Forest Fires in the United States: 9 May 2000

Forest Fires in the United States

9 May 2000

Hundreds Flee New Mexico Wildfires (The New York Times/Associated Press)
Hundreds of people were forced to flee as one of two large wildfires burning in New Mexico spread across more than 5,000 acres (2,023 ha). A second fire 200 miles to the northwest has forced the evacuation of at least 500 homes and virtually shut down the Los Alamos National Laboratory. Flames got within a half-mile of some explosive materials secured in fireproof concrete and metal buildings surrounded by earthen berms. The closest radioactive materials were about 3 miles from the fire. However, lab officials have said explosives and nuclear material were in fire-safe structures. The lab, as well as Los Alamos County schools and offices, 10w12121ere closed. No major injuries have been reported. The fire was set Thursday by the National Park Service to get rid of excess underbrush and deadwood at the Bandelier National Monument, home of ancient Indian ruins and 70 miles of hiking trails, but got out of control. Park officials believed that burning conditions had been just right for the park’s annual regime of prescribed burning to lower the overall fire danger. The Park Service had planned to burn just 900 acres (364 ha).
Officials say this fire season could rival the one in 1996, almost 17,000 acres (6,879 ha) burned near Los Alamos.

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 8 May (observation time) and 9 May (forecast) 2000.
(Source: Fire Behavior Research Work Unit, Missoula)

The Keetch-Byram Drought Index (KBDI) is a soil/duff drought index that ranges from 0 (no drought) to 800 (extreme drought) and is based on a soil capacity of 8 inches of water. Factors in the index are maximum daily temperature, daily precipitation, antecedent precipitation, and annual precipitation. KBDI = 0 – 200: Soil moisture and large class fuel moistures are high and do not contribute much to fire intensity. Typical of spring dormant season following winter precipitation. KBDI = 200 – 400: Typical of late spring, early growing season. Lower litter and duff layers are drying and beginning to contribute to fire intensity. KBDI = 400 – 600: Typical of late summer, early fall. Lower litter and duff layers actively contribute to fire intensity and will burn actively. KBDI = 600 – 800: Often associated with more severe drought with increased wildfire occurrence. Intense, deep burning fires with significant downwind spotting can be expected. Live fuels can also be expected to burn actively at these levels.

Fig. 3. Keetch-Byram Drought Index Map of the United States, 8 May 2000
(Source: Fire Behavior Research Work Unit, Missoula)

For further information on the Keetch-Byram Drought Index (KBDI) by Florida’s Division of Forestry / Forest Protection Bureau please refer to Keetch-Byram Drought Index Revisited: Prescribed Fire Applications.

Incident Management Situation Report (8 May 2000)
Current Situation:
New large fires were reported over the weekend in the Southwest, Southern, Eastern, and Rocky Mountain areas. Two Type I Incident Management Teams were committed in the Southwest Area. The National Interagency Coordination Center mobilized helicopters, infrared aircraft, caterers, showers, radio equipment, engines and miscellaneous overhead. Very high to extreme fire indices were reported in Arizona, New Mexico, Utah, Colorado, Texas, Oklahoma, Michigan, Minnesota and Wisconsin.
A state contract single engine air tanker hit a guy wire and crashed on the Cook Ranch fire in Texas on Sunday, killing the pilot. The entire fire community extends condolences to the family and friends of the pilot.
Outlook:
A FIRE WEATHER WATCH IS POSTED FOR STRONG WINDS AND LOW HUMIDITIES IN NEW MEXICO TODAY
New Mexico will be partly cloudy with winds of 20 to 30 mph. The northern part of the state will be a little cooler, with a slight chance of showers or thunderstorms, but little precipitation will reach the ground. Minimum afternoon humidities will be 5 to 15 percent. High temperatures will range from the mid 60’s to the low 80’s in the mountains, and into the 90’s in the lower elevations.
Arizona will be mostly sunny and breezy with winds of 15 to 25 mph. Afternoon humidities will be 10 to 25 percent. High temperatures will be in the upper 70’s to the upper 80’s.
West Texas will be sunny and breezy, with winds of 15 to 25 mph. High temperatures will range from the 80’s in the panhandle and up to 110 in the southern part of the state.
Florida will be partly cloudy. There will be a chance of showers or thunderstorms in southern Florida. High temperatures will be in the 80’s. Minnesota, Wisconsin, and lower Michigan will have showers and thunderstorms. High temperatures will range from the 60’s in the north, to the 80’s in the south.
Detailed information and data about fires, prescribed fires, wildland fire use fire and burned areas for all geographic areas of the United States can be gathered from the “Incident Management Situation Report”

National Interagency Fire Center (NIFC)
Current Wildland Fire Information (8 May 2000):
There are currently five large fires burning in New Mexico, Arizona, Florida and Texas. Dispatchers at NIFC have moved various fire suppression resources to areas with increased wildland fire activity.
Large wildland fires in New Mexico, Arizona and Florida have required the assistance of national management teams to manage the resources necessary to contain the blaze.

The Cerro Grande fire near Los Alamos, New Mexico, is burning near the Los Alamos National Laboratory and is threatening other structures in the area.
The Cree fire near Ruidoso, New Mexico, is about 3,000 acres (1,214 ha) and has destroyed three structures.
The Coon Creek fire is about 20 miles north of Globe, Arizona and has burned more than 8,500 acres (3,439 ha).
The Long Bay fire is southwest of Tallahassee and has burned nearly 3,400 acres (1,375 ha). Several roads in the area remain closed.

Fire conditions are also very high to extreme in Arizona, New Mexico, Utah, Colorado, Texas, Oklahoma, Michigan, Minnesota and Wisconsin.
Almost 450 wildland fires were reported to the National Interagency Fire Center during the past three days for a total of nearly 28,000 acres (11,331 ha) burned. So far this year, more than 31,000 wildland fires have burned 791,000 acres (320,201 ha) from every region of the country.

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.5. 30 and 90-day forecast maps).

Tab.1. Five-Year Wildland Fire Comparison Statistics Year-to-Date for the United States (27 April 2000)
(Source: National Interagency Fire Center (NIFC)

As of 04/27/00 Number of Wildland Fires Area burnt Acres Hectars 2000 31,415 791,236 320,201 1999 33,677 619,869 250,852 1998 16,938 283,138 114,581 1997 22,705 358,174 144,947 1996 50,837 1,325,783 536,525

Fig. 4. 30 and 90-day temperature and precipitation forecast maps (May and May to July 2000)
(Source: National Weather Service, Boise, Idaho)

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.

24. November 2017/by GFMCadmin