GFMC: Forest Fires in Canada, 15 August 2000
15 August 2000
The Canadian Interagency Forest Fire Centre (CIFFC) distributes timely information about forest fires in Canada. The current fire situation for 14 August 2000 can be summarized as follows:
over the last 24 hours: 222 fires for 0 ha season summary: 4,678 fires for 527,013 hectares
According to the National Forest Fire Situation Report of 9 August 2000 (updated every Friday), that the fire activity continues to remain below average. The weekly total for hectares burned last week was consistent with 10-year averages for this time of the season although the total for the season is well below average. The area of smoke has decreased since last week. Conditions remain dry in much of the western provinces and the territories. Risk is increasing in southern parts of Manitoba and Alberta and in southeastern part of British Columbia; some risk continues in the northern parts of Saskatchewan, Ontario and the Northwest Territories.
Number and area of forest fires in Canada, as of 9 August 2000
current uncontrolled controlled active modified 7 209 198 2000
(to date) 10-year
average in %
of normal Prescribed
burning Number 4,218 6,557 64% 41 Area (ha) 520,373 1,952,230 27% 7,881
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.
The satellite image, the daily fire overview map and the season-to-date hotspot map for 10 August 2000
display the current significant fire events
(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 August 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 August 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 (14 August 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: 17 extinguished in the past 24 hours: 3 new fires: 1 total number of fires to date this year: 379 total up to this date last year: 584 five year average for this date: 627
British Columbia Forest Service Wildfire Report (14 August 2000):
Firefighters battle over 350 wildfires in southern B.C.
More than 350 wildfires are burning in the south Okanagan and southeastern part of the province. Most of these fires were triggered by an intense lightning storm that passed through the southeast on Thursday night. The fire centre in Castlegar reported 85 new fires within the last 48 hours. New wildfires were also reported in the Thompson, Okanagan and Similkameen areas over the weekend. Firefighters are extremely busy and extra resources have been brought in from Coastal, Prince George and Northwest fire centres to help. Many of these fires are small and in remote areas; however, several are of concern at this time. Firefighters are expected to be busy for the next several weeks. The B.C. Forest Service has the technology available to identify high-risk fires, and priority is given to fires that may be a threat to populated areas or forest values. Fast action by initial attack crews, helicopters and air tankers can usually catch these fires before they have a chance to spread.
Wildfire Statistics Report, 14 August 2000
Number of Fires Burning: 326 Number of New Fires (Lightning): 242 Number of New Fires (Human Caused): 35 Total Lightning Fires: 778 Total Human Caused Fires: 469 Total Fires to Date: 1,247 Total Area Burned (ha): 13,921
Fire Danger Rating for British Columbia, 13 August 2000.
(Source: British Columbia Forest Service)
