February 1, 2006 — Meteorologists with the NOAA National Weather Service have an important responsibility in meeting the NOAA National Weather Service mission of “saving lives and protecting property.” A group of 60 NOAA National Weather Service volunteers take this responsibility a step further and provide valuable weather information where it is needed most — in the field during critical, life threatening situations. These Incident Meteorologists (also known as IMETs) are dispatched to remote locations in support of wildfires and other hazardous situations. During fire season, or when other incidents require localized weather information, IMETs receive calls in a moment's notice, pack their bags, and quickly deploy to an incident command site anywhere in the country.

Once onsite, IMETs become key members of the incident command teams and provide continuous meteorological support for the duration of the incident. "The IMETs' primary objective is to promote crew safety and provide on-site tactical support to the management team," said Larry Van Bussum, NOAA National Weather Service's National Fire Weather Operations coordinator assigned to the National Interagency Fire Center in Boise, Idaho.

IMETs help fire control specialists from federal, state and local agencies by interpreting weather information, assessing its impact on the fire, and helping develop strategies to best fight the fires, while keeping both fire fighters and the general public safe. “It is the IMET's job to help make sure everyone stays safe and that the fires are extinguished as fast as possible," added Van Bussum.

Why is Fire Weather Important?
Once a fire starts, accurate up-to-date weather information for that specific fire area becomes critical. Weather, along with fuel type and topography, are the most significant factors influencing the severity and behavior of wildfires on any given day. Fire intensity and rate of spread are directly related to meteorological parameters such as temperature, humidity and wind speed. Long term drought conditions can also contribute to the number and intensity of wildfires. Wildfires can even create their own unique weather. Pyrocumulus clouds can form over the top of a fire due to its intense heat. These clouds produce little or no precipitation, but produce strong and gusty winds that can have a significant impact on fire spread and fire fighter safety.

Click on image for a personal account of NOAA IMET Julia Ruthford's first fire as a certified IMET.

IMET Training
"In any given year, NOAA trains 10 to 15 new IMETs. To become an IMET, NOAA National Weather Service meteorologists must complete a thorough training program, which includes course work, field training and attending the IMET Workshop," said Scott Birch, an IMET with the NOAA National Weather Service's Western Region Headquarters in Salt Lake City, Utah.

The course work assists IMET trainees in gaining knowledge of fuel types and fire behavior. At the IMET Workshop, typically held in Boise, Idaho, IMETs and IMET trainees work together to set up equipment used at an incident (satellite dish and laptop); participate in survival training; practice fire weather briefings; and share information and experiences on meso/microscale meteorology, best practices at an incident and fire weather forecasting techniques. IMET trainees begin work on their taskbook at the Workshop, which requires the completion of more than 150 tasks, and complete it by going on two fire assignments with a certified IMET.

When asked by an IMET trainee what was the hardest part about working a fire incident, Chris Maier, an IMET with the NOAA National Weather Service office in Juneau, Alaska, said, "adapting to the situation, which is different for each fire. Forecasting out of a fully functional NOAA National Weather Service office is one thing, but forecasting for wildfires from a mountain ridge top using a laptop computer and a few other instruments is something else altogether. Being an IMET is definitely a high-pressure job done under less than ideal circumstances."

IMETs In Action
"IMETs located closest to an incident are typically called first, but IMETs nationwide can be called in if backups are needed," said Jim Prange, an IMET with the NOAA National Weather Service in Seattle, Wash. "Deployment decisions are also based on IMET availability and previous IMET experience in that area."

Once an IMET receives dispatch orders, their home/office work schedule must be quickly adjusted to cover their duties, travel arrangements made and equipment/provisions packed. The average time from dispatch order to arrival on scene anywhere in the country is around 12 hours.

On lengthy incidents, IMETs typically serve 14 consecutive days before being swapped out by another IMET. Their days are long — waking up well before sunrise and working late into the night. Their jobs are both physically and mentally demanding.

IMETs are stationed with the incident command team at a base camp near or a few miles from the incident. IMETs and other incident personnel often sleep in tents at the base camp, but it is not always a typical camping experience. The base camp is often infiltrated with smoke and ash from surrounding wildfires. It is usually in remote locations where electricity is supplied by noisy diesel generators, there is no indoor plumbing and supplies must be trucked in daily.

IMETs work closely with the incident command team, especially the Fire Behavior Analyst from land management agencies such as the Bureau of Land Management or the U.S. Forest Service. IMETs assist the Fire Behavior Analyst in interpreting the weather to help predict fire behavior. The weather and resulting fire behavior have a significant impact on the team's approach to fighting the fire. IMETs also provide briefings at numerous planning meetings and answer any other weather-related questions the come up throughout the day. Coordination of fire weather conditions is conducted between the IMET, the local NOAA National Weather Service office, and any other IMETs on nearby fires to ensure the best products and services are being delivered.

The IMET also gives a weather briefing to all the fire crews. The IMET describes the expected weather conditions and any potential weather hazards. Other duties the IMETs are responsible for throughout the day include maintaining a weather watch, issuing weather alerts, ensuring weather equipment is functioning, conducting media interviews, providing briefings for the general public, and assisting with fire investigations.

"In addition to being meteorologists, IMETS are also their own mechanics, technicians, communicators, etc.," said Basil Newmerzhycky, an IMET with the NOAA National Weather Service in Sacramento, Calif. “You have to be very resourceful at times when you have to stand on your own and there are limited resources.”

IMET Tools
Each IMET uses a portable satellite communications and laptop computer to access weather information. Known as the "All Hazards Meteorological Response System" (or AMRS for short), this 120 pound system allows IMETs to become a "mobile" extension of the local NOAA National Weather Service office. The laptops have special software (developed by NOAA Research’s Global Systems Division) that allows IMETs to view all the data they need to prepare fire weather forecasts. IMETs also use wind tracking weather balloons, the land management agencies' Fire Remote Automated Weather Station (or Fire-RAWS) and other meteorological tools to gather weather information. IMETs carry personal protection equipment, including fire-resistant clothes, fire shelter and a first aid kit — the same emergency equipment fire crews carry.

Being an IMET on a large fire can be very intense, but also quite rewarding. "It is a great feeling knowing that what an IMET does on a fire matters to those on the front lines, " said Eric Evenson, an IMET with the NOAA National Weather Service in Burlington, Vt. "We are challenged to provide the best possible service, we accept the responsibility, and we accomplish our mission. Our contributions make a difference and that is very rewarding."

The Expanding IMET Mission
NOAA National Weather Service IMETs have been assisting with wildfire suppression efforts since 1914, but today they are being used in other weather sensitive situations, such as HAZMAT, oil and chemical spills, national security and natural disaster relief efforts. IMETs have been called upon to provide onsite support for the Columbia Space Shuttle disaster, for the U.S. Coast Guard on large oil spills and for national security events (such as the 2004 Democratic and Republican National Conventions). IMETs provide critical and timely weather information anytime and anywhere a disaster strikes.

While NOAA IMETs specialize in providing highly localized "on-site" meteorological support, other (off-site) NOAA entities contribute useful fire weather information on larger scales — at county, state and national levels. For example, the NOAA Storm Prediction Center in Norman, Okla., provides daily "fire weather forecasts" for the contiguous 48 states and forecasters at NOAA's 122 local weather forecast offices predict weather in their specific areas of responsibility and issue "fire weather watches" and "red flag warnings" when appropriate.

Relevant Web Sites
NOAA's Fire Weather Information Center

NOAA National Fire Weather Page

NOAA Fire Graphics and Satellite Images

NOAA Provides Critical Support to Wildfire Management

High-tech Meteorology Helps NOAA Forecast Fire Weather

NOAA Fire Weather Services

Latest NOAA Satellite Images of Fires

Fire Weather Forecasts from the NOAA Storm Prediction Center in Norman, Oklahoma

National Interagency Fire Center — Includes latest news and glossary of wildfire terms

NOAA's Wildfire Detection

New Fire Product Makes It Easier to Find Fires

Media Contact:
NOAA Weather Service Public Affairs, (301) 713-0622