National Weather Service United States Department of Commerce

Central Iowa Fire Weather Forecast Products

 

Iowa Forecast Grassland Fire Danger Index

Iowa Forecast Cropland Fire Danger Index

Iowa Forecast Grassland Fire Danger Index image
Click image above for a larger image
 
Iowa Forecast Cropland Fire Danger Index image
Click image above for a larger image
 

The Grassland Fire Danger Index indicates the potential for grassland fires to experience extreme fire behavior, which in turn, can lead to a potential threat to life and property. The GFDI accounts for the curing of the fuel (grasses), temperature, relative humidity and the average sustained wind.

The purpose of these images is to provide the public, the fire weather community, and local government agencies a quick view of the risk of grassland and agricultural fire danger. This product is NOT intended to be a sole source for assessing the fire danger for the day. The NWS provides other information to aid in that assessment and those should be utilized as well.  

In addition, the State of Iowa Fire Marshal's Office provides the current list of burn bans by county (click here)

 

Spot Forecasts


Fire Weather Forecasts for Iowa

 

Click on the map below for that county's Fire Weather Forecast

From NWS Offices in Des Moines, Sioux Falls, Omaha, La Crosse, and Quad Cities

BACKUP LINKS TO FIRE WEATHER FORECASTS

Des Moines Sioux Falls Omaha La Crosse Quad Cities

Fire Weather Planning Forecast for Iowa Zone 080 Fire Weather Planning Forecast for Iowa Zone 091 Fire Weather Planning Forecast for Iowa Zone 004 Fire Weather Planning Forecast for Iowa Zone 005 Fire Weather Planning Forecast for Iowa Zone 006 Fire Weather Planning Forecast for Iowa Zone 007 Fire Weather Planning Forecast for Iowa Zone 015 Fire Weather Planning Forecast for Iowa Zone 016 Fire Weather Planning Forecast for Iowa Zone 016 Fire Weather Planning Forecast for Iowa Zone 023 Fire Weather Planning Forecast for Iowa Zone 023 Fire Weather Planning Forecast for Iowa Zone 025 Fire Weather Planning Forecast for Iowa Zone 026 Fire Weather Planning Forecast for Iowa Zone 026 Fire Weather Planning Forecast for Iowa Zone 028 Fire Weather Planning Forecast for Iowa Zone 033 Fire Weather Planning Forecast for Iowa Zone 034 Fire Weather Planning Forecast for Iowa Zone 035 Fire Weather Planning Forecast for Iowa Zone 036 Fire Weather Planning Forecast for Iowa Zone 037 Fire Weather Planning Forecast for Iowa Zone 039 Fire Weather Planning Forecast for Iowa Zone 044 Fire Weather Planning Forecast for Iowa Zone 044 Fire Weather Planning Forecast for Iowa Zone 046 Fire Weather Planning Forecast for Iowa Zone 047 Fire Weather Planning Forecast for Iowa Zone 048 Fire Weather Planning Forecast for Iowa Zone 049 Fire Weather Planning Forecast for Iowa Zone 050 Fire Weather Planning Forecast for Iowa Zone 058 Fire Weather Planning Forecast for Iowa Zone 059 Fire Weather Planning Forecast for Iowa Zone 060 Fire Weather Planning Forecast for Iowa Zone 061 Fire Weather Planning Forecast for Iowa Zone 062 Fire Weather Planning Forecast for Iowa Zone 070 Fire Weather Planning Forecast for Iowa Zone 071 Fire Weather Planning Forecast for Iowa Zone 072 Fire Weather Planning Forecast for Iowa Zone 073 Fire Weather Planning Forecast for Iowa Zone 074 Fire Weather Planning Forecast for Iowa Zone 075 Fire Weather Planning Forecast for Iowa Zone 081 Fire Weather Planning Forecast for Iowa Zone 082 Fire Weather Planning Forecast for Iowa Zone 083 Fire Weather Planning Forecast for Iowa Zone 084 Fire Weather Planning Forecast for Iowa Zone 085 Fire Weather Planning Forecast for Iowa Zone 085 Fire Weather Planning Forecast for Iowa Zone 092 Fire Weather Planning Forecast for Iowa Zone 093 Fire Weather Planning Forecast for Iowa Zone 094 Fire Weather Planning Forecast for Iowa Zone 095 Fire Weather Planning Forecast for Iowa Zone 096 Fire Weather Planning Forecast for Iowa Zone 097 Fire Weather Planning Forecast for Iowa Zone 008 Fire Weather Planning Forecast for Iowa Zone 009 Fire Weather Planning Forecast for Iowa Zone 010 Fire Weather Planning Forecast for Iowa Zone 018 Fire Weather Planning Forecast for Iowa Zone 019 Fire Weather Planning Forecast for Iowa Zone 029 Fire Weather Planning Forecast for Iowa Zone 040 Fire Weather Planning Forecast for Iowa Zone 041 Fire Weather Planning Forecast for Iowa Zone 051 Fire Weather Planning Forecast for Iowa Zone 052 Fire Weather Planning Forecast for Iowa Zone 053 Fire Weather Planning Forecast for Iowa Zone 063 Fire Weather Planning Forecast for Iowa Zone 065 Fire Weather Planning Forecast for Iowa Zone 076 Fire Weather Planning Forecast for Iowa Zone 087 Fire Weather Planning Forecast for Iowa Zone 088 Fire Weather Planning Forecast for Iowa Zone 098 Fire Weather Planning Forecast for Iowa Zone 301 Fire Weather Planning Forecast for Iowa Zone 300 Fire Weather Planning Forecast for Iowa Zone 055 Fire Weather Planning Forecast for Iowa Zone 056 Fire Weather Planning Forecast for Iowa Zone 069 Fire Weather Planning Forecast for Iowa Zone 079 Fire Weather Planning Forecast for Iowa Zone 090 Fire Weather Planning Forecast for Iowa Zone 038 Fire Weather Planning Forecast for Iowa Zone 043 Fire Weather Planning Forecast for Iowa Zone 057 Fire Weather Planning Forecast for Iowa Zone 011 Fire Weather Planning Forecast for Iowa Zone 030 Fire Weather Planning Forecast for Iowa Zone 042 Fire Weather Planning Forecast for Iowa Zone 054 Fire Weather Planning Forecast for Iowa Zone 064 Fire Weather Planning Forecast for Iowa Zone 066 Fire Weather Planning Forecast for Iowa Zone 068 Fire Weather Planning Forecast for Iowa Zone 067 Fire Weather Planning Forecast for Iowa Zone 077 Fire Weather Planning Forecast for Iowa Zone 078 Fire Weather Planning Forecast for Iowa Zone 089 Fire Weather Planning Forecast for Iowa Zone 099


Grassland Fire Danger Index Information and User Recommendations


Forecast Narratives


Helpful Maps from NIFC (National Interagency Fire Center)


Other Links


Glossary of Terms

  • Mixing Height: Depth of the surface based layer of the atmosphere in which mixing occurs.
  • Transport Wind: Average wind between the surface, or the 20 feet level, and the wind at the forecast mixing height.
  • 20 Feet Wind: Wind speed at 20 feet above ground level.
  • Haines Index: A stability and moisture index used to indicate the potential for fire growth, and more importantly extreme fire growth.
  • Fuel Moisture: The amount of moisture in a naturally occurring fuel.  This is an important factor in determining the availability for a fuel to ignite or combust.
  • Grassland Fire Danger Index (GFDI): For Central Iowa, this index is an indication of rural fire potential. If the fire potential reaches extreme levels, then a Red Flag Warning will be issued.
  • Very High GFDI: From the graphic on the Fire Weather webpage, the GFDI values range from 16 to 39.  When GFDI values are in the upper limits of this range for more than a 3 hour period and for larger than a 4 county area, a Red Flag Warning my be considered if conditions warrant. When this condition exists, it means that fires will spread rapidly and show erratic behavior.  Dangerous burning conditions exist.
  • Extreme GFDI: From the graphic on the Fire Weather webpage, the GFDI values range from 40 or more.  When GFDI values are in this range for more than a 3 hour period and for larger than a 4 county area an Red Flag Warning will be issued.  When this condition exists it means thata potential for large and uncontrolable fires exist.  Fires will spread rapidly.  Extreme fire behavior or probable.  Critical burning conditions exist.
  • Red Flag Warning: This is the text product that the National Weather Service Office in Des Moines will issue for its forecast area of responsibility.  Once this product is issued, there will be headlines on the main webpage and links to the product from the headline as well as the fire weather page.  This product serves as an advisory to all customers to curb any plans to burn.  Additional information can be found in the Grassland Fire Danger Index section.
  • Curing: The percentage of moisture in warm season grasses.  This ranges from zero percent (completely green) to one hundred percent (completely dry or dormant).
  • Fire Weather Planning Forecast: A forecast product issued once daily during the burn season.  The first 36 hours of the forecast is in a tabular format giving specific burn parameters.  Days 3 through 7 are in a text format giving sky/weather conditions, temperatures, winds and probability of precipitation.
  • Spot Forecast: A forecast for a specific prescribed burn area.  This product can only be requested by government agencies or private interests with government contracts to do prescribed burns.