Forest Fires in the United States: 3 March 2000
Forest Fires in the United States
3 March 2000
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) 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 2 March (observation time) and 3 March (forecast) 2000
(Source: Fire Behavior Research Work Unit, Missoula)
The Florida 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 2 March 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
Fig.3.-8. Output maps of the FFMIS, 2 March 2000
(source: Florida Forest Fire Weather Index (FWI) System)
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)
Incident Management Situation Report (25 February 2000)
An upper level trough will move through the southeastern states over the next three days, bringing showers and thunderstorms to Arkansas and Louisiana today.Tennessee, Alabama and Mississippi will have showers Saturday. By Sunday the system will move into Georgia and Florida. A drying trend will follow on Sunday and Monday. The next trough will bring another round of showers and thunderstorms to the western part of the Southern Area on Tuesday, moving to the eastern part by Thursday. High temperatures will range from the 60s in the north to the lower 80s in the south. (Source: Incident Management Situation Report)
Tab.1 Fires and area burnt last week (25 February 2000)
(Source: Incident Management Situation Report)
Geographic Area Number of Fires Area Burnt acre ha Alaska 0 0 0 Northwest 0 0 0 California 16 1 0,4 Northern Rockies 0 0 0 Eastern Great Basin 0 0 0 Western Great Basin 0 0 0 Southwest 5 15 6 Rocky Mountain 0 0 0 Eastern 2 101 41 Southern 1,549 28,816 11,661
Total United States
1,572 28,933 11,708
Tab.2. Fires and area burnt year-to-date (25 February 2000)
(Source: Incident Management Situation Report)
Geographic Area Number of Fires Area Burnt acre ha Alaska 0 0 0 Northwest 0 0 0 California 203 91 37 Northern Rockies 0 0 0 Eastern Great Basin 1 3 1,2 Western Great Basin 1 1 0,4 Southwest 1,375 96,734 39,147 Rocky Mountain 2 1,840 745 Eastern 28 511 207 Southern 6,857 109,787 44,429
Total United States
8,467 208,967 84,566
Tab.3. Prescribed fires and area burnt year-to-date (25 February 2000)
(Source: Incident Management Situation Report)
Geographic Area Number of Prescribed Fires Area Burnt acre ha Alaska 0 0 0 Northwest 19 2,013 815 California 49 1999 1,153 Northern Rockies 0 0 0 Eastern Great Basin 3 29 8 Western Great Basin 0 0 0 Southwest 298 17,477 7,073 Rocky Mountain 0 0 0 Eastern 6 832 337 Southern 399 206,171 83,434
Total United States
744 229,370 92,823
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.
