Forest Fires and Prescribed Burning in Southern United States: 18 March 1999
Forest Fires and Prescribed Burning in the Southern United States
18 March 1999
Several active fire signals and smoke plumes are recorded by OSEI with the NOAA AVHRR Sensor on 17 March 1999.
Fig.1. NOAA image of the vegetation fires in the Southern United States 17 March 1999
(Source: NOAA http://www.osei.noaa.gov/)
Several wildfires were reported in Florida over the last days, covering a total area of approximately 7500 acres (3000 hectares). Some of these fires were burning in the urban-wildland interface destroying several houses. According to the press about 600 people had to flee from the flames and a major highway had to be closed. The Florida Forest Protection Bureau reports on 16 March 1999 that the fire activities are increasing mainly in Northeast and Southwest areas of the State of Florida. As of 16 March 1999 25 fires were burning on a total area of 1000 ha. The heat signatures in Mississipi and Alabama can be wildfires, as well as prescribed burnings.
For a detailed report on the fire activities in Florida, refer to the last days Narrative Report on the Florida fire situation provided by the Florida Forest Protection Bureau
LAST NATIONAL INTERAGENCY COORDINATION CENTER SITUATION REPORT (12 March 1999) http://www.nifc.gov/news/sitreprt.htm
CURRENT SITUATION:
Fire activity decreased in the Southern Area this past week. Demobilization is occurring on large fires. The National Interagency Coordination Center processed orders from the Southern Area for a lead plane and miscellaneous overhead. Several units in the Southwest Area are reporting very high and extreme fire indices.
SOUTHERN AREA LARGE FIRES:
FERRY COMPLEX, Florida NF’s. The fires in this complex are located around the community of Silver Springs. New starts continue to be discovered within the area of the complex.
OUTLOOK:
A FIRE WEATHER WATCH IS POSTED IN FLORIDA THIS AFTERNOON FOR LOW HUMIDITIES.
Florida will be warm and dry through next week, except for scattered showers and thunderstorms Sunday. Sunday and Monday will be breezy. High temperatures will be in the 70’s (21°C) to lower 80’s (26°C), except Monday which will be in the 60’s (15°C) and 70’s (21°C).
Arkansas and Oklahoma will have a mixture of rain and snow today and Saturday, clearing Sunday with lingering morning showers. Monday and Tuesday will be warm and dry. Scattered showers and thunderstorms are expected again Wednesday and Thursday. High temperatures will be in the upper 30’s (-1°C) to near 50 (10°C), warming into the 60’s (15°C) and lower 70’s (21°C) by Tuesday.
Texas will have rain in the east and north with windy and cooler conditions in the west today. A chance of show showers are possible in the north Saturday. Sunday and Monday will be mostly sunny, warmer and drier. The west will be windy again on Tuesday. Showers and thunderstorms are possible again Wednesday and Thursday. High temperatures will be in the 40’s (4°C) in the north to the 60’s (15°C) in the south, warming to the 60’s (15°C) and 70’s (21°C) Monday and Tuesday.
The Southwest will be cool and breezy with a chance of snow showers in eastern Arizona and northern New Mexico today and Saturday. Sunday and Monday will be mostly sunny, warmer and drier. Tuesday through Thursday will be cooler and windy with scattered rain and mountain snow. High temperatures will be in the 30’s in the mountains, to the 60’s (15°C) in the lower elevations. Sunday and Monday will be much warmer with 50’s (10°C) and 60’s (15°C) in the mountains and 70’s (21°C) and 80’s (26°C) in the lower elevations.
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.
