Sue Ann Ferguson

Sue Ann Ferguson

February 11, 1953 - December 18, 2005

Dr. Sue Ferguson died at 3PM December 18 on a gloriously beautiful, crisp, blue-sky Seattle day.  Sue had been battling cancer for the past year and a half.  She leaves behind a legacy of accomplishments in her and in her relationships with friends, family, and co-workers.  Her enthusiasm, tenacity, and boundless energy were an inspiration to all who knew her.

Sue Ferguson had a thirteen year career in avalanche forecasting before coming to fire research at the US Forest Service’s Pacific Northwest Research Station in 1992.  At PNW, she worked as a Research Meteorologist with the Fire and Environmental Research Applications Team (FERA) and later founded the Atmosphere and Fire Interactions Research and Engineering (AirFIRE) Team.

Everywhere she went, Sue thought big.  She organized scientists and users to create large enterprises that have had lasting effects.

As an avalanche forecaster, she created the Avalanche Review, now a premiere publication in the field.  She worked at a variety of avalanche centers throughout the U.S. which have been instrumental in saving lives, and developed several programs which enhanced the operation of all centers.  She was awarded an honorary membership American Avalanche Association for her many contributions to snow and avalanche research and avalanche forecasting.

In fire research, Sue helped found the Northwest Regional Modeling Consortium (NWRMC), a multi-agency effort to develop improved weather forecasts for the northwest.  Using these predictions, she was able to offer land and fire managers real-time tailored forecast products such as the Haines index, Fossberg fire weather index, a new dry lightning index, and more.

Through the National Fire Plan, she created the BlueSky smoke modeling framework, a tool that for the first time allows users to see real-time predictions of cumulative smoke impacts from prescribed, wildland, and agricultural fire.  This tool has been hailed as one of the best research products to emerge from the National Fire Plan, and recently won the National Fire Plan’s Excellence in Research award.

The success of the NWRMC and BlueSky have prompted similar efforts around the country, and now real-time tailored forecasts of fire indices and smoke predictions are available throughout the lower 48 states.

Sue was instrumental in the revival of the American Meteorological Society’s biennial Fire and Forest Meteorology Conferences.  Through her efforts, the utility of meteorology in fire research has been elevated to an unprecedented level.  Her efforts continue to benefit and assist managers and researchers in the fire management field.

Sue will be sorely missed. Her talent and wisdom, and her infectious laugh, smile, and good humor made us all better for being with her.

- text by Sim Larkin