GFMC: Forest Fires in Canada, 21 June 2000
21 June 2000
The Canadian Interagency Forest Fire Centre (CIFFC) distributes timely information about forest fires in Canada. The current fire situation for 20 June 2000 can be summarized as follows:
over the last 24 hours: 40 new fires 90 hectares season summary: 1,818 fires for 37,789 hectares
According to the National Forest Fire Situation Report of 14 June 2000, due to continuing cool wet weather across much of the country, area burned to date is only 1/8 of normal. Risk of fire remains low across most of the country, with dry conditions developing in the northwest Territories, Yukon, and Quebec.
Tab. 1. Number and area of forest fires in Canada, as of 14 June 2000
current uncontrolled controlled active modified 8 70 23 2000
(to date) 10-year average in % of normal Prescribed burning Number 1,686 2,528 67% 32 Area (ha) 36,321 279,917 13% 5,806
The Fire Monitoring, Mapping, and Modelling (FireM3) is a collaboration of the Canadian Forest Service and the Canada Centre for Remote Sensing. Through the Map Link at the FireM3 web site you can access daily hotspot images. An Internet Map Server, which is like a simple GIS running on the host computer, allows you to zoom in on any fire or other area of interest and view the image and map data at full (1km) resolution. You can also click on any fire and get information about that fire.
Hotspot overview, 20 June 2000
(Source: FireM3)
The Canadian Forest Fire Weather Index (FWI) System is a part of the Canadian Wildland Fire Information System and consists of six components that account for the effects of fuel moisture and wind on fire behavior. The first three components are fuel moisture codes and are numerical ratings of the moisture content of litter and other fine fuels, the average moisture contentof loosely compacted organic layers of moderate depth, and the average moisture content of deep, compact organic layers. The remaining three components are fire behavior indexes which represent the rate of fire spread, the fuel available for combustion, and the frontal fire intensity; their values rise as the fire danger increases. For futher information please see the Summary Information.
The latest available images are shown below (20 June 2000):
Fine Fuel Moisture Code 
Duff Moisture Code 
Drought Code 
Initial Spread Index 
Buildup Index 
Fire Weather Index 
Fire Danger Rating
The Canadian Forest Fire Behavior Prediction (FBP) System is an other part of the Canadian Wildland Fire Information System and provides quantitative estimates of head fire spread rate, fuel consumption, fire intensity, and fire description. With the aid of an elliptical fire growth model, it gives estimates of fire area, perimeter, perimeter growth rate, and flank and back fire behavior. For futher information please see the Summary Information.
The latest available images are shown below (20 June 2000):
Foliar Moisture Content 
Surface Fuel Consumption 
Rate of Spread 
Total Fuel Consumption 
Head Fire Intensity 
Fire Type
The Saskatchewan Daily Forest Fire Situation Report (20 June) is listing all forest fires currently burning in Saskatchewan and their current status. This report also gives statistics on the total number of fires to date. The whole report and further information can be accessed at the fire management website of “Saskatchewan Environment and Resource Management” (SERM).
fires burning in the province today: 12 extinguished in the past 24 hours: 0 new fires: 9 total number of fires to date this year: 184 total up to this date last year: 248 five year average for this date: 297
British Columbia Forest Service Wildfire Report (19 June 2000):
Wildfire suppression sparks international attention
VICTORIA Delegates from the Malaysian Fire and Rescue Department air unit from Kuala Lumpur arrived today at the B.C. Forest Service Rapattack base in Salmon Arm to observe rappel and hoist training and operations. The group will also view the new Parattack operations in Fort St. John, as well as tour the provincial air tanker centre in Kamloops.
“Our time here is short, but we are learning so much,” said Maj. Abdul Razak Ahmad, one of the Malaysian officials here to observe fire control and prevention operations. “The purpose of our visit is to see which programs will be useful to our country so that we can send groups over for training.”
The Forest Service is hosting three countries interested in fire suppression operations and techniques. People from Argentina, Malaysia and South Korea are taking part in training and certification programs. This year the Forest Service will host almost 100 visitors representing fire control agencies from eight different countries.
The purpose of these visits is to showcase B.C.’s fire control and prevention programs and to help secure training programs and overseas consulting agreements. These activities also promote Canadian manufacturers of fire suppression equipment.
“Our co-operation with the global fire suppression community is attracting a lot of attention to the Forest Service,” said Shawn Bethel Forest Service international co-operation liaison. “This program helped put us on the map as a world class wildfire suppression agency.”
The Canadian International Development Agency CIDA helps promote opportunities that may be created through international partnerships. Funding from CIDA has enabled the transfer of B.C’s 85 years of knowledge and expertise in forest fire control and prevention to an international audience.
Wildfire Statistics Report, 20 June 2000
Number of Fires Burning: 29 Number of New Fires (Lightning): 0 Number of New Fires (Human Caused): 4 Total Lightning Fires: 31 Total Human Caused Fires: 259 Total Fires to Date: 290 Total Area Burned (Ha.): 11,206
Fire Danger Rating for British Columbia, 20 June 2000.
(Source: British Columbia Forest Service)
News from the International Crown Fire Modelling Experiment (ICFME)
(Ft. Providence, Northwest Territories, Canada)
ICFME Phase IV (The Final Chapter) has started on 10 June 2000 and will last until ca. 1 July 2000 depending on weather conditions. The experiment has been described in International Forest Fire News (IFFN) No. 21 (September 1999). During the experimental phases a special ICFME website is updated daily. The website includes the update information on weather and experimental status.
On 10 Jun 2000 the national Canadian and international research teams arrived on site. GFMC will report about news not contained in the ICFME website through GFMC staff member Tobias Zorn who is part of the international team.
