ORIGIN OF RESOLUTION

NASF Fire Committee

ISSUE OF CONCERN:

Fire Weather Forecasting

BACKGROUND:

Several years ago, the National Weather Service initiated a modernization and restructuring process which refocuses its weather forecasting away from specialty forecasts for agriculture, aviation, and fire toward general weather forecasts. Congress several years ago directed the National Weather Service to stop providing what they characterized as "specialized forecasts." This effort is strongly supported by private weather forecasting businesses.

The National Wildfire Coordinating Group (NWCG) has requested the National Weather Service to restore dedicated fire weather forecasting services. NASF has supported this effort, and opposed the decision to move away from specialized forecasts when it was first proposed five years ago. Contrary to predictions made by private forecasting firms, accurate fire weather information, particularly for spot forecasts for prescribed burns, has not become widely available from commercial providers.

Interest in prescribed fire is expanding beyond regions where it has been traditionally used as a management tool. Federal land managers have become particularly interested in expanding their use of prescribed fire. State and private land managers, including State Foresters, are also interested in continuing and expanding their use of prescribed fire to achieve forest health and fuels reduction goals.

Unfortunately, the National Weather Service has been directed to eliminate non-emergency services to States, compromising the ability of State Foresters and other non-Federal entities to obtain spot weather forecasts for prescribed fire. Efforts to obtain accurate forecasts from other sources have been disruptive and expensive.

In addition, the Congressional decision to stop funding spot weather forecasting for non-Federal entities constitutes an unfunded mandate upon State Foresters and other local entities required to comply with the Federal Clean Air Act. States are required to comply with smoke management plans and other measures to avoid violating particulate matter and visibility standards under the Act. If spot forecasts continue to be unavailable from the National Weather Service, State Foresters are being forced to seek (frequently unsuccessfully) expensive private forecasts. This is an unfunded mandate pure and simple.

RESOLUTION:

The National Association of State Foresters supports the addition of provisions to the National Weather Service reauthorization bills (HR 1553, the National Weather Service and Related Agencies Authorization Act of 1999) currently under consideration in Congress to clarify that provision of fire weather forecasting (including services to States) is part of the core mission of the agency. NASF will work with the National Governors Association and their regional affiliates to support the inclusion of these provisions in the National Weather Service reauthorization. Once the authority is clearly established for the National Weather Service to provide fire weather forecasting, including spot forecasts for prescribed burns to States, we will work with the National Wildfire Coordinating Group and its members, as well as other interested parties and organizations, to ensure that that adequate budgetary resources are provided to the National Weather Service to carry out this mission.

This resolution supplements, but does not replace, Resolution Number 89-10.

NASF ACTION:

( X ) Approved

DATE OF ACTION: 9/22/99