Forest Fires in the United States: 25 February 2000

Wildland Fire Update
The National Interagency Fire Center (NIFC) provides new data (22 February 2000) of the current wildland fire season in the United States. These data were analysed after different geographic regions. Further, a five-year wildland fire comparison statistic shows the number and the area of wildland fires from 1996 to 2000.

Five wildland fires ranging from 150 to 40,330 acres (16,132 hectares [ha]) were reported from New Mexico last week contributing to the nearly 100,000 acres (40,000 ha) affected nation wide in just seven days.
Wildland fire activity so far in 2000 is about four times greater than the four-year average, and almost double that of the record-setting 1996 season (see year-to-date statistics). Contributing to this activity are conditions from southern California to the Midwest and into Georgia where moderate to severe drought is being reported.
Another significant figure for the beginning of the 2000 season is the number of acres treated by prescribed fire. In the first 50 days of the year, land managers ignited 505 prescribed fires treating more than 200,000 acres (80,000 ha) of public land. Prescribed burns are planned under specified conditions intended to improve the health of the natural landscape and/or reduce hazardous build-up of vegetation that lead to devastating wildland fires.

Tab. 1. Number of wildland fires, acres and hectares affected by geographic area (year-to-date statistics; 22 February 2000)
(Source: NIFC).

Geographic regions in the United States of America	Number of wildfires	Number of acres	Number of hectares
Alaska	0	0	0
Northwest	0	0	0
California	187	90	36
Northern Rockies	0	0	0
Eastern Great Basin	1	3	1.2
Western Great Basin	1	1	0.4
Southwest	206	96,139	38,456
Rocky Mountain	2	1,840	736
Eastern	25	404	162
Southern	5,065	79,757	31,903
Total United States	5,487	178,234	71,294

Year	Number of wildland fires	Number of acres	Number of hectares
2000	5,487	178,234	71,294
1999	2,208	15,335	6,134
1998	797	10,554	4,222
1997	3,318	61,985	24,794
1996	3,993	89,789	35,916

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 24 February (observation time) and 25 February (next day forecast; right map) 2000
(Source: Fire Behavior Research Work Unit, Missoula)

The Forest Fire Weather Index (FWI) System consists of six components that account for the effects of fuel moisture and wind on fire behavior. The first three components are fuel moisture codes that follow daily changes in the moisture contents of three classes of forest fuel with different drying rates. The last three components are fire behavior indexes, representing rate of spread, amount of available fuel, and fire intensity; their values increase as fire weather severity increases. For detailed information on the Florida Fire Management Information System (FFMIS) the GFMC would like to refer to the original website.

According to the FFMIS for 24 February 2000 these parameters show various fire weather conditions over Florida.


Fine Fuel Moisture Code	Duff Moisture Code	Drought Code

Initial Spread Index	Buildup Index	Fire Weather Index

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.

A set of photographic documents on prescribed burning techniques and objectives in the Southeast can be visited in our photo archive.