Forest Fires in Southern United States: 20 May 1999

Forest Fires in Southern United States

20 May 1999


Several active fire signals are recorded by OSEI on 19 May 1999.

click here to enlarge (218 KB)

Fig.1. The NOAA AVHRR image shows heat signatures fires burning in the Florida Panhandle on 19 May 1999.
(Source: NOAA http://www.osei.noaa.gov/)

The DAILY FLORIDA WILDFIRE STATUS SYNOPSIS of Wednesday, 19 May 1999, prepared by the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, Division of Forestry in conjunction with the National Forests in Florida is stating, 25 wildfires burned 4,180 acres (1,691 ha) yesterday. The year-to-date statistic increased meanwhile to 3,412 wildfires, which burned 261,806 acres (105,949 ha). For information regarding this report please refer to the detailed synopsis, which can be accessed under http://flame.doacs.state.fl.us/Suppress/dfu/May5.html.

The INCIDENT MANAGEMENT SITUATION REPORT (http://www.nifc.gov/news/sitreprt.html) from 19 May 1999 can be quoted as follows:
“…
CURRENT SITUATION:
Initial attack fire activity was reported in the Southern Area, California and Alaska, with minimal initial attack activity being reported elsewhere. Initial attack and large fire activity increased in eastern Canada. Very high and extreme fire indices were reported in Maine, Michigan, New Hampshire, Louisiana, Arizona, New Mexico, West Texas, Quebec and New Brunswick. Alaska is mobilizing a Type II Incident Management Team to three 20+ acre fires in the Big Lake area north of Anchorage. Five crews are being mobilized from the lower forty-eight. No further information is available.

OUTLOOK
A FIRE WEATHER WATCH IS POSTED FOR WESTERN NEW MEXICO FOR LOW HUMIDITIES AND GUSTY SOUTH TO SOUTHWEST WINDS.
New Mexico will be partly cloudy and a little warmer. A slight chance of thunderstorms exist in the eastern portion of the state. Winds will be southeast to southwest at 15-25 MPH with gusts to near 30 MPH. Minimum humidities will be 20-30 percent. High temperatures will be in the upper 60’s to low 80’s for the mountains and north, with 80’s to 90’s in the southern lowlands.
West Texas will be mostly cloudy in the morning, becoming partly cloudy by afternoon, with a 20 percent chance of afternoon thunderstorms near the Big Bend area. Winds will be southeast to south at 15-25 MPH with gusts to 30 MPH. Minimum humidities will be 10-20 percent. High temperatures will be in the lower 80’s and lower 90’s, with 105 expected along the Rio Grande Corridor.
Arizona will be mostly sunny. Minimum humidities will be 5-15 percent. Winds will be south to southwest at 10-25 MPH. High temperatures will be in the 70’s in the mountains, with 80’s to upper 90’s elsewhere, to 102 in the hottest deserts.
Southern California will be sunny, with areas of morning fog and low clouds along the coast. Minimum humidities will be 15-35 percent for the interior portions of the state with 50-65 percent along the coast. Winds will be southwest to west at 10-20 MPH, with gusts to 30 MPH. High temperatures will be in the 50’s to 60’s near the mountains, upper 60’s to 70’s for the coastal regions and 70’s to 80’s inland. Death Valley will see high temperatures near 100 degrees.
Florida will be partly cloudy with widely scattered afternoon showers and thunderstorms. Winds will be west to northwest at 5-15 MPH. Minimum humidities will be 40-55 percent. High temperatures will be in the 80’s and 90’s.


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