849
NOUS41 KWBC 031545
PNSWSH

Service Change Notice 25-50
National Weather Service Headquarters Silver Spring MD
1145 AM EDT Thu Jul 3 2025

To: Subscribers:
 -NOAA Weather Wire Service
 -Emergency Managers Weather Information Network
 -NOAAPort
 Other NWS Partners, Users and Employees

From: Stephen W. Bieda III, Ph.D., Chief
 Severe, Fire, Public, and Winter Weather Services
 Branch

Subject: Prototype Fire Detection and Monitoring will Transition
to Operational Status on or about July 11, 2025

Where staffing and local Annual Operating Plans allow, the
National Weather Service (NWS) will provide notifications to
core partners for fire detection on or about July 11, 2025.
Select Western, Central, and Southern Region NWS offices already
demonstrate this service using prototype software for detection
on a voluntary basis.  This service can be expanded as staffing
and partner-based Annual Operation Plans dictate.  For Weather
Forecast Offices (WFOs) that provide this service, if a fire is
detected within the WFOs County Warning Area and a Fire Weather
Watch or Red Flag Warning is in place, or fire weather
conditions are elevated and environmental conditions indicate a
high likelihood of rapid fire spread, the WFO may use local
procedures or Annual Operating Plan (AOP) instructions to
provide fire detection notifications to core partners. WFOs work
closely with local land management and emergency management
partners to define contact information and procedures for fire
detection.

A description of the concept of the NWS fire detection services,
product examples, and requirements explanation can be found at
the following link:

https://nsdesk.servicenowservices.com/api/g_noa/nwspc/res2/36e93
bd49762e2908881bb7de053af3f

Core partners is defined in National Weather Service Instruction
10-2401, found at the following link:

https://www.weather.gov/media/directives/010_pdfs/pd01024001curr
.pdf

Comments may be sent to:

Heath Hockenberry
Fire Weather Program Manager
National Weather Service
Boise, ID
208-334-9862
heath.hockenberry@noaa.gov

National Public Information Statements are online at:

https://www.weather.gov/notification/