GFMC: Forest Fires in Canada, 14 July 2000
14 July 2000
The Canadian Interagency Forest Fire Centre (CIFFC) distributes timely information about forest fires in Canada. The current fire situation for 12 July 2000 can be summarized as follows:
over the last 24 hours: 32 fires for 2,070 ha season summary: 2,630 fires for 113,722 hectares
According to the National Forest Fire Situation Report of 5 July 2000 (updated every Friday), fire activity remains well below normal, but is starting to increase. Ontario, Quebec, New Brunswick and Nova Scotia have experienced an unusually high number of small fires over the past week. High risk continues in the northwest, but is expected to diminish as rain moves into the area.
Number and area of forest fires in Canada, as of 5 July 2000
current uncontrolled controlled active modified 6 104 75 2000
(to date) 10-year
average in %
of normal Prescribed
burning Number 2,482 4,495 55% 41 Area (ha) 82,364 1,111,836 7.5% 7,878
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.
Satellite image, daily fire overview map and season-to-date hotspot map for 13 July 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 (13 July 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 (13 July 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 (13 July 2000) 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: 11 extinguished in the past 24 hours: 1 new fires: 0 total number of fires to date this year: 297 total up to this date last year: 393 five year average for this date: 463
The International Crown Fire Modelling Experiment (ICFME) in Fort Providence, Northwest Territories/Canada, ended with its final chapter, Phase IV, on 1 July 2000. During the experimental phases a special ICFME website was updated daily. A final report for the website is currently in preperation. The experiment has been also described in the International Forest Fire News (IFFN) No. 21 (September 1999).
The experimental site, 40 km north of Fort Providence, Northwest Territories/Canada.
Depending on the wind direction and wind speed, the plots were ignited with a terra torch truck on one side of the plot.
The 150*150 m sized plots (2.25 ha) burned with a speed of 20-40 m/min.
(Source: GFMC)
British Columbia Forest Service Wildfire Report (13 July 2000):
Vigorous wildfire burning between Twin Lakes and Keremeos
B.C. Forest Service fire crews are fighting a two-hectare wildfire burning vigorously just off Highway 3A between Twin Lakes and Keremeos. An air tanker is overhead and a helicopter is bucketing the fire. Nineteen initial attack crew members are on site. Equipment and crews were immediately deployed when the fire was reported at 10:11 this morning. The fire is burning 0.5 kilometres away from two houses, and crews are building a fireguard between the fire and the homes. Forty km/h winds fanned the fire into the grass, brush and open timber. The cause of the fire is under investigation. High winds in dry conditions are making containment efforts more difficult. Although crews are confident at this time, a change in wind speed or direction can make the difference between early containment or the explosive spread of a wildfire.
Wildfire Statistics Report, 13 July 2000
Number of Fires Burning: 58 Number of New Fires (Lightning): 1 Number of New Fires (Human Caused): 5 Total Lightning Fires: 118 Total Human Caused Fires: 335 Total Fires to Date: 453 Total Area Burned (ha): 12,376
Fire Danger Rating for British Columbia, 13 July 2000.
(Source: British Columbia Forest Service)
