U.S. Forest Service Fighting Wildfires with Meteorology

Guest: Dr. Marcus Williams, Research Meteorologist

Wildfire is one of the most complex weather-driven hazards we face — shaped by wind, terrain, fuel, and timing, where the forecast isn’t just about what happens next, but about keeping people safe in real time. Behind every major fire response and every carefully planned prescribed burn is a team of scientists working to understand those conditions down to the finest detail. Today, we’re joined by Dr. Marcus Williams, a research meteorologist with the U.S. Forest Service whose work sits at the intersection of science, operations, and on-the-ground decision-making. We’ll talk about what it takes to provide weather support during major California fires, why prescribed fire depends so heavily on getting the forecast right, and how USFS research is shaping the future of fire weather forecasting.

Chapters

1. 00:00 Introduction to Wildfire and Meteorology
2. 00:51 Marcus Williams: Journey to Meteorology
3. 04:58 Role of Meteorologists in the US Forest Service
4. 07:46 Experiences in Wildfire Deployment
5. 10:52 Understanding Prescribed Fires
6. 12:33 Break 1
7. 12:40 Meteorological Tools in Prescribed Fires
8. 15:32 Challenges in Fire Management
9. 18:14 Weather Modeling and Its Applications
10. 21:09 Break 2
11. 21:40 Leadership and Mentorship in Meteorology
12. 25:46 Future of Meteorology in Fire Management

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