Southern Australia’s fire season is very hot and windy. Rick Ochoa, with the Bureau of Land Management, can attest to that.

For the past two winters, Ochoa, a BLM fire weather forecaster with Predictive Services at the National Interagency Fire Center, has been part of a U.S.-Australia exchange program. During the height of southern Australia’s fire season, he spent one month in Melbourne, Australia, working at the Australian Bureau of Meteorology.

Ochoa ended up working in Melbourne as one element of an exchange program between the United States and Australia. This program started in part because of the two countries’ opposite fire seasons. With the heat of the wildfires diminished and the smell of smoke gone from the air, fire crews in the United States are resting for the winter. But in southern Australia, the fire season is just beginning. From October through March, wildfires are a regular occurrence in Australia. Temperatures soar, and arid winds from the Outback fan flames through vegetation dry from the Southern Hemisphere summer. In recent years, Australia has suffered devastating wildfires that have caused billions of dollars in property damage and loss.

In January 2007, southern Australia experienced a very severe fire season. Wildfires raged across the southeastern state of Victoria, and the Australian government requested international help. The Australia Bureau of Meteorology assessed the situation and decided to offer an unprecedented invitation to the National Weather Service and wildland fire agencies’ Predictive Services fire-weather forecasters.

The invite involved traveling to Australia to provide assistance with fire weather forecasting duties and to supplement staff that were becoming over-extended via very abnormal fire forecasting requirements. The concept was to use a few experienced NWS and Predictive Services fire weather forecasters to bolster the Bureau of Meteorology's forecasting offices in Sydney, Melbourne and Hobart. The United States responded by sending 13 forecasters to Australia, creating an efficient “trade agreement” with the Australian government.  In early 2008, specialists from the U.S. National Weather Service and Predictive Services again rotated to Australia during the “Down Under” fire season.

When Ochoa arrived in Australia on Jan. 5, he was stationed in Melbourne at the Australian Bureau of Meteorology and was quickly put to work. He produced four-day fire-weather forecasts; spot forecasts (called “spotties” in Aussie slang); briefings to bushfire agencies; smoke forecasts; and wind-change charts. He also provided presentations on Predictive Services to the Australian fire agencies. Ochoa filled in behind an Australian meteorologist, who had been sent out to a bushfire coordination center for liaison and fire-weather briefing support.

“I’ve talked with the fire managers and they really appreciate having forecasters at the coordination centers, just like our Geographic Area Coordination Centers depend on Predictive Service forecasters,” Ochoa said. “The exchange of forecasters, perspectives and ideas has been very beneficial to all parties.”

In exchange, the Bureau of Meteorology provides the United States with a few fire weather forecasters during our summer fire season. Last year, Australia’s Kevin Parkyn spent a couple of months at the National Interagency Coordination Center helping Ochoa with fire weather forecasts.

Australian weather is a bit different from that in the United States. Because Australia is in the Southern Hemisphere, Ochoa had to adjust to the different weather patterns.
 
“It took a little time getting used to the weather patterns here as the wind flow around high and low pressure systems is opposite to that in the Northern Hemisphere. But once you get that sorted out, fire weather is fire weather, whether you’re in Australia or back in the States,” Ochoa said. “You just have to remember that almost everything in Australia is opposite from the U.S. Even the driving rules are opposite.”

When Ochoa rented a car after his work assignment had ended, he had to learn to drive on the left side of the road and obey Australian traffic rules. For example, in Australia, motorists cannot make a right turn after stopping at a red light. He also learned that you must watch out for kangaroos and wallabies, as they often dart out into the road and cause accidents and vehicle damage.

“It was a bit odd to be told to watch out for kangaroos, but in a way it was very similar to Idaho, just different animals to be aware of,” Ochoa said. “And, when you cross the street, you have to make sure you look right instead of left for oncoming traffic. A lot of Americans make that mistake in Australia.”  

Getting used to Australian slang took some time and required attention, too. Even though Australians speak English, their jargon is quite different from ours. For example, Ochoa had to learn their usage of the word “ordinary,” which in the U.S. means “regular” or “commonplace.” In Australia, “ordinary” is a negative term.

“For example, if an Australian said he was having an ordinary day, it meant he was having a lousy day,” Ochoa explained. “Another interesting Australian term is ‘whinger.’ A ‘whinger’ is a person who complains and whines about everything.”

Ochoa learned a great deal during his tour in Australia about bushfires and Australian culture, too. “The Aussies are great, and I have made a number of dear friends here. They have had us over dinners, taken us out for sporting events and sightseeing trips and just treated us like family,” Ochoa said.

When asked if he would return to Australia for the same assignment, Rick responded with, “Definitely. The work was challenging, but I made great friends and enjoyed the positive work environment. Australians are such social and hospitable people.”