In collaboration with Responsive Management and Acclivity Associates, IBSS worked alongside the NOAA National Weather Service (NWS) Analyze, Forecast and Support Office to conduct an in-depth study on how people receive, interpret, and respond to fire weather forecasts. This included probabilistic information that reflects the real uncertainty of wildfire behavior.

This research was designed to support one of NOAA’s most critical goals: improving the way fire weather warnings are communicated to the public, fire weather practitioners, and public information officers (PIOs). Our joint team carried out a multi-layered approach including:

• Focus groups with fire weather experts and PIOs in high-risk regions.
• A large-scale public survey targeting residents in fire-prone areas.
• Scenario testing with both traditional deterministic warnings (e.g., Red Flag Warnings) and probabilistic forecast maps.

Our goal was to better understand how different formats of fire weather information affect public perception, preparedness, and response. Robyn Heffernan, National Fire Weather Services Senior Advisor, said of this work: “We are excited to utilize this information to advance fire weather messaging. Thank you so much for your amazing work on this study and report.” 

The NWS and its partners now have a stronger foundation for designing communications that reach the right people, with the right level of urgency, at the right time. Our contributions to this project earned high praise from both NOAA and the National Fire Weather Services, particularly for:

• The quality of survey and focus group design.
• The caliber of subject matter experts engaged.
• Our adaptability, responsiveness, and customer-first approach.
• Staying within scope and on schedule, even with added complexity.

This milestone reflects IBSS’ continued commitment to supporting science-based decisionmaking, improving public safety, and advancing NOAA’s mission.

We’d like to thank everyone who contributed to this important work, especially our partners at NOAA, Responsive Management, and Acclivity Associates. We’re honored to play a role in strengthening wildfire preparedness across the nation.

About IBSS 

Since 1992, IBSS has provided transformational consulting services to the Federal defense, civilian, and commercial sectors. Our services include cybersecurity and enterprise information technology, environmental science and engineering (including oceans, coasts, climate, weather, and satellite), and professional management services.

Our approach is to serve our employees by investing in their growth and development. As a result, our employees bring greater capabilities and provide an exceptional level of service to our clients. In addition to creating career development opportunities for our employees, IBSS is passionate about giving back to the community. We strive to leave something better behind for the next generation.

We measure our success by the positive impact we have on our employees, clients, partners, and the communities we serve. Our tagline, Powered by Excellence, is a recognition of the employees that make up IBSS and ensures we deliver results with quality, applying industry best practices and certifications. Read more About Us.

Keywords: Fire Weather, Wildfire Risk, NOAA, Emergency Management, Public Safety