**2007**

**Boise Fire Weather**

**Operating Plan**

**Fire Weather Zones OR636 and OR637**

**NEW FOR THE 2007 SEASON**

**1) The daily internet briefing will not be recorded on a regular
basis.**

**2) Haines 6 will no longer be used as RFW Criteria in the BLM Zones.**

**LOCATION**

NIFC/National Weather Service Forecast Office

3833 S. Development Ave, Bldg 3807

Boise, ID 83705

**HOURS OF OPERATION**

Depending on variables such as fuel parameters and customer need,
seasonal fire weather hours of operation will be: 0830-1630 MDT.

4/16 through 5/11: 0830-1630 MDT,

Forecast issued once a day Monday through Friday by 1530 MDT.

5/13 through 10/27: 0830-1630 MDT.

Forecasts issued twice a day, 7 days a week by 0730 and 1530 MDT daily.

Staff meteorologists will be on duty and available at any time, 24 hours
a day, 7 days a week.

**STAFF AND CONTACT INFORMATION**

Chuck Redman Fire Weather Program Leader/ IMET

<Chuck.Redman@noaa.gov>

Coleen Decker Assistant Fire Weather Program Leader/IMET

<Coleen.Decker@noaa.gov>

John Jannuzzi Meteorologist-in-Charge

<John.Jannuzzi@noaa.gov>

Fire Weather Telephone Number (208) 334-9060

Fax Number (208) 334-1662

Internet Access: <http://www.wrh.noaa.gov/boifwx.php>

**A. Description of the entire Boise Fire Weather District:**

Southeast Oregon\...

-   Zone 636 - Portion of the Burns BLM that lies south of Highway 20.

-   Zone 637 - Vale BLM (including Malheur County and SE Baker County).

West Central Idaho Mountains\...

-   Zone 400 -- Northern Boise BLM

-   Zone 401 - West portion of the Payette NF and Southern

Idaho Timber Protection Agency (SITPA)

-   Zone 402 - East portion of the Payette NF

-   Zone 403 - North portion of the Boise NF

-   Zone 404 - South portion of the Boise NF

Southwest Idaho...

-   Zone 408 -- Treasure Valley

-   Zone 418 -- Western Twin Falls district of the Shoshone BLM

-   Zone 419 -- Owyhee Mountains

**B. Basic Meteorological Services**

**[INTERNET BRIEFING]{.underline}**: During fire season, a daily
internet briefing will be offered each day at 0930 MDT for all agencies.
During low fire activity periods or if there is not sufficient interest
in a daily briefing, it will be held on Mondays and Thursdays at 0930
MDT. This briefing will include a general discussion of weather
conditions and forecasts for the current day, as well a brief discussion
of the extended period. Model data, satellite loops, and other items of
interest will be addressed for the forecast period. During the briefing,
the appropriate maps will be available via the internet and the Boise
Fire Weather website. The briefing will usually be less than 15 minutes,
but may be longer during active fire periods.

[**SPOT FORECASTS**:]{.underline} <http://www.wrh.noaa.gov/boi/fwx.php>

Please reference LAT/LON when requesting spot forecasts.

Follow-up phone calls are always encouraged and feedback is extremely
useful.

**[PLANNING FORECASTS]{.underline}**: Smoke dispersal parameters in the
form of mixing heights and transport winds will continue to be included
in the daily fire weather planning forecasts for Idaho, but not SE
Oregon. The mixing height is defined as the height above the ground
(AGL) through which relatively vigorous mixing will take place due to
convection. The transport wind is defined as the average wind speed and
direction within the mixing layer.

**C. Schedule of Products**

[Product:]{.underline} [Issuance time: (MDT]{.underline})

Morning planning forecast 0730

Internet briefing 0930

Afternoon planning forecast 1530

NFDRS point forecast - 1545

NFDRS point forecast - Burns BLM 1630

Fire Weather Watch / Red Flag Warnings Event-Driven

Spot forecasts Upon request

**D.** **Red Flag Events**

High to extreme fire danger and dry fuels (dryness level brown as
defined by the Geographic Coordination Center 7 day Fire Potential
Outlook and user input) in combination with the following weather
conditions:

-   Abundant lightning in conjunction with sufficiently dry fuels.
    Aerial coverage must be at least scattered ([\>2]{.underline}5%) in
    nature.

-   Strong winds and low humidities: See matrix below for sustained
    criteria.

> In addition to sustained strong winds from the matrix, wind gusts of
> at least 35 mph combined with relative humidity 10% or less is
> considered Red Flag Criteria. Red Flag Criteria are considered to be
> met if conditions are observed at any 3 RAWS stations within a
> combined area of Fire Weather Zone 636 and 637 for at least 3 hours
> (not necessarily consecutive). Alternatively, if a RFW is issued
> separately for Fire Weather Zones 636 and 637, it is considered to
> verify if conditions are met at 3 RAWS stations in Zone 636 or 2 RAWS
> stations in Zone 637.

[Wind vs. Relative humidity for Burns BLM (636) and Vale BLM
(637)]{.underline}

SUSTAINED 20 FT WIND (10-MINUTE AVERAGE in MPH)

10 mph 15 mph 20 mph 25 mph 30 mph

25%

20% W

15% W W

10% W W W

[Interagency Coordination]{.underline}: Before the issuance of a Fire
Weather Watch or Red Flag Warning, there will be coordination with the
affected agencies and neighboring NWS fire weather offices in order to
assess fuel conditions and general fire danger.

[Dissemination of Fire Weather Watches and Red Flag
Warnings:]{.underline} Each issuance, update or cancellation of a Fire
Weather Watch or Red Flag Warning will be relayed by telephone to the
dispatch office(s) affected by the watch/warning.

**BOI FORECAST AREA NFDRS STATION LIST - OREGON**

![](media/image1.jpeg){width="3.2055555555555557in"
height="3.3569444444444443in"}

<table>
<colgroup>
<col style="width: 9%" />
<col style="width: 9%" />
<col style="width: 10%" />
<col style="width: 4%" />
<col style="width: 11%" />
<col style="width: 7%" />
<col style="width: 9%" />
<col style="width: 9%" />
<col style="width: 11%" />
<col style="width: 5%" />
<col style="width: 5%" />
<col style="width: 5%" />
</colgroup>
<tbody>
<tr class="odd">
<td><strong>636</strong></td>
<td colspan="2"><strong>BURNS BLM</strong></td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
</tr>
<tr class="even">
<td></td>
<td><strong>STN #</strong></td>
<td colspan="2"><strong>NAME</strong></td>
<td><strong>COUNTY</strong></td>
<td><strong>LAT</strong></td>
<td><strong>LON</strong></td>
<td><strong>ELEV</strong></td>
<td><strong>ASPECT</strong></td>
<td><strong>T</strong></td>
<td><strong>R</strong></td>
<td><strong>S</strong></td>
</tr>
<tr class="odd">
<td></td>
<td>353522</td>
<td colspan="2">Bald Mtn</td>
<td>Harney</td>
<td>43.33</td>
<td>-118.24</td>
<td>5480</td>
<td>S-Mtn Top</td>
<td>23S</td>
<td>35E</td>
<td>22</td>
</tr>
<tr class="even">
<td></td>
<td>353520</td>
<td colspan="2">Basque Hills</td>
<td>Harney</td>
<td>42.15</td>
<td>-118.59</td>
<td>5080</td>
<td>SW-Ridgeline</td>
<td>38S</td>
<td>32E</td>
<td>21</td>
</tr>
<tr class="odd">
<td></td>
<td>353527</td>
<td colspan="2">Little McCoy Creek</td>
<td>Harney</td>
<td>42.75</td>
<td>-118.56</td>
<td>5080</td>
<td><p>S-</p>
<p>Midslope</p></td>
<td>33S</td>
<td>34E</td>
<td>4</td>
</tr>
<tr class="even">
<td></td>
<td>353526</td>
<td colspan="2">Moon Hill</td>
<td>Harney</td>
<td>42.51</td>
<td>-118.40</td>
<td>6100</td>
<td><p>SW-</p>
<p>Midslope</p></td>
<td>31S</td>
<td>32E</td>
<td>26</td>
</tr>
<tr class="odd">
<td></td>
<td>353521</td>
<td colspan="2">P Hill</td>
<td>Harney</td>
<td>42.82</td>
<td>-118.93</td>
<td>4860</td>
<td><p>S-Flat</p>
<p>Hilltop</p></td>
<td>32S</td>
<td>32E</td>
<td>3</td>
</tr>
<tr class="even">
<td></td>
<td>353511</td>
<td colspan="2">Riddle Mtn</td>
<td>Harney</td>
<td>43.10</td>
<td>-118.50</td>
<td>6352</td>
<td>S-Mtn Top</td>
<td>28S</td>
<td>34E</td>
<td>35</td>
</tr>
<tr class="odd">
<td></td>
<td>353512</td>
<td colspan="2">Wagontire</td>
<td>Harney</td>
<td>43.34</td>
<td>-119.88</td>
<td>6420</td>
<td>SW- Midslope</td>
<td>26S</td>
<td>24E</td>
<td>6</td>
</tr>
<tr class="even">
<td></td>
<td>353525</td>
<td colspan="2">Foster Flat</td>
<td>Harney</td>
<td>42.97</td>
<td>-119.25</td>
<td>5000</td>
<td><p>Flat Lake</p>
<p>Bed</p></td>
<td>30S</td>
<td>29E</td>
<td>14</td>
</tr>
<tr class="odd">
<td></td>
<td>353517</td>
<td colspan="2">Sage Hen</td>
<td>Harney</td>
<td>43.52</td>
<td>-119.29</td>
<td>4400</td>
<td>Flat Basin</td>
<td>24S</td>
<td>29E</td>
<td>6</td>
</tr>
<tr class="even">
<td></td>
<td></td>
<td colspan="2"></td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
</tr>
<tr class="odd">
<td><strong>637</strong></td>
<td colspan="2"><strong>VALE BLM</strong></td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
</tr>
<tr class="even">
<td></td>
<td>353612</td>
<td colspan="2">Grassy Mtn</td>
<td>Malheur</td>
<td>42.63</td>
<td>-117.42</td>
<td>4000</td>
<td>NW-Midslope</td>
<td>34S</td>
<td>43E</td>
<td>12</td>
</tr>
<tr class="odd">
<td></td>
<td>353613</td>
<td colspan="2">Kelsay Butte</td>
<td>Malheur</td>
<td>43.90</td>
<td>-117.99</td>
<td>5187</td>
<td><p>SE-</p>
<p>Saddle</p></td>
<td>19S</td>
<td>39E</td>
<td>19</td>
</tr>
<tr class="even">
<td></td>
<td>353614</td>
<td colspan="2">Owyhee Ridge</td>
<td>Malheur</td>
<td>43.58</td>
<td>-117.23</td>
<td>4400</td>
<td><p>E-</p>
<p>Knoll</p></td>
<td>23S</td>
<td>45E</td>
<td>9</td>
</tr>
<tr class="odd">
<td></td>
<td>353616</td>
<td colspan="2">Red Butte</td>
<td>Malheur</td>
<td>43.54</td>
<td>-117.84</td>
<td>4460</td>
<td><p>SE-</p>
<p>Knoll</p></td>
<td>23S</td>
<td>40E</td>
<td>27</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>