Monitoring the effect of marine layer weather on active fires in the Rogue River Basin

Project Description

Fires in southwestern Oregon—the Rogue, Umpqua, and Chetco River drainages, among others—behave very differently when air is flowing onshore from the moist, cool Pacific Ocean than they do when the flow is offshore, which is typically very dry and hot. Onshore flow produces a marine layer, with characteristics that vary each time it occurs. The depth, duration, humidity, temperature, and winds are critical influences on fire intensity and spread.

The goal of this project is to add weather stations to the Rogue Drainage, and with the data the collect, create a clearer picture of marine layers as they occur. The data from the weather stations will be packaged and presented on the internet based on the needs and requests of the project’s operational partners. This will researchers and fire incident staff to better understand and predict how the marine layer will influence growth of wildland fires in the drainage.

Purpose and Scope

We will supply improved information about when and where the moist, cool marine layer occurs in the Rogue River drainage. Fire incident staff will be able to use this information to refine fire behavior forecasts and management plans.

Methods

Prior to this project, the Rogue River drainage had four weather stations, widely separated as the crow flies and in elevation. We are adding three additional weather stations at sites specifically chosen to fill data gaps. The stations transmit data via satellite, and we have built a website to present the information for users. Over time, the data can also be used to study marine layer behavior and possibly add a predictive element to our study.