations, forecasting, and monitoring capabilities to detect fires early and provide timely information to combat wildfires. With these investments, NOAA aims to improve the accuracy of outlooks and forecasts, assist local officials’ decision-making, and communicate vital public safety information more effectively.
Analyst comment
Positive news: The Department of Commerce & NOAA Awards $34 Million to Reduce Wildfire Risk. Analyst insight: The funding will improve understanding and modeling of wildfire behavior, enhance firefighters’ safety and decision-making, and provide more accurate and timely information to prevent wildfires. This will contribute to reducing the risk to Americans’ lives and property from wildfires.
