Forest Fires and Prescribed Burning in Southern United States: 26 March 1999
Forest Fires and Prescribed Burning in the Southern United States
26 March 1999
Several active fire signals and smoke plumes are recorded by OSEI with the NOAA AVHRR Sensor on 25 March 1999.
Fig.1. NOAA image of the vegetation fires in the Southern United States 25 March 1999
(Source: NOAA http://www.osei.noaa.gov/)
Several wildfires were reported in Southern United States over the last days. The Florida Forest Protection Bureau reports for the 24 March 1999 25 fires, burning on a total area of 149.5 acres. 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.
SOUTHERN AREA COORDINATION CENTER MORNING REPORT
(this report can be accessed at: http://state.vipnet.org/dof/firesitr.html)
DATE: March 24, 1999
TODAY’S TOTAL FIRES: 658 TODAY’S TOTAL ACRES: 4,385
REMARKS SOUTHERN AREA
A band of widely scattered showers stretching from central Mississippi to Virginia is moving eastward. Showers and thunderstorms are expected for parts of Texas. Highs for the Area will range from the 50’s north to 80’s south.
ALABAMA
No fire activity reported.
ARKANSAS/OKLAHOMA
Arkansas/Oklahoma Interagency Coordination Center (AR-AOC): A cold front brought significant precip to southeast Oklahoma and southern Arkansas. However, northern Arkansas received little to no moisture. T-06 was released to Knoxville and T-25 will be at Ft. Smith. Helicopter 4HC will be at Mena and helicopter 85BH at Clarksville. The Buffalo National River fire use module will be committed to the Pea Ridge NMP in Arkansas today and Wilson’s Creek NB in Missouri, 03/25-26. State of Arkansas (AR-ARS): 7 fires for 38 acres, 03/23. State of Oklahoma (OK-OKS): 15 fires for 212 acres, 03/22. Ouachita NF (AR-OUF): Accomplished 5 Rx burns for 11,647 acres, 03/22. Helicopter 4HC will be at Mena and helicopter 85BH at Clarksville.
FLORIDA
State of Florida (FL-FLS): 30 fires for 193 acres, 03/22.
GEORGIA
State of Georgia (GA-GAS): 477 fires for 2,246 acres, 03/19-22.
KENTUCKY
State of Kentucky (KY-KYS): 30 fires for 637 acres, 03/22.
Daniel Boone NF (KY-DBF): Most portions of the Commonwealth received some precip on Tuesday with a continuing chance of rain forecasted today. Fire activity is expected to decrease accordingly.
LOUISIANA
No fire activity reported.
MISSISSIPPI
State of Mississippi (MS-MSS): 52 fires for 600 acres, 03/22. Fire danger high.
NFs in Mississippi (MS-MNF): Accomplished 2 Rx burns for 1,015 acres on the Holly Springs RD. Fire danger high. Forecast for
today calls for mostly cloudy skies with a 30% chance of showers and a few thunderstorms. The highs will range from 70-75.
Grand Bay NWR (MS-GBR): Fire danger high.
Mississippi Sandhill Crane NWR (MS-MSR): Fire danger high.
Noxubee NWR (MS-NXR): Fire danger high.
Natchez Trace Parkway (MS-NAP): Fire danger high.
NORTH CAROLINA
State of North Carolina (NC-NCS): 16 fires for 75 acres, 03/22.
NFs in North Carolina (NC-NCF): 1 fire for 3 acres on the Croatan RD, 03/23. Accomplished 5 Rx burns for 352 acres. Forest has 1 Rx burn for 535 acres planned tomorrow. Great Smoky Mountains NP fire use module assisted with Rx burning on the Cheoah RD. Asheville Hotshots are committed to the Flat Branch fire in Georgia.
SOUTH CAROLINA
Francis Marion-Sumter NFs (SC-FMF): No initial attack activity yesterday. Temps today will be in the 70’s with RH’s in the 40’s. Rain is forecasted for Friday.
TENNESSEE
State of Tennessee (TN-TNS): 21 fires for 219 acres, 03/22.
Cherokee NF (TN-CNF): T-06 is at Knoxville, T-25 at Ft. Smith, T-05 at Brooksville, Florida with Lead 3-5, and T-12 is back in
service at Knoxville.
TEXAS
State of Texas (TX-TXS): 1 fire for 99 acres, 03/22.
West Texas State (TX-WTS): Fire danger high.
NFs in Texas (TX-TXF): Accomplished 1 Rx burn for 385 acres.
VIRGINIA
Virginia Interagency Coordination Center (VA-VIC): No fire activity to report. Wet weather is expected today throughout theforest.
LAST NATIONAL INTERAGENCY COORDINATION CENTER SITUATION REPORT (19 March 1999)
(this report can be accessed at: http://www.nifc.gov/news/sitreprt.html)
CURRENT SITUATION:
Fire activity increased in the Southern and Rocky Mountain Areas. A firefighter fatality was confirmed on the Mullen fire in Nebraska. The entire fire community extends condolences to family and friends.
The National Interagency Coordination Center processed orders from the Southern Area for a lead plane and miscellaneous equipment and overhead.
SOUTHERN AREA LARGE FIRES:
LANNING RIDGE, North Carolina NF’s. This escaped campfire is near the community of Brevard. High winds yesterday caused the fire to jump control lines.
ROCKY MOUNTAIN AREA LARGE FIRES:
MULLEN, Nebraska State. A grass fire burned approximately 78,000 acres in Hooker and Thomas counties earlier this week. The town of Thedford was evacuated Tuesday evening. Residents were allowed to return Wednesday.
OUTLOOK:
A FIRE WEATHER WATCH IS POSTED IN NORTH AND NORTH CENTRAL FLORIDA AND THE LAKELAND/MYAKKA RIVER AREA THIS AFTERNOON FOR LOW HUMIDITIES.
Florida will be partly cloudy and dry through Saturday with patchy latenight fog. I isolated showers and thunderstorms are forecast along the southeast coast and Keys. Sunday through Tuesday will be partly cloudy with scattered afternoon showers. South Carolina will be mostly sunny to partly cloudy with clear nights through Saturday. Sunday and Monday will be mostly cloudy with a chance of showers, then turning sunny on Tuesday. High temperatures will be in the 70’s to lower 80’s in Florida and 60’s and 70’s in South Carolina cooling to the 50’s and 60’s next week. Both states will be generally dry Wednesday through Friday with seasonable temperatures.
Nebraska and South Dakota will have variable cloudiness through Saturday with a chance of rain in east Nebraska. Windy conditions are expected in west Nebraska on Saturday. Sunday through Tuesday will be mostly dry with gradual warming. Wednesday through Friday will be generally dry and mild.
High temperatures will range from the 40’s to the 60’s.
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.
