Forest Fires in the United States: 7 February 2000
Forest Fires in the United States
7 February 2000
Several active fire signals were recorded by OSEI with the NOAA-14 POES AVHRR HRPT satellite on 4 February 2000 in the southeastern United States.
Fig. 1. A few hot spots (red) and a number of smoke plumes from areas of fire burning in the southeastern United States. Some of this activities are due to controlled burning operations.
(Source: NOAA/OSEI)
The Morning Report of the SOUTHERN AREA COORDINATION CENTER is a narrative summary of fire activity within the Southern Area including number of fires, wildfires as well as prescribed burns, and area. “Wildland fire activity across the Southern Area has been minimal. However, Louisiana did have a large fire on 3 February 2000 and some state agencies are reporting several smaller fires. Currently, most units are experiencing conditions favorable to prescribe burning and are actively working to accomplish their goals while the weather conditions allow.”
In following states the number of fires and area were reported on 4 February 2000:
ALABAMA:
National Forests in Alabama: Accomplished 6 prescribed burns for 2,388 hectares (ha) on 3 February and plan to burn approximately the same acreage on 4 February.
FLORIDA:
National Forests in Florida: Accomplished 1 prescribed burn for 1,423 ha on the Wakulla Ranger District (2 February 2000) and accomplished 1 prescribed burn for 1,276 ha on the Apalachicola Ranger District (3 February 2000).
LOUISIANA:
Sabine National Wildlife Refuge: Reported 1 fire for 388 ha which was not previously reported. The fire has occurred since 1 January 2000.
Kisatchie National Forest: Reported 1 fire for 115 ha. The Spring Creek fire started on private lands. The fire is completely lined and mop up continued on 4 February.
SOUTH CAROLINA:
South Carolina Interagency Coordination Center: Fire danger continues to increase into the moderate range along the Coastal Region. It is still in the low range in the Piedmont and the Mountain Regions although they are increasing as well.
South Carolina Forestry Commission: 1,000 gallons of water were dropped on a 1.6 ha fire (3 Februar 2000).
Francis Marion and Sumter National Forest: Assisted the South Carolina Forestry Commission on a small fire (3 February 2000) with helicopter N206HE. The Witherbee Ranger District is conducting a 382 ha prescribed burn (3 February 2000).
The Wildland Fire Assessment System is a contribution of “The Fire Behavior Research Work Unit”, Missoula (Montana USA). The broad area component of the Wildland Fire Assessment System (WFAS) generated national maps of selected fire weather and fire danger components. Fire Danger (Potential) is a normalized adjective rating class across different fuel models and station locations. It is based on information provided by local station managers about the primary fuel model, fire danger index selected to reflect staffing level, and climatological class breakpoints. Low danger (class 1) is green and extreme potential (class 5) is red.
Fig. 2. and 3. Fire Danger Forecast Maps of the United States and Alaska for 6 February (observation time) and 7 February (next day forecast; right map) 2000
(Source: Fire Behavior Research Work Unit, Missoula)
According to the INCIDENT MANAGEMENT SITUATION REPORT three categories of fires are distinguished, such as:
1. Fires*
2. Prescribed Fires
3. Wildland Fire Use Fires**
* This classification corresponds to the category “wildland fires” as defined by the National Interagency Fire Center (NIFC)
** A brief excursion to wildland fire terminology:
Wildland Fires: Fires occurring on any tpye of vegetation, regardless of ignition sources, damages or benefits.
Wildfire: Any uncontrolled wildland fire which (1) may require suppression response, or (2) any uncontrolled wildland fire which meets management objectives and is declared as a Wildland Fire Use Fire (see below) or syn. Prescribed Natural Fire or Prescribed Fire.
Prescribed Fire: Occasionally also called management-ignited fire, or prescribed burning, is a controlled application of fire to vegetation in either their natural or modified state, under specified environmental conditions which allow the fire to be confined to a predetermined area and at the same time to produce the intensity of heat and rate of spread required to attain planned resource management objectives.
Wildland Fire Use Fire: Naturally ignited fire which is managed to achieve resource benefits under close supervision (syn. Prescribed Natural Fire)
Currently, Wildland Fire Use Fire data are not available. The differentiation of the above mentioned three fire classes do not point out clearly for the moment, whether the classified wildland fires included prescribed burned areas.
Tab.1. Number of wildland fires and hectares affected by geographic area (4 February 2000)
(Source: Incident Management Situation Report)
Geographic Area Number of Wildland Fires Area Burned (ha) Alaska 0 0 Northwest 0 0 California 162 36 Northern Rockies 0 0 Eastern Great Basin 1 1.2 Western Great Basin 1 0.4 Southwest 46 1,599 Rocky Mountain 7 759 Eastern 17 114 Southern 2930 15,535
Total United States
3164 18,046
Tab.2. Number of prescribed fires and hectares (4 February 2000)
(Source: Incident Management Situation Report)
Geographic Area Number of Prescribed Fires Area Burned (ha) Alaska 0 0 Northwest 3 590 California 36 561 Northern Rockies 0 0 Eastern Great Basin 3 11 Western Great Basin 0 0 Southwest 37 990 Rocky Mountain 0 0 Eastern 2 232 Southern 175 35,501
Total United States
162 37,887
Remarks on Prescribed Burning
At this time of the year prescribed burning operations are conducted routinely.
Fire is an important natural tool for ecosystem management. It can reduce dense vegetation improving wildlife habitat and lessening the potential for large, wildfire disasters. Land managers are directed to prepare a prescribed fire/burn plan for every area of public land that can burn. Some areas require total suppression while others will benefit from a wildland fire. Those areas that will benefit from a fire can be treated by a prescribed fire.
Especially, for the moment, in the southern and southeastern regions of the United States prescribed fire activities will be carried out in the following weeks and months. In this case, fire signals on satellite images can be traced back to this kind of land management activities.
In the Prescribed Fire Position Paper of the Forest Protection Bureau by the Division of Forestry in Florida, prescribed fire activity is described as a land management application that is essential to the practice of forestry, management of wildlife, preservation of endangered plant and animal species, improvement of range conditions and reduction of wildfire damage in the wildland/urban interface areas. While there is general public and landowner concern with increased smoke, reduced air quality, and liability; the general public and landowners benefit significantly from the reduction of devastating wildfire, improved wildlife habitat and forage, preservation of endangered and threatened plant and animal species, and improved management of forest resources. The prospect of severe reductions in the utilization of this management tool is of major concern to Florida’s natural resource managers and conservationists due to the subsequent loss of derived public and private benefits. They suggest the need for legislative attention.
Another report on nation-wide prescribed burning in the U.S.A. was published in International Forest Fire News No.19 (September 1998).
A set of photographic documents on prescribed burning techniques and objectives in the Southeast can be visited in our photo archive.
