Forest Fires and Prescribed Burning in the Southern United States

22 February 1999


Several active fire signals and smoke plumes are recorded by OSEI with the NOAA AVHRR Sensor on 19 February 1999.

click to enlarge (911 KB)             click to enlarge (661 KB)

Fig.1. & 2. NOAA image of the vegetation fires in the Southern United States 19  February 1999
(Source: NOAA http://www.osei.noaa.gov/)

See also remarks at the end of this daily update: The fire signatures in the Southeast represent mainly prescribed burning operations.

LAST INCIDENT MANAGEMENT SITUATION REPORT (19 February, 1999)
http://www.nifc.gov/news/sitreprt.html

CURRENT SITUATION:
Increased fire activity was reported in the Southern and Eastern Areas. The National Interagency Coordination Center mobilized overhead and equipment to the Southern Area.

OUTLOOK:
Texas and Oklahoma will be dry through most of next week, except for a chance of showers Monday in Oklahoma. Windy conditions are expected Monday and Tuesday. High temperatures will be in the 50's (10°C) and 60's (15°C) with 70's (21°C) in south Texas.

The Southwest Area will be dry through next week, except for a chance of showers in the north on Monday. New Mexico will be windy on Friday, and across the entire area Sunday and Monday, and again on Wednesday. High temperatures will range from the 40's (4°C) and 50's (10°C) in the mountains to the 70's (21°C) in the lower deserts.

An excellent Wildfire Season Forecast for Florida can be seen under this link: 1998-1999 Florida Wildfire Season Forecast

Remarks on Prescribed Burning:
The high-temperature events depicted by the NOAA AVHRR satellite in the Southeast are not all wildfires. At this time of the year prescribed burning operations are conducted routinely. A set of photographic documents on prescribed burning techniques and objectives can be visited in our photo archive. 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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