GFMC: Forest Fires in Canada, 31 July 2000

Forest Fires in Canada

31 July 2000


The Canadian Interagency Forest Fire Centre (CIFFC) distributes timely information about forest fires in Canada. The current fire situation for 30 July 2000 can be summarized as follows:

over the last 24 hours: 54 fires for 2,347 ha season summary: 3,487 fires for 236,235 hectares

 

According to the National Forest Fire Situation Report of 26 July 2000 (updated every Friday), that a large fire in Saskatchewan near Uranium City (8 km from airport) is out of control at 24 700 ha. Winds are blowing away from the airport, which is not threatened at this time. A fire at Moab Lake in Jasper Park has reached 1050 ha and is expected to be under control soon. Area burned has risen to 15% of normal, due to several large fires in the Northwest Territories. Warmer and drier weather over much of the country will bring increased risk in all regions, particularly in central and northwestern Canada.

Number and area of forest fires in Canada, as of 26 July 2000

current uncontrolled controlled active modified 77 184 90   2000
(to date)
10-year
average
in %
of normal
Prescribed
burning
Number 3,233 5,326 61% 40 Area (ha) 227,621 1,530,975 15% 7,863

 

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 (1 km) resolution. You can also click on any fire and get information about that fire.

click here to enlarge (23 KB) click here to enlarge (29 KB) click here to enlarge (23 KB)

Satellite image, daily fire overview map and season-to-date hotspot map for 29 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 (27 July 2000):

click to enlarge (30 - 40 KB)
Fine Fuel Moisture Code click to enlarge (30 - 40 KB)
Duff Moisture Code click to enlarge (30 - 40 KB)
Drought Code click to enlarge (30 - 40 KB)
Initial Spread Index click to enlarge (30 - 40 KB)
Buildup Index click to enlarge (30 - 40 KB)
Fire Weather Index click to enlarge (30 - 40 KB)
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 (27 July 2000):

click to enlarge (30 - 40 KB)
Foliar Moisture Content click to enlarge (30 - 40 KB)
Surface Fuel Consumption click to enlarge (30 - 40 KB)
Rate of Spread click to enlarge (30 - 40 KB)
Total Fuel Consumption click to enlarge (30 - 40 KB)
Head Fire Intensity click to enlarge (30 - 40 KB)
Fire Type

 

The Saskatchewan Daily Forest Fire Situation Report (30 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: 20 extinguished in the past 24 hours: 4 new fires: 8 total number of fires to date this year: 342 total up to this date last year: 562 five year average for this date: 553

 

British Columbia Forest Service Wildfire Report (27 July 2000):
Officials are cautiously optimistic about U.S. blaze
Senior B.C. forestry officials finished their risk assessment today of the 3,800-hectare Rocky Hull wildfire burning southeast of Oroville, Washington. The wildfire, burning since Saturday, is estimated to be within 10 kilometres of the border. There are over 1,000 U.S. firefighters battling the blaze, and agreements are in place to allow further assistance from the B.C. Forest Service, which provided air tanker support earlier this week. With warm temperatures and dry conditions, this fire continues to be active. However, forestry officials are cautiously optimistic that the fire will be fully contained before becoming a threat to B.C. Fire officials in the Kamloops Fire Centre have developed a good working relationship with their counterparts in Washington State and have continued regular cross-border meetings. A strategy and contingency plans are in place, and the Forest Service will continue to monitor this fire closely. The southern Okanagan is an area where there is continual concern about the risk of wildfire threat to populated areas. The fire danger rating continues to be high in this area.

Wildfire Statistics Report, 28 July 2000

Number of Fires Burning: 119 Number of New Fires (Lightning): 4 Number of New Fires (Human Caused): 4 Total Lightning Fires: 301 Total Human Caused Fires: 396 Total Fires to Date: 697 Total Area Burned (ha): 12,542

click here to enlarge (17 KB)

Fire Danger Rating for British Columbia, 28 July 2000.
(Source: British Columbia Forest Service)

 

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 new archive about

  • 2000 daily updates
  • a list of fire research and operational people and
  • social hi-lites from Ft. Providence during the experiment

is available on the ICFME website. The experiment has been also described in the International Forest Fire News (IFFN) No. 21 (September 1999).

 


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