Forest Fires in the United States
6 October 1999
The National Interagency Fire Center
reported on 5 October 1999 that strong winds caused fires to spread in
California yesterday, however, some relief is expected today with cooler temperatures,
higher humidities and even some showers in the northern part of the state.
One major complex in California continues to burn after more than a month of suppression
efforts.
Fire Weather Outlook
California may experience some relief today with increased humidity and cooler
temperatures. Northern California and Oregon are expected to also have cloud cover today
with a chance of showers by tonight.
Winds from the west to southwest are expected to increase during the afternoon from
eastern Washington and Oregon to the northern Rocky Mountains and south through the Great
Basin.
The Gulf states will be mostly sunny in the western portion and mostly cloudy in the east
with a chance of showers and thunderstorms.
Fig. 1. Large Wildland Fires in the United States, 5
October 1999
(National Interagency Fire
Center)
For more information please refer to the website of National Interagency Fire Center.
The BLM - Alaska Fire Service Initial Attack Management System (IAMS) is suite of computer applications developed by BLM/Fire to aid dispatchers and fire managers. IAMS Maps is one of these applications and provides graphical representation of various kinds of geographic data. Maps has been modified to produce output to a Web site to allow internet access to the data that IAMS stores. Dynamic data such as lightning (available May - September), fires, etc. are updated at the homepage of the BLM - Alaska Fire Service (select Maps / AFS IAMS Maps Viewer) every 15 minutes during the fire season.
Fig.2. IAMS image of active fires in Alaska, 5 October
1999
(Source: BLM - Alaska Fire Service )
According the INCIDENT MANAGEMENT SITUATION REPORT the current situation for 5 October 1999 can be quoted as follows:
"...
CURRENT SITUATION
Minimal initial attack activity was reported from all Geographic Areas. New large fire
activity was reported in the Eastern Great Basin Area. The National Interagency
Coordination Center mobilized helicopters, infrared aircraft, an airtanker, a lead plane,
radio equipment, dozers, and miscellaneous overhead. Very high to extreme fire indices
were reported in Oregon, Washington, California, Idaho, Utah, Colorado, Indiana, and
Georgia.
OUTLOOK:
An upper level ridge centered over the Rocky Mountains will weaken as a mid-level storm
system moves northeast over the northern Rocky Mountains. Winds from the west to southwest
are expected to increase during the afternoon from eastern Washington and Oregon to the
northern Rocky Mountains and south through the Great Basin. The continuation of onshore
low level flow over the west will spread higher relative humidities further inland this
afternoon, reaching the eastern slopes of the Washington and Oregon Cascade Mountains and
south over northern California. Afternoon high temperatures will be cooler with valley
highs mainly in the mid 50's thru the 60's, except in southern California which will be in
the 70's to mid 80's. The mountain high temperatures will be in the mid 40's and 50's.
The Gulf states will be mostly sunny in the western portion and mostly cloudy in the east
with a chance of showers and thunderstorms. High temperatures will be in the mid 70's to
mid 80's.
... ."
Following basic fire data describe the fire situation in the United States:
| Number of FIRES in the last 24 hours | HECTARES burning in the last 24 hours | FIRES YEAR-TO-DATE |
HECTARES YEAR-TO-DATE |
| 187 | 5,313 | 77,516 | 2,048,716 |
For detailed information regarding specified regions, please refer to the whole report.