Forest Fires in the United States: 14 February 2000
Forest Fires in the United States
14 February 2000
Several active fire signals were recorded by OSEI with the NOAA-14 POES AVHRR HRPT satellite on 11 February 2000 in southern Florida.
Fig. 1. Scattered heat signatures and smoke plumes from areas of fire burning in southern Florida.
(Source: NOAA/OSEI)
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 for 12 February (observation time) and 13 February (next day forecast; right map) 2000
(Source: Fire Behavior Research Work Unit, Missoula)
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 continues to increase with 13 units reporting high fire danger. There were 248 fires reported yesterday (10 February 2000) for 1,842 hectares. Prescribed fire activity is also increasing as units take advantage of the recent weather conditions. A frontal system is moving across the Southern Area today (11 February 2000) and is supposed to bring widespread moisture. Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi and the Carolinas have the greatest chance of precipitation today. The front will to continue to move across Saturday morning bringing rains to all but Florida, Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas and parts of Louisiana. Kentucky, Tennessee, Virginia and possibly North Carolina may see snow or sleet. Another quick moving front may bring precipitation to eastern Texas and Oklahoma on Sunday, as well as Louisiana, Arkansas, Kentucky, and Tennessee.”.
In following states the number of fires, area and fire weather conditions were reported on 11 February 2000:
ALABAMA:
Alabama Forestry Commission: Reported 219 fires for 898 hectares [ha] (1-7 February 2000) and an additional 73 fires for 703 ha (8-9 February 2000). The majority of these fires are occurring in southwest Alabama in Mobile and Baldwin counties.
National Forests in Alabama: The Ann Bog fire, on the Conecuh Ranger District, is 100% contained at 179 ha. The cause of the fire is listed as arson. The Talladega Ranger District was assisting the state with a fire on private land at the close of business.
ARKANSAS/OKLAHOMA:
Arkansas/Oklahoma Interagency Coordination Center: The cold front moving through the area is bringing cooler temperatures and higher humidity although no significant rain has been reported from this front. Prescribed fire activities continue.
COMMONWEALTH OF PUERTO RICO:
Puerto Rico Department of Natural Resources: Reported 1 fire for 1.2 ha in the state forestry unit of Marico. The fire threatened a structure but no containment problems are anticipated.
MISSISSIPPI:
Mississippi Interagency Coordination Center: Weather is sunny with highs in the low 70s and humidity in the 40% range.
National Forests in Mississippi: The Chickasawhay Ranger District reported 1 new fire.
SOUTH CAROLINA:
South Carolina Interagency Coordination Center: Today will be an active day with all units of the Forest Service planning prescribed burning activities. Expect to burn the rest of the week. Rain is forecast for the Piedmont and the Mountains Friday. No rain is in the forecast for the coastal areas until Monday.
TEXAS:
National Forests in Texas: The wildland fire activity reported was on the Angelina National Forest.
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. Fires and hectares year-to-date (11 February 2000)
(Source: Incident Management Situation Report)
Geographic Area Number of Wildland Fires Area Burned (ha) Alaska 0 0 Northwest 0 0 California 178 36 Northern Rockies 0 0 Eastern Great Basin 1 1.2 Western Great Basin 1 0.4 Southwest 103 3,178 Rocky Mountain 7 750 Eastern 24 161 Southern 4,052 26,841
Total United States
4,366 30,968
Tab.2. Prescribed fires and hectares year-to-date (11 February 2000)
(Source: Incident Management Situation Report)
Geographic Area Number of Prescribed Fires Area Burned (ha) Alaska 0 0 Northwest 3 590 California 40 914 Northern Rockies 0 0 Eastern Great Basin 3 11 Western Great Basin 0 0 Southwest 84 3,782 Rocky Mountain 0 0 Eastern 4 262 Southern 288 64,343
Total United States
422 69,897
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.
