Tracking Wildfires With Weather Radars

Abstract

AbstractThere is a need for nowcasting tools to provide timely and accurate updates on the location and rate of spread (ROS) of large wildfires, especially those impacting communities in the wildland urban interface. In this study, we demonstrate how fixed‐site weather radars can be used to fill this gap. Specifically, we develop and test a radar‐based fire‐perimeter tracking tool that leverages the tendency for local maxima in the radar reflectivity to be collocated with active fire perimeters. Reflectivity maxima are located using search radials from points inside a fire polygon, and perimeters are updated at intervals of ∼10 min. The algorithm is tested using publicly available Next Generation Weather Radar radar data for two large and destructive wildfires, the Camp and Bear Fires, both occurring in northern California, USA. The radar‐based fire perimeters are compared with available, albeit limited, satellite and airborne infrared observations, showing good agreement with conventional fire‐tracking tools. The radar data also provide insights into fire ROS, revealing the importance of long‐range spotting in generating ROS that exceeds conventional estimates. One limitation of this study is that high‐resolution fire perimeter validation data are sparsely available, precluding detailed error quantification for the radar estimates drawn from samples spanning a range of environmental conditions and radar configurations. Nevertheless, the radar tracking approach provides the basis for improved situational awareness during high‐impact fires.