Division of Land and Pure Sources

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

September 19, 2023

USE OF REMOTE WEATHER STATIONS ARE HELPFUL WHEN MONITORING FIRE CONDITIONS

(LAHAINA, MAUI) – Distant computerized climate stations (RAWS) have been put in just lately in Lahaina in areas with invasive grasses that may be susceptible to wildfires. The know-how allows the Division of Forestry and Wildlife (DOFAW) to gather information to foretell fireplace conduct and monitor fire-stoking fuels.

These stations accumulate information together with precipitation, wind velocity and route, air temperature, relative humidity, gasoline moisture, and photo voltaic radiation for rangers and firefighters.

There are two stations in Lahaina, and one is above Mā‘alaea.

RAWS information is collected hourly and transmitted to a satellite tv for pc, which then sends it to a pc on the Nationwide Interagency Fireplace Middle (NIFC) in Boise, Idaho.

The information is useful for wildland fireplace administration and ranking fireplace hazard. There are roughly 2,800 RAWS models all through the US, Puerto Rico, Guam, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. There are 22 stations in Hawai‘i managed by the DOFAW.

RAWS models are photo voltaic powered and utterly automated.

“There are at present three portables arrange round Lahaina for extra correct native climate. One is ours, and two had been ordered from the RAWS depot at NIFC. Not solely do the fireplace departments have a look at the information however the information is utilized by climate researchers for forecasting and modeling,” mentioned DOFAW Fireplace Safety Forester Mike Walker.

DOFAW employees repeatedly test the data on-line.

“We monitor the temperature and humidity to find out fireplace danger for the realm. There are stations elsewhere which have cameras that allow early fireplace detection, hopefully we will likely be including some cameras to our stations quickly,” mentioned Walker.

Whereas the RAWS models might not be capable to point out whether or not there may be an energetic fireplace, the data, and information the models accumulate are of great worth in monitoring fireplace threats.

“They’re an incredible device to find out fireplace danger, and now we have two moveable stations that may be deployed to observe native fireplace circumstances. One moveable was deployed in the course of the Leilani volcanic eruption on Hawaiʻi Island to observe climate at a geothermal plant. The lava move reduce off entry and we couldn’t get again to it for nearly a yr,” mentioned Walker.

Every RAWS unit prices $25,000 to arrange and one other $1,000 every year per station to take care of, a discount contemplating the significance of amassing this beneficial information.

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RESOURCES

(All photos/video courtesy: DLNR)

Video – https://vimeo.com/863734861

Images –Lahaina Fireplace-Distant Climate Stations, Sept. 11, 2023

https://www.dropbox.com/sh/9vru0x3iqcs6fwy/AAChT6rRlesDlZjxwEork10sa?dl=0

Media Contact:

AJ McWhorter
Communications Specialist
Hawai‘i Division of Land and Pure Sources
[email protected]