Meteorological Conditions in South East Asia: 16 February 2000

Meteorological Conditions in SouthEast Asia

16 February 2000

The Meteorological Service of Singapore reports on 16 February 2000 for the South East Asian region: “The region is generally dry and warm. Isolated showers with thunderstorms are observed over Kalimantan and most parts of Sumatra.” Forecasts of winds and surface pressure are also available.

Fig. 1. Regional Surface Winds and Haze/Hot Spot Map, 16 February 2000
(Source: Meteorological Service of Singapore)

The GFMC displays selected and daily updated global and Asia-Pacific Experimental Climate Prediction Center (ECPC) Fire Weather Forecasts (Fig.2-7). These examples allow a quicklook and provide daily and weekly total forecasts, and forecasted monthly anomalies (for this month). For background information refer to the ECPC products description page.

tomorrow this week this month

Fig. 2.-7. Fire Weather Index (FWI) forecast for tomorrow (left), this week (center) and the predicted FWI anomaly for this month (right) for the Western Pacific and the Pacific Ocean. The daily forecast refers to 12:00 hrs noon UTC (Greenwich) time; the weekly total forecast and the monthly forecasted anomaly refer to 00:00 hrs UTC, which is local noon at dateline (180° longitude). Forecast time is 12:00 hrs noon UTC (Greenwich) corresponding to local evening time in mainland and insular SE Asia (updated: 16 February 2000).
(Source: ECPC Fire Weather Index Forecast)

The ASEAN Haze Action Online provides the following information:

Monitoring: Hyperlinks to institutions involved in regional monitoring and prediction of fire and smoke haze
Haze News: ASEAN Transboundary Haze Update (updated daily)
Intranet: Information and possible participation in the ASEAN Haze Action Online Intranet Information Services (for associated registered participants)
Mobilization Plan: Model Fire Suppression Mobilization Plan
Inventory: Inventory and analysis of forest and land fire suppression capabilities
Haze Forum: Communication platform on fire and smoke-haze issues in the ASEAN region
Calendar: Fire and haze-related events can be identified by a search modus

The ASEAN Fire Weather Information System (ASFWIS) is a co-operation between ASEAN and the Canadian Forest Service. It provides maps describing the current fire weather situation in South East Asia. This system is based upon the Canadian Forest Fire Danger Rating System (CFFDRS) (for further infomation to the CFFDRS refer to ASFWIS). Studies have shown that the CFFDRS is applicable outside of Canada. Currently it is also used in a modified form in New Zealand (see References). In New Zealand the Fire Weather Indices Fine Fuel Moisture Code (FFMC) and the Initial Spread Index (ISI) represent the fire danger in the scrublands. The Duff Moisture Code (DMC) is also applicable in South East Asia, because it potentially describes the moisture state of the upper peat layers in peat and peat swamp forests. All three parameters may serve as a suitable indicator of forest fire danger in South East Asia.

According to the ASFWIS for 15 February 2000 these parameters show various fire weather conditions over South East Asia.

Fine Fuel Moisture Code

Duff Moisture Code

Drought Code

Initial Spread Index

Buildup Index

Fire Weather Index

Fig.8.-13. Output maps of the ASFWIS, 15 February 2000 (update: 16 February 2000)

The Forest Fire Prevention and Control Project (FFPCP) in Palembang (Sumatra) provides a fire overview map for the 14 February 2000.

Fig.14. Fire Overview Map for 14 February 2000 of the FFPCP project in Palembang.
(Source: FFPCP)

The latest fire overview map for the Integrated Forest Fire Management (IFFM) project in Kalimantan shows 30 hotspots on the 12 February 2000.

The Indonesian Meteorological Agency Badan Meteorologi dan Geofisika publishs the Indonesia Daily Forecasting for 17 February 2000. For the representative selected areas metereological data are provided as follows:

Palembang Samarinda Bandung Weather condition rain cloudy rain Temperature max (°C) 31 33 28 Humidity (min – max %) 60-97 65-95 53-90

Summary: Although the current fire weather conditions do under normal conditions not favour extensive land clearing by fire or escaping wildfires in Indonesia, the consequences of the large wildfires of 1997-98 must been taken into consideration. These fires had caused extensive degradation of primary and secondary forests along with the spreading of “alang-alang” (Imperata cylindrica) grasslands. These grasslands facilitate the spread of uncontrolled fires over large areas.