Development of an Atmospheric Instability Index for Use in Alberta

Create a fire behaviour danger index based on atmospheric instability for use in Alberta. The relationship between the vertical structure of the atmosphere and wildfire activity, and in particular large wildfire growth is well known. Atmospheric instability can have a strong influence on the rate of spread and intensity of wildfires. It supports column development and circulation which contributes to increasing intensities. We propose to investigate various thermodynamic and severity indices (e.g. Haines Index, Lifted Index, George’s K) for their potential application as a decision support tool for wildfire management in Alberta.