Free training workshops will be offered this fall for both new and experienced users of OK-FIRE, the statewide weather-based decision support system of the Oklahoma Mesonet for wildland fire management with applications to wildfire, prescribed fire, and smoke. Dr. J. D. Carlson, OK-FIRE program manager and fire meteorologist in OSU’s Department of Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering, will conduct the training. There will be two virtual workshops on Zoom in October and December spanning two consecutive afternoons (Part 1, Part 2), as well as one in-person full-day workshop in Stillwater in November. The Zoom workshops will occur from 1:00 to 4:30 p.m., while the in-person workshop will be held from 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. with a break for lunch.

REGISTRATION REQUIRED!

For those interested in the virtual workshops, please note that information on the specific content of Part 1 and Part 2 can be found on the online registration form. Part 1 will be useful to all wildland fire managers (those who work with wildfires or conduct prescribed burns), while Part 2 will be of most help to those who work with wildfires. If you can only make one of the two consecutive days, feel free to sign up for the other half of the workshop in another month. It would also be better, if possible, to attend a Part 1 workshop first and a Part 2 workshop in a later month. In addition, you have the option to only sign up for either Part 1 or Part 2. Note that the registration deadline for each workshop, virtual or in-person, is the Friday before the workshop date. Workshops will consist of a combination of presentations, website demos, and question/answer periods. In addition, the in-person November workshop will allow time for attendees to use their own laptops/tablets to familiarize themselves with the OK-FIRE website via lab exercises on the topics covered. Participants will learn about the available fire weather, fire danger, and smoke products on OK-FIRE, as well as their application to wildfire, prescribed fire, and smoke management. In addition to past/current conditions based on Oklahoma Mesonet data, OK-FIRE also includes a 3-day forecast component, useful for anticipating periods of high fire danger as well as identifying windows for prescribed burning. Please note that these workshops are designed for those who work directly (or indirectly) with wildland fire (wildfire and/or prescribed fire). Finally, for those of you who attended any of our virtual workshops last fall, please note that the workshops this fall will be similar in content. If you have any questions or need further information about these workshops, please email us at okfire@mesonet.org.