Forest Fires in the United States: 14 October 1999
Forest Fires in the United States
14 October 1999
The National Interagency Fire Center reported on 13 October 1999 that one new fire was reported from Nevada yesterday and the two large fire complexes continue to burn in California. Although minimal activity was experienced throughout the country, very high to extreme fire conditions were reported in Oregon, California, Utah, Idaho, Arizona, Nevada and Colorado.
Warning to Hunters and Other Outdoor Enthusiasts!
Fire conditions in many areas remain extreme! Be aware of fire restrictions and conditions as you venture into the wildlands this season.
Fire Weather Outlook
Dry and warm weather will persist throughout most of the West today. A cold front will begin to move into the Pacific Northwest tomorrow, however, brining cooler temperatures and strong winds.
Rain is expected from the Great Lake states to along the East Coast today.
Fig. 1. Large Wildland Fires in the United States, 13 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.
The latest IAMS image of active fires in Alaska is shown in a map of 5 October 1999.
According the INCIDENT MANAGEMENT SITUATION REPORT the current situation for 13 October 1999 can be quoted as follows:
“…
CURRENT SITUATION
Minimal initial attack activity was reported from all Geographic Areas. New large fire activity occurred in Western Great Basin. The National Interagency Coordination Center mobilized a caterer, a shower, radios, large transport aircraft, infrared aircraft, an airtanker and miscellaneous overhead. Very high to extreme fire indices were reported in Oregon, California, Utah, Idaho, Arizona, Nevada and Colorado.
OUTLOOK:
High pressure will continue over most of the Western U.S. This will result in continued dry conditions in the interior. Morning low clouds and patchy fog will persist from coastal Oregon southward to southern California, with gusty afternoon winds over the interior deserts and canyons. Scattered showers are expected over western Washington and northwest Oregon today. High temperatures will range from the 60’s to 70’s along the coast and 70’s to 80 over the interior valleys and the northern great Basin. Near record highs from the mid 90’s to 105 are forecast for the interior deserts of California, extreme southern Nevada and Arizona.
A weak frontal system with limited moisture will move across the Pacific Northwest into western Montana, while high pressure and dry air continues over southern sections of the region. Scattered showers with mostly cloudy skies are expected along the frontal zone in western Montana, northern Idaho and northern Washington. Southern Idaho, southern Wyoming and Colorado, will be sunny and dry. Highs will be in the 50’s and 60’s over the mountains of Montana and northern Idaho with 60’s and 70’s elsewhere.
A high pressure system and dry air will be over much of Texas and Louisiana, bringing partly cloudy to mostly sunny skies. Along the Gulf Coast, an onshore flow of moisture will bring scattered showers and thunderstorms to the coasts of Texas and Louisiana. Highs will range from the lower 80’s to lower 90’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 60 1,636 78,381 2,075,324
For detailed information regarding specified regions, please refer to the whole report.
