The Fire and Smoke Model Evaluation Experiment (FASMEE) is a large-scale interagency effort to identify how fuels, fire behavior, fire energy and meteorology interact to determine the dynamics of smoke plumes, the long-range transport of smoke and local fire effects such as soil heating and vegetative response. FASMEE is designed to collect observations from large prescribed fires by combining Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR), radar, ground monitoring, aircraft and satellite imagery, and weather and atmospheric measurements. Knowing more about how wildland fire operates helps land managers better predict fire behavior, smoke impacts, and the short- to long-term effects of fire. It also promotes increased public and firefighter safety and aids in the allocation of firefighting resources.
Two large, high-intensity prescribed crown fires are planned for 2019 in the Fishlake National Forest of Utah:
- Manning Creek (South Monroe Mountain project) – completed June 20, 2019; 2,200 acres
- Annabella Reservoir (North Monroe Mountain Project) – Fall 2019
These burns are part of the Monroe Mountain Aspen Ecosystem Restoration Project. The primary goal of these prescribed burns is to increase biodiversity by removing conifer trees and stimulating aspen regeneration.
Drone takes off to sample smoke from the Manning Creek stand replacement fire (photo courtesy of Jesse Juchtzer, Desert Research Institute).
Helicopter ignition of Manning creek stand replacement fire (photo courtesy of Kreig Rasmussen, Fishlake National Forest).
Manning creek stand replacement fire plume (photo courtesy of Kreig Rasmussen, Fishlake National Forest).
Manning creek stand replacement fire plume (photo courtesy of Kreig Rasmussen, Fishlake National Forest).
Manning creek stand replacement fire plume (photo courtesy of Roger Ottmar, USDA Forest Service Pacific Northwest Research Station).
Manning creek stand replacement fire plume (photo courtesy of Roger Ottmar, USFS Pacific Northwest Research Station).
Manning creek stand replacement fire plume and flaming front rolling over ridge top (photo courtesy of Roger Ottmar, USFS Pacific Northwest Research Station).
Close-up of trees torching during the Manning Creek stand replacement fire (photo courtesy of Kreig Rasmussen, Fishlake National Forest).
Researchers moving to get out of the heavy smoke (photo courtesy of Jill Ivie, Richfield Ranger District, Utah).
Drones capturing smoke samples from large pile burns 2 days prior to the Manning Creek burn (photo courtesy of Roger Ottmar, USFS Pacific Northwest Research Station).
Flaming front during small 100 acre "knob" stand repacement prescribed burn 1 day prior to the Manning Creek burn (photo courtesy of Roger Ottmar, USFS Pacific Northwest Research Station).
Drones capturing smoke samples from small 100 acre "knob" stand repacement prescribed burn 1 day prior to the Manning Creek burn (photo courtesy of Roger Ottmar, USFS Pacific Northwest Research Station).
Media film and interview Leda Kobziar, Univeristy of Idaho who was sampling smoke with the use of drones (photo courtesy of Roger Ottmar, USFS Pacific Northwest Research Station).