Forest Fires in Southern United States

3 December 1998


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Fig.1. NOAA image of the vegetation fires in the Southern United States 2 December 1998
(Source: NOAA http://www.osei.noaa.gov/)

See footnote at the end of this daily update: fire signatures in the Southeast must be interpreted carefully!

Virginia Department of Forestry
Fire Situation Report of 2 December 1998, 1:00 pm update
http://state.vipnet.org/dof/sit12298.htm

Davis Creek Fire in Nelson County was contained at 650 acres (263 ha.) on Saturday and is still being patrolled. A blackhawk helicopter is now on standby alert at the Richmond Air Station.

Two US Forest Service 20 person crews retained to assist in suppression and patrol operations on contained fires.

Fire in Buchanan County contained at 100 acres (40 ha). Fire from Kentucky contained at 80 acres (32 ha). Tennessee fire contained before reaching Washington county.

Helicopters were used on fire in Montgomery County.

Cumulative Severity Index (CSI)

REGION

Class Day

CSI

Waverly

4

542

Tappahannock

3

689

Charlottesville

3

506

Farmville

4

698

Salem

3

559

Abingdon

4

548

 

NATIONAL INTERAGENCY COORDINATION CENTER SITUATION REPORT
http://www.nifc.gov/news/sitreprt.html

CURRENT SITUATION IN BRIEF (from the NIFC website):
Containment objectives were accomplished on the large fires in the Southern Area. Demobilization is continuing. Increased fire activity occurred in Missouri over the weekend. High fire danger remains in Virginia.

OUTLOOK:
Virginia will be sunny and warm with 5-15 MPH (9-23 km/h) southwest winds. High temperatures will be in the upper 60's to mid 70's.

North Carolina will have increasing clouds with low humidities. Winds will be from the southeast at 10-20 MPH (16-32 km/h), then changing to southwest and increasing to 10-25 MPH (16-40 km/h). High temperatures will be in the mid 60's (16°C) to mid 70's (21°C).

Some remarks to the NOAA AVHRR satellite imagery: The "hotspots" detected in the Southeast must not necessarily be wildfires. At this time of the years prescribed burning activities are picking up. For more information on the extent of prescribed burning in the U.S.A. please visit the last issue of International Forest Fire News.


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