Meteorological Conditions and Fire in South East Asia

1 June 2001


The Meteorological Service of Singapore reports on 31 May 2001 for the South East Asian region: "Some isolated hotspots were detected in central sumatra. The region is generally free from smoke haze." Forecasts of winds and surface pressure are also available.

Regional Surface Winds and Haze/Fire Map, 31 May 2001
(Source: Meteorological Service of Singapore)

 

The Meteorological Service of Singapore 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 last year.

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Rainfall charts for Sumatra and Kalimantan
(Source: Meteorological Service of Singapore)

 

The GFMC displays selected and daily updated global and Asia-Pacific Experimental Climate Prediction Center (ECPC)  Fire Weather Forecasts. 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.

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tomorrow next week this month

Fire Weather Index (FWI) forecast for today (left), next week (center) and the predicted
FWI total for this month (right) for the Western Pacific (1-3) and the Pacific Ocean (4-6) regions.
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.
(Source: ECPC Fire Weather Index Forecast)

 

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 30 May 2001 these parameters show various fire weather conditions over South East Asia:

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Fine Fuel Moisture Code

Duff Moisture Code

Drought Code

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Initial Spread Index

Buildup Index

Fire Weather Index

Keetch-Byram-Drought Index

Output maps of the ASFWIS, 30 May 2001
(Source: ASFWIS)

 

The Forest Fire Prevention and Control Project (FFPCP) in Palembang (Sumatra) provided an Hot Spot overview map on 31 May  2001.

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Fire overview map for Sumatra (31 May  2001)
(Source: FFPCP)

 

The ASEAN Haze Action Online provides the following information:

 

Outlook for drought and  El Niņo: See GFMC early warning report of  21 February 2001: Drought Warning for Indonesia but no El Niņo expected.

 

For further information, please also have a look to the current and archived IFFN Country Notes.


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