Understanding current and forecasted fire weather conditions is crucial for safe burning, effective fire management, and maintaining situational awareness. The following tools and resources provide up-to-date information on weather, fuels, and fire danger across Kansas and beyond.
Kansas Mesonet
The Kansas Mesonet is a network of over 90 automated weather stations throughout the state. These stations collect real-time, high-resolution weather and climate data such as temperature, humidity, wind speed, and soil moisture.
Use the Fire Danger dashboard to check current fire weather conditions (Menu > Fire > Fire Danger), monitor daily trends, and review forecasted fire weather indices for your area.
Kansas Forest Service Fire Weather Outlook Blog
The Fire Weather Outlook Blog is created by Kansas Forest Service Incident Meteorologists to highlight weekly fire weather concerns and patterns. This resource provides deeper context into atmospheric conditions, expected fire danger, and potential shifts in fire activity.
When fire weather is quiet, updates may be paused until activity increases again.
National Weather Service
The National Weather Service provides general and local weather forecasts to help producers, emergency managers, and firefighters maintain situational awareness. Offers fire-specific forecasts, weather warnings, and links to predictive services and red flag warnings that may affect fire behavior.
NOAA Storm Prediction Center – Fire Weather Outlook
The Fire Weather Outlooks from the NOAA Storm Prediction Center highlight regions of the continental U.S. where fuel conditions and forecasted weather are likely to contribute to a heightened wildfire risk. Products include Day 1–8 outlooks, identifying areas of elevated or critical fire danger due to dry fuels, strong winds, or low humidity.
Hot Spot Satellite Links
Satellite-based fire detection tools provide near real-time data on active fire locations and thermal anomalies across Kansas and surrounding states. These tools are valuable for tracking ongoing incidents and monitoring potential ignition sources.
Fuels and Fire Behavior Products
These resources help fire managers, landowners, and producers determine when it’s safe to burn and how current conditions may influence fire behavior. Monitoring fuel moisture, drought status, and forecast indices ensures responsible and effective fire use.
- Significant Fire Outlook: National Interagency Fire Center’s monthly and seasonal outlooks for significant fire potential across the U.S.
- U.S. Drought Monitor: Weekly updates on drought intensity and extent across Kansas, which impact fuel dryness and fire spread potential.
- Kansas Mesonet Soil Moisture : Tracks soil moisture conditions, offering insight into how wet or dry vegetation fuels may be and their seven day trends
- Kansas Mesonet Precipitation: Monitors short- and long-term precipitation data, helping gauge recovery or drying trends following rainfall events.
- Fire Behavior Advisories: Bulletins issued during periods of elevated fire danger, detailing expected fire behavior and suppression challenges.
- Fire Danger Charts: Percentiles from the Rocky Mountain Area Coordination Center, used to compare current fuel dryness and energy potential to historical normals and extremes.
