Media availability: NOAA incident meteorologists train for wildfire season

Media availability: NOAA incident meteorologists train for wildfire season Continuity of Excellence Exercise strengthens forecasters skills, readiness to keep fire crews safe February 12, 2026 NOAA IMETs Jeff Tonkin and Rebecca Muessle discuss their aviation forecast and briefing at the helicopter base of the Six Rivers Lightning Fire in Northern California on August 22, 2022. (Image credit: Robert Hyatt/NOAA National Weather Service) Download Image NOAA’s National Weather Service Incident Meteorologists (IMETs) will gather in Boise, Idaho, February 23-27 to complete specialized, intensive training to help keep fire crews and first responders safe during wildfire incidents this year. Media are invited to interview and observe NOAA IMETs training to deliver fire weather forecasts and impact based decision support, as well as meet NOAA experts and fire behavior analysts from state and federal partner agencies. WHAT NOAA IMET Continuity of Excellence training for 54 meteorologists to prepare them to deliver fire weather forecasts, fire behavior guidance and briefings to wildland fire personnel at a wildfire incident command post. WHEN Monday, February 23, 2026; 11 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. and 1:30 p.m. - 4:30 p.m. MT WHERE Best Western Vista Inn Conference Center 2645 W Airport Way, Boise, ID, (just outside the National Interagency Fire Center (NIFC) front gate) Please check in at the Vista Inn Conference Center with Kari Fleegel. Parking is available behind the Best Western. REGISTRATION Reporters must register to attend by 5 p.m. MT Friday, February 20 by contacting Kari Fleegel, kari.fleegel@noaa.gov . VISUALS NOAA IMETs and trainees participate in simulated exercises, set up and activate remote weather stations, develop a spot weather forecast and deliver a fire weather briefing. There will be computer instruction on interpreting output from computer models and other forecasting tools. RESOURCES NOAA has 96 certified IMETs and 27 trainees offsite link ready for deployment. NOAA IMETs completed 141 missions deployed to wildfires in 2025. Portal: NOAA and wildfire Photo story: Fighting fire with forecasts For reporters: A resource guide for covering wildfires National Interagency Fire Center Follow the IMETS on X @NWS_IMET_OPS Media contact NOAA National Weather Service Public Affairs team at nws.pa@noaa.gov Weather wildfires forecasting fire weather 0