Following is a brief summary of the different agencies involved in the Mexico fires and their role. The point of contact listed is for public affairs/media relations.

AGENCIES/ROLES

NATIONAL OCEANIC AND ATMOSPHERIC ADMINISTRATION (NOAA)

NOAA's National Environmental Satellite, Data, and Information Service (NESDIS) has provided geostationary and polar satellite data on a near real-time basis as well as supplied processed satellite images to identify fire hot spots (Web site: www.osei.noaa.gov).

NOAA's Air Resources Laboratory has been applying its experimental air model to provide up to a 72-hour forecast of smoke particle transport from the source of the fires in the region with a forecast of its impact on populations in Central America and the U.S. Gulf Coast States (www.arl.noaa.gov/ready/aq).

NOAA's National Weather Service (NWS) continues to provide weather forecast service. Due to local weather conditions, smoke from the fires in southern Mexico and Central America continues to blow west and southwest across the eastern Pacific and away from Texas and the Gulf Coast States. However, due to stagnant air conditions, the smoke is not being dispersed, resulting in varying regional visibilities.

Though the smoke is not increasing over Texas, stagnant air conditions are not allowing for dispersion of the smoke and haze that has accumulated during the past week. Visibilities vary from region to region, but average from 3 -5 miles in the morning, to 5 - 8 miles in the afternoon. Local forecast offices of the NWS continue to provide weather forecasts and meteorological guidance to state and local agencies. Local NWS offices also are issuing Public Health Alert messages to the public and media, and broadcasting these alert messages across NOAA Weather Radio.

The National Centers for Environmental Prediction's Hydrometeorologic Prediction Center and Climate Prediction Center have placed their forecast, outlooks and narrative products online at: http://nic.fb4.noaa.gov/products/predictions/threats. Click on Item #12 -- "Texas Smoke."

NOAA's Air Resources Lab is running an experimental model that shows the concentration and deposition of the smoke associated with the fires. The model output can be found on the Internet at: http://gus.arlhq.noaa.gov/ss/transport/yucatanfire.html

NESDIS has satellite imagery of the smoke available on the Internet at: http://oses1.wwb.noaa.gov/ A point of contact for NESDIS is Rob Fenimore at (301) 763-8142 ext. 132
National Weather Service contact: John Leslie, (301) 713-0622.

U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID)

USAID is the focal point for the coordination of all U.S. Government assistance in response to the fires. Current funding totals more than $5 million. A seven-person assessment team from the Office of Foreign Disaster Assistance (OFDA) is currently in Mexico City. Additional USAID/OFDA assessment personnel arrived in Guatemala, Nicaragua and Costa Rica Tuesday, May 26 to assess those areas. USAID/OFDA has authorized funding of $476,000 to support up to 150 hours of flight time for the Defense Department helicopters being sent to Guatemala. A 24-hour OFDA Operations Center has been activated. Point of contact: Jessamyn Sarmiento or Kim Walz, (202) 712-4320.

NATIONAL INTERAGENCY FIRE CENTER (NIFC) - Boise, Idaho

NIFC is responsible for coordinating resources intended for assistance to Mexico. A high- level, 13-person interagency Incident Management Team (IMT), is on stand-by in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Other resources include five to seven communications specialists and communications equipment; personal protective equipment for 3,000 Mexican personnel; more than 100,000 pounds of shovels, pulaskis, and 200 chain saws. These tools will come from warehouses in Boise, Idaho.; Ontario-Riverside, Calif.; Redding, Calif.; and Missoula, Montana.

For up-to-date information on resources bound for Mexico please see the National Interagency Fire Center home page at www.nifc.gov, *Fire News* or call the External Affairs Staff at (208) 387-5050.

Agencies from both the Department of Agriculture Forest Service and the Department of the Interior work in cooperation at the National Interagency Fire Center to support and coordinate wildland firefighting efforts throughout the United States. Through their partnership with USAID/OFDA they are providing requested equipment, supplies, and the expertise of their top fire managers to assist in wildland firefighting efforts in Mexico.

DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE (DoD)

In Guatemala, DoD is providing helicopter support for firefighting efforts. The aircraft are two UH-60 Blackhawk helicopters from U.S. Army South and two UH-47 Chinook helicopters from the Alabama National Guard. The helicopters will be used for fire suppression and logistics support for Guatemalan firefighters. DoD is presently conducting an assessment of Mexico's needs to determine the extent of DoD support in that area. Point of contact: Lt. Col. Bill Darley, (703) 697-1848.

ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (EPA) - DALLAS, TEXAS

In Texas, the EPA activated its Regional Incident Coordination Team (RICT) and deployed 20 air monitoring experts to four Texas cities including Dallas, San Antonio, Brownsville and Galveston. Fine particulate air monitoring stations have been established in each of these cities and are collecting samples daily.

Personnel and analytical costs are estimated at $150,000 every three days. Hazy conditions continued to prevail in much of the eastern part of the five-state region on May 21. Visibilities generally the same as on May 20. Fine particulate air sample results from May 16 - 19 continue to be within the health-based 24-hour Air Quality standard for PM-2.5 which is 65 ug/m3. Continued caution is warranted. Prolonged exposure to current concentrations may exceed the annual Air Quality standard for PM-2.5 of 15 ug/m3. The highest measurement of 55.7 ug/m3 was measured in Dallas on May 16-17 (24-hour sample).

EPA offices in Atlanta and San Francisco continue to be on standby alert to provide additional personnel, equipment and analytical support. Point of contact: Dave Bary or Cheryl Hochstetler, (214) 665-2200.

INTERNET SITES

Forecast Discussion http://www.ncep.noaa.gov/HPC/discussions/SMOKE.WPD.html
(NOAA/Hydrometeorological Prediction Center)

Satellite Images
http://www.osei.noaa.gov/
(NOAA/NESDIS)

Model Output
http://www.arl.noaa.gov/ready/aq.html
(NOAA/Air Resources Lab)

USAID Response
http://www.info.usaid.gov/pubs/wildfires/fires.htm

U.S. Forest Service
http://www.fs.fed.us/Homepage.html