**2008**

**Boise Fire Weather**

**Operating Plan**

**Fire Weather Zones OR636 and OR637**

**NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BOISE**

**HOURS OF OPERATION**

Pre-fire season routine product issuance will begin Monday, April
14^th^.

Fire Weather Zone Forecast will be issued Monday through Friday by 1530
MDT / 1430 PDT.

Starting dates for the full compliment of fire weather products
(including NFDRS forecasts and twice-daily zone forecasts) will depend
on variables such as fuel dryness and customer needs.

Staff meteorologists are available any time, 24 hours a day, 7 days a
week. The fire weather desk is staffed from 830 am to 430 pm.

**STAFF AND CONTACT INFORMATION** - See Appendix .

**FIRE WEATHER SERVICES**

**Description of the Boise Fire Weather District within the PNWCC**

> ![](media/image1.png){width="2.0in" height="1.625in"}

**Zone 636 - Burns BLM south of Highway 20**

> **Zone 637 - Vale BLM**

<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>

**BASIC METEOROLOGICAL SERVICES**

**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**: 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.

**Schedule of Products**

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

Morning planning forecast 0730

Internet briefing 0930

Afternoon planning forecast 1530

NFDRS point forecast - Vale BLM 1545

NFDRS point forecast - Burns BLM 1630

Fire Weather Watch / Red Flag Warnings Event-Driven

Spot forecasts Upon request

**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.

**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**: 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.

**Verification of Red Flag Warnings and Events:** NWS Boise will
database all Fire Weather Watches and Red Flag Warnings. Red Flag events
will be manually databased and compared to the issued watches and
warnings. Statistically derived values of Probability of Detection
(POD), False Alarm Rate (FAR), and Critical Success Index CSI) will be
calculated as soon as possible. These scores will be available to the
Boise MIC, NWS Western Region Headquarters, and local customers
including the PNWCC meteorologists during post-season meetings from
November through January.