Systems for Evaluating and Predicting the Effects of Weather and Climate on Wildland Fires: Special Environmental Report No. 11

This report examines methods for evaluating and predicting how weather and climate influence wildland fires and outlines approaches for developing fire danger assessment and fire weather forecasting systems. Fire occurrence and behaviour are strongly influenced by meteorological conditions such as temperature, humidity, wind and precipitation, which affect fuel moisture and seasonal fire risk. The document reviews existing fire danger rating practices and forecasting services and analyses their role in forest and wildland management, including protection of resources, detection planning and fire control operations. It proposes the development of universally applicable systems based on fire climatology, ignition likelihood and fire spread indicators, supported by meteorological observations and forecasting. The report also discusses institutional cooperation, communication requirements and research needs for implementing effective fire management systems.