Forest Fires in the United States: 5 April 2000

According to United States Forest Service Fire News California's fire season is off to an early start, with six fires in the northern part of the state since Friday.

The Town Fire west of Willows was 95 percent contained at 1140 acres (460 hectares [ha]); the 1540-acre (622 ha) Cabbage Fire was about 70 percent contained early Tuesday morning, with less than a mile of line left to build. Eight airtankers and five helicopters are on the fire; containment's predicted for Wednesday evening. Carlson's Type 2 team is on the Franklin Fire, which has threatened two homes. Monday's initial attack effort was successful on two flanks, and air support started in the afternoon. The fire ran all night Sunday, but late Monday was holding in rugged terrain. Ten crews and three engines are on the fire, and an airtanker out of the Chico Air Attack Base is dropping retardant on the fire, according to the Mendocino National Forest. Several helicopters are also on the fire.

Summerlike temperatures and strong winds that boosted fire danger over the weekend are expected to subside this week. The National Weather Service is predicting a cooling trend, with lower temperatures caused by an offshore flow. Winds that have fanned wildfires for the last week should be diminishing, too. Even though fire season doesn't officially begin until the first of May, strong northerly winds have dried out grasses and other fuels in northern California. Residents are cautioned about the dangers of excess fuels around homes, and encouraged to practice fire safety in the wildlands and at home.

The Wildland Fire Assessment System (WFAS) is a contribution of "The Fire Behavior Research Work Unit", Missoula (Montana USA). The broad area component of the Wildland Fire Assessment System (WFAS) generates 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. 1. & 2. Fire Danger Forecast Maps of the United States for 4 April (observation time) and 5 April (forecast) 2000
(Source: Fire Behavior Research Work Unit, Missoula)

Wildland Fire Update (31 March 2000)
The National Interagency Fire Center (NIFC) provides new data 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.

Fire conditions in Arizona, New Mexico, Texas and Kentucky remain extreme. Several large and hundreds of small wildland fires were reported from the Southwest, Southern and Eastern areas during the past week.
While burning conditions in some states are severe, other states throughout the country are experiencing ideal conditions for prescribed fires. As of today, nearly 480,000 acres (194,249 hectares) of wildlands have been treated by prescription fires. Prescribed fires 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.
Long-range, 30-day weather forecasts are predicting above-normal temperatures and below-normal precipitation for the southern tier of states from southern California to Florida and throughout the Midwest (see Fig.4. 30 and 90-day forecast maps).

Tab.1. Five-Year Wildland Fire Comparison Statistics Year-to-Date for the United States (31 March 2000)
(Source: National Interagency Fire Center (NIFC))

As of 03/27/00	Number of Wildland Fires	Area burnt
As of 03/27/00	Number of Wildland Fires	Acres	Hectars
2000	20,346	569,567	230,495
1999	18,202	216,197	87,491
1998	8,505	147,095	59,527
1997	11,465	240,723	97,417
1996	24,191	524,235	212,150

Keetch-Byram Drought Index (KBDI) by Florida's Division of Forestry / Forest Protection Bureau
John Keetch and George Byram developed the K/B index at the Southern Forest Fire Laboratory to evaluate the effects of long-term drying on litter and duff and subsequently, on fire activity (1968). The index is based on a measurement of 8 inches (20 cm) of available moisture in the upper soil layers that can be used by vegetation for evapotranspiration. The index measure is in hundredths (0.01) of an inch of water and has a range of 0 through 800, with 0 being saturated and 800 representing the worst drought condition. The index indicates deficit inches of available water in the soil. A K/B reading of 250 means there is a deficit of 2.5 inches (64 mm) of ground water available to the vegetation. As drought progresses, there is more available fuel that can contribute to fire intensity.
For further information on the KBDI please refer to Keetch-Byram Drought Index Revisited: Prescribed Fire Applications.

The Florida Forest Fire Weather Index (FWI) System is part of the "Florida Fire Management Information System (FFMIS)" and 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 1 April these parameters show various fire weather conditions for Florida.


Fine Fuel Moisture Code	Duff Moisture Code	Drought Code

Initial Spread Index	Buildup Index	Fire Weather Index

The Southern Area Coordination Center Morning Report (4 April 2000) is a narrative summary of fire activity within the Southern Area including number of fires, wildfires as well as prescribed burns, and area. (For detailed numbers of wildfires and prescribed burns, please refer to the original website of the report.)

SOUTHERN AREA: Southern Area Coordination Center: Fire danger continues to be low in most of the Area. Some prescribed fire activity was reported where conditions allowed. The southeast is experiencing a wide range of weather: thunderstorm and rain shower activity is forecast from Florida through Virginia; winter like frost conditions in Texas and low temperatures in the northern part of Georgia and surrounding states. Fire danger in Florida will continue to be high this week, particularly with the windy and dry air following the passage of the cold front.
ALABAMA:
Alabama Interagency Coordination Center: Significant rain was received across much of the state. Rainfall totals range from 5.79 in the northwest to .01 in the south.
FLORIDA:
Florida Interagency Coordination Center: High fire danger and KBDI’s reported. Scattered rain forecast for today.
Big Cypress National Park: High fire danger. The park is assisting with a fire on state land in the Golden Gate area.
GEORGIA:
Georgia Interagency Coordination Center: Fire danger is low with more rain forecasted for today. One to three inches of rain received in north Georgia.
KENTUCKY:
Kentucky Interagency Coordination Center: Fire danger is low to moderate across the state. Light amounts of precipitation anticipated today.
MISSISSIPPI:
Mississippi Interagency Coordination Center: No reported fire activity.
NORTH CAROLINA:
North Carolina Interagency Coordination Center: The out of state crews have been demobilized. Heavy rain has been reported in the mountain areas of the state.
SOUTH CAROLINA:
South Carolina Interagency Coordination Center: Heavy showers in the Appalachians with only light rain along the coast.
TENNESSEE:
Tennessee Interagency Coordination Center: Wide spread rain received in the state.
VIRGINIA:
Virginia Interagency Coordination Center: Most of the state received rain Sunday and Monday, lowering the fire danger.

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)

Current Situation:
New large fire activity was reported in Northern California. The National Interagency Coordination Center mobilized helicopters, infrared aircraft, a shower unit, a caterer and miscellaneous overhead. Very high to extreme fire indices were reported in New Mexico and Texas.
Outlook:
Northern California will have some high clouds as the high pressure is weakening slightly. Relative humidities should increase and winds will be southwest 5 to 10 mph. High temperatures will be in the 60's (16-20�C) and 70's (21-26�C).
High pressure will continue to build in the Southwest. Arizona and New Mexico will be warmer and drier with high temperatures in the 80's (27-30�C) in the south and 50's (10-15�C) in the north.
A cold front will move across Tennessee and North Carolina today bringing scattered showers and isolated thunderstorms. Temperatures will be in the 50 (10-15�C) to 70 (21-26�C) degree range.
A weak high pressure system will build over Minnesota today bring a pleasant day with less wind. High temperatures will be in the 50's (10-15�C) and 60's (16-20�C).

Geographic Area	Number of Fires	Area Burnt
Geographic Area	Number of Fires	acre	ha
Alaska	0	0	0
Northwest	10	84	34
North-California	8	4,048	1,635
South-California	278	131	53
Northern Rockies	1	10	4
Eastern Great Basin	8	519	210
Western Great Basin	1	1	0.4
Southwest	584	192,739	77,867
Rocky Mountain	54	2,720	1,099
Eastern	2710	51996	21,006
Southern	17,366	329,411	133,082
Total United States	21,020	581,659	234,990

Geographic Area	Number of Prescribed Fires	Area Burnt
Geographic Area	Number of Prescribed Fires	acre	ha
Alaska	0	0	0
Northwest	26	3,095	1,252
North-California	38	2,019	816
South-California	59	1,972	797
Northern	0	0	0
Eastern Great Basin	8	934	378
Western Great Basin	0	0	0
Southwest	395	33,559	13,558
Rocky Mountain	40	4,434	1,794
Eastern	98	19,609	13,399
Southern	768	438,200	177,033
Total United States	1,432	503,823	203,544

Geographic Area	Number of WFU Fires	Area Burnt
Geographic Area	Number of WFU Fires	acre	ha
Alaska	0	0	0
Northwest	0	0	0
California	1	0	0
Northern Rockies	0	0	0
Eastern Great Basin	0	0	0
Western Great Basin	0	0	0
Southwest	1	390	158
Rocky Mountain	0	0	0
Eastern	0	0	0
Southern	0	0	0
Total United States	2	390	158

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.