The Santa Ana Wildfire Threat Index (SAWTI) categorizes Santa Ana winds based on anticipated fire potential. The index uses a comprehensive, state-of-the-art predictive model that includes dead fuel moisture, live fuel moisture, and the greenness of annual grasses to create a detailed daily assessment of the fuel conditions across Southern California. This information is coupled with calibrated weather model output (comprised of wind speed and atmospheric moisture), to generate a 6-day forecast of Large Fire Potential. The Large Fire Potential output is then compared to climatological data and historical fire occurrence to establish the index rating. This product is produced by the USDA Forest Service and Predictive Services.
