Forest Fires in the United States: 29 May 2000

Wildland Fire Update for the United States on 26 May 2000 (National Interagency Fire Center (NIFC))
The national response level increased today as states across the southern portion of the country report increased activity. More than 200 new fires were reported yesterday, with six escaping to become large fires in Arizona, California, South Carolina and Florida. Nearly 1,900 firefighters are currently assigned to fires, mostly in the Southwest and Southeastern areas. They are supported by 90 engines, 38 helicopters, 25 airtankers and 773 support personnel. A fire weather watch is posted in northern New Mexico for gusty winds and low late afternoon relative
humidities. A fire weather watch is also posted in western Florida for low afternoon relative humidities.

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.-3. Fire Danger Forecast Maps of the United States and Alaska for 27 May (observation time) and 28 May 2000 (forecast).
(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.

Incident Management Situation Report (28 May 2000)
Current Situation:
New large fires were reported in the Eastern Great Basin and Southern Areas. Most Areas had light initial attack activity except for the Southern Area which had moderate to high activity. Very high to extreme fire indices were reported in Arizona, California, Colorado, Kansas, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Texas and Utah.
Outlook:
A fire weather watch is posted in florida for low afternoon humidities and unstable air.
Florida will be partly cloudy with a chance of showers and thunderstorms during the afternoon hours. High temperatures will be in the 90's. Winds will be southwest to west at 10 to 15 mph and minimum relative humidities will range from 32 to 42 percent.
Arizona will be sunny with near record temperatures, in the 80's in the northern mountains to around 110 degrees in the southern deserts. Winds will be south to southwest at 5 to 15 mph with gusts up to 20 mph during the afternoon. Minimum relative humidities will be 5 to 15 percent.
New Mexico will be sunny and hot. High temperatures will be from the mid 70's in the mountains to near 100 degrees in the southern deserts. Winds will be southeast to southwest at 5 to 15 mph. Minimum relative humidities will be 8 to 20 percent.
South Carolina will to be partly cloudy with a chance of thunderstorms. High temperatures will be in the lower 80's in the east and the mid 90's in the west. Winds will be west at 10 to 20 mph. Minimum relative humidities will range from 40 to 50 percent.
Southern California will be sunny and hot. High temperatures will be in the lower 70's along the coast, to near 115 degrees in the lowest inland deserts. Winds will be southwest to west at 5 to 15 mph. Minimum relative humidities will range from 55 to 70 percent along the coast to 5 to 15 percent in the interior deserts.

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 30 and 90-day forecast maps).

Tab.1. Five-Year Wildland Fire Comparison Statistics Year-to-Date for the United States (25 May 2000)
(Source: National Interagency Fire Center (NIFC)

As of 05/25/00	Number of Wildland Fires	Area burnt
As of 05/25/00	Number of Wildland Fires	Acres	Hectars
2000	40,475	1,045,472	423,087
1999	39,272	730,996	295,823
1998	21,027	392,520	158,847
1997	26,981	429,103	173,651
1996	55,155	1,467,534	593,889

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.

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