Thousands across the Texas Panhandle received wireless emergency alerts on February 26 and 27, warning of an imminent and dangerous wildfire with the potential to spread rapidly. These notifications marked a significant advancement in wildfire detection and notification technology, benefiting from collaborative efforts among various agencies.
The alerts, requested by local emergency management officials and issued by the NOAA National Weather Service, utilized a first-of-its-kind process in Texas. This process, known as the Integrated Team Fire Warning Paradigm Process, was developed by the Southern Great Plains Wildfire Outbreak Working Group, comprising entities such as Texas A&M Forest Service, Oklahoma Forestry Services, and the National Weather Service.
"This has been a long-standing work in progress," said Todd Lindley, National Weather Service Science and Operations Officer. "Brad Smith [Texas A&M Forest Service] and Drew Daily [Oklahoma Forestry Services] worked with us to work through retrospective simulations of fire disasters in the Southern Plains, using the combined knowledge of environmental conditions and technology from the satellites, to depict fire behavior that is particularly dangerous."
Brad Smith from Texas A&M Forest Service played a pivotal role in integrating fire prediction, weather, and historical fire data, leading to the implementation of over 150 new weather stations statewide for fire potential monitoring.
The multi-agency warning system utilizes satellite hotspot detection to identify fires, particularly on red flag fire days when extreme fire danger is present. Doug Weber, National Weather Service Senior Forecaster and Fire Program Coordinator, explained, "We use these channels of the satellites to detect heat. When a fire hits, it heats up really quick. We’re able to see the flicker on the satellite immediately, and it jumps out on the map."
Upon detection, local officials assess the threat and decide whether to issue wildfire notifications to communities within the affected area. Luke Kanclerz, Texas A&M Forest Service Predictive Services Department Head, emphasized the importance of local emergency management officials in initiating these warnings.
The new notification process significantly reduces the time taken to issue alerts, enabling more proactive measures to ensure public safety. "This entire process has been accomplished in nine minutes on average, ranging from three minutes to 15 minutes," said Lindley.
Kanclerz expressed optimism about the effectiveness of this new process in providing timely and accurate wildfire notifications, ultimately creating a safer environment for communities and first responders as the fire season progresses.
