Forest Fires and Meteorological Conditions in South East Asia

10 April 2000


The Meteorological Service of Singapore reports on 10 April 2000 for the South East Asian region: "Cloudy conditions over parts of Sumatra. The region is generally free from smoke haze". Forecasts of winds and surface pressure are also available.

click here to enlarge (31 KB)

Fig. 1. Regional Surface Winds and Haze/Fire Map, 10 April 2000
(Source: Meteorological Service of Singapore)

The Meteorological Service of Singapore also provides rainfall-record charts for selected locations in Sumatra and Kalimantan with information about the mean annual rainfall and the actual monthly and weekly records for this year.

click here to enlarge (30 KB)

Fig.2. Rainfall charts for Kalimantan
(Source: Meteorological Service of Singapore)

click here to enlarge (26 KB)

Fig.3. Rainfall charts for Sumatra
(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.4-9). These examples allow a quicklook and provide daily and weekly total forecasts, and forecasted monthly totals (for this month). For background information refer to the ECPC products description page.

click here to enlarge (25 KB) click here to enlarge (20 KB) click here to enlarge (20 KB)
click here to enlarge (20 KB) click here to enlarge (20 KB) click here to enlarge (21 KB)
tomorrow this week this month

Fig.4.-9. Fire Weather Index (FWI) forecast for tomorrow (left), this week (center) and the predicted FWI total 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 total 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: 10 April 2000).
(Source: ECPC)

 

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 9 April 2000 these parameters show various fire weather conditions over South East Asia.

click here to enlarge (23 KB) click here to enlarge (22 KB) click here to enlarge (22 KB)

Fine Fuel Moisture Code

Duff Moisture Code

Drought Code

click here to enlarge (20 KB) click here to enlarge (21 KB)

click here to enlarge (21 KB)

Initial Spread Index

Buildup Index

Fire Weather Index

Fig.10.-15.  Output maps of the ASFWIS, 9 April 2000 (update: 10 April 2000)

The ASEAN Haze Action Online provides the following information:

The Forest Fire Prevention and Control Project (FFPCP) in Palembang (Sumatra) provided a fire overview map for Sumatra on 9 April 2000.

The latest fire overview map for the Integrated Forest Fire Management (IFFM) project in Kalimantan shows one fire on the 26 March 2000.

See also the IFFN Country Notes.


Top
Back