GFMC: Forest Fires in the United States, 6 July 2000
Forest Fires in the United States
6 July 2000
United States Forest Service (USFS) Fire News
Fire Activity shifts to the Rocky Mountain Area (5 July 2000)
Cooler temperatures helped decrease initial attack activity over the July 4 holiday, but new large fires were reported in the Northern Rockies, Eastern Great Basin, and Southern California. With fires in Nevada under control, resources are gradually being demobilized and some are being reassigned to fires in the Rocky Mountain Area. Today’s National Incident Management Situation Report lists six large fires in Colorado and Wyoming. One of them, the Colorow Mountain Fire on the BLM’s Craig District, is 95% contained. The other five fires, burning mostly in pinyon pine, juniper and sagebrush fuels in western Colorado and southwestern Wyoming, are uncontained. Strong winds are hampering suppression efforts on these fires. Very high to extreme fire indices are still being reported in Oregon, Washington, Alaska, California, Idaho, Utah, Nevada, Arizona, New Mexico, Wyoming, Colorado, and South Dakota. Fire weather watches are posted today for strong winds and low relative humidities in parts of Nevada, Utah, Wyoming, and Colorado. These conditions are expected to continue for the next few days.
Environment News Service (ENS)
Fighting fires on the fourth (4 July 2000) [conversion table]
While many Americans are watching fireworks to mark Independence Day today, many others are fighting fires. Forecasted dry lightning and the increased human caused fire risk associated with the holiday will increase the potential for fires today. The largest fire in the lower 48 states is a 41,000 acre fire burning 12 miles northeast of Golconda, Nevada, on public lands administered by the Bureau of Land Management, Winnemucca Field Office. Crews consisting of 426 firefighters are making progress toward containment, despite strong winds and low humidities. 60 percent of the work has been completed to contain this fire. A 4,000 acre fire blazing across pinyon pine and juniper forests in the Dinosaur National Monument, 70 miles west of Craig, Colorado. Gusty winds, rugged terrain and dry weather have contributed to rapid spread of this fire. Several campgrounds have been evacuated as a precaution. The cause of this fire is under investigation. In Alaska, 55 people are struggling to contain a lightning ignited 79,290 acre fire burning 85 miles west of Fairbanks on Bureau of Land Management lands. The fire is burning in black spruce and hardwood forest. Smokejumpers parachuted into the area to cut line and set up hose around cabins on Wilderness Lake. Cabin protection operations are also underway along the Kantishna River, the Tanana River, and around Kindanina and Geskakmina Lakes.
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.
Fire danger maps for the United States and Alaska for 5 July (observation time) and a forecast for 6 July 2000.
(Source: Fire Behavior Research Work Unit, Missoula)
Dead fuel moisture responds solely to ambient environmental conditions and is critical in determining fire potential. Dead fuel moistures are classed by timelag. A fuel’s timelag is proportional to its diameter and is loosely defined as the time it takes a fuel particle to reach 2/3’s of its way to equilibrium with its local environment. Dead fuels in NFDRS have four timelag classes:
1-hr: Fine flashy fuels, less than 1/4″ (< 0.63 cm) diameter. Responds quickly to weather changes. Computed from observation time temperature, humidity and cloudiness.
10-hr: 1/4 to 1″ (0.63 to 2.54 cm) diameters. Computed from observation time temperature, humidty, and cloudiness, or may be a standard set of “10-Hr Fuel Sticks” that are weighed as part of the fire weather observation.
100-hr: 1 to 3″ (2.54 to 7.62 cm) diameter. Computed from 24 hour average boundary condition composed of day length, hours of rain, and daily temperature/humidity ranges.
1000-hr: 3 to 6″ (7.62 to 15.24 cm) diameter. Computed from a 7-day average boundary condition composed of day length, hours of rain, and daily temperature/humidity ranges.
10-HR Fuel Moisture
100-HR Fuel Moisture
1000-HR Fuel Moisture
Fuel moisture maps for the United States and Alaska, 5 July 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.
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.
Keetch-Byram Drought Index Maps for conterminous US, 5 July 2000
(Source: Fire Behavior Research Work Unit, Missoula)
Operational Significant Event Imagery (OSEI)
The following significant events were identified by Satellite Analysis Branch meteorologists and reviewed by the OSEI support team:
NESDIS/OSEI NOAA-15 POES AVHRR HRPT satellite image, 5 July 2000
Heat signatures (red) and smoke are visible from a number of fires burning in Wyoming, Colorado and
Utah. The Wild Horse Basin Fire located to the south of Rock Springs, Wyoming, is estimated at
4,500 acres. In Colorado, the Buster Flats Fire in the Dinosaur National Monument, west of Craig,
covers an estimated 4,000 acres; the Klinger Fire, south of Rangley, and estimated 500 acres; and
the Cone Mountain Fire located southwest of Grand Junction, and estimated 3,000 acres. The Sage
Valley Fire, located southwest of Provo, Utah, covers an estimated 2,500 acres and is reported as
100% contained. [conversion table]
(Source: NESDIS/OSEI)
NESDIS/OSEI NOAA-14 POES AVHRR HRPT satellite image, 5 July 2000
Heat signatures (red) and smoke plumes (light blue) are visible from several large fires and a
number of smaller ones burning south of the Yukon river in southcentral Alaska.
(Source: NESDIS/OSEI)
Fire and Aviation Management Morning Report (5 July 2000) [conversion table]
Colorado
BUSTER FLATS: This 4,000 acre fire is burning on public lands administered by the National Park Service in the Dinosaur National Monument, 75 miles west of Craig. This fire is burning in pinyon pine and juniper. Gusty winds and rapid fire spread continues, but no structures are threatened. Several campgrounds in the area have been evacuated as a precaution. 37 people are assigned to this fire.
CONE MOUNTAIN: This 3,000 acre fire is burning 38 miles southwest of Grand Junction on public lands administered by the Bureau of Land Management, Grand Junction District. It is burning in ponderosa pine, pinyon pine and juniper fuels. Shifting winds and poor access are slowing containment efforts. Residences and historic structures are threatened. 138 people are assigned to the fire.
KLINGER: This 500 acre fire is burning 20 miles south of Rangley on public lands administered by the Bureau of Land Management, Craig
District. It is burning in pinyon pine and juniper fuels. Strong winds and low humidities are hindering containment efforts. The fire threatens oil
wells, pipelines and substations. 31 people are assigned to the fire.
Wyoming
BLACK BUTTE: This 1,000 acre fire is burning near Rock Springs on public lands administered by the Bureau of Land Management, Rock Springs District. This fire is burning in grass, sagebrush, and juniper. Strong winds and low humidities are hindering containment efforts. The fire has crossed a county road and is posing a threat to powerlines. 20% of the work necessary to contain this fire has been completed. 48 people are assigned to this fire.
WILD HORSE BASIN: This 4,500 acre fire is burning near Rock Springs on public lands administered by the Bureau of Land Management, Rock Springs District. This fire is burning in pinyon pine, juniper and sagebrush. The fire continues to be pushed by high winds.
Oregon
LUG NUT: This 1,600 acre lightning caused fire is burning 22 miles northeast of Fort Rock on public lands administered by the Bureau of Land Management, Lakeview District. No new information was reported. 214 people are assigned to this fire.
Alaska
TOLOVANA DOME: This lightning ignited 700 acre fire burned 60 miles northwest of Fairbanks on public lands administered by the Bureau of Land Management, Tanana Zone. 100 % of the work necessary to contain this fire has been completed. 67 people are assigned to this fire. This will be the last report unless new activity is reported.
BEARPAW MOUNTAIN: The 16,249 acre fire is burning 100 miles southwest of Fairbanks on public lands administered by the Bureau of Land Management, Tanana Zone. Fire activity has been moderate due to lower temperatures and higher humidities. 23 people are assigned to this fire.
ZITZIANA: This lightning ignited 92,660 acre fire is burning 85 miles west of Fairbanks on public lands administered by the Bureau of Land Management, Tanana Zone. The fire is burning in black spruce and hardwood vegetation. Precipitation, higher humidities and cloud cover aided crews in completing cabin protection. 55 people are assigned to this fire.
BERING CREEK: This 89,951 acre fire is burning 35 miles southwest of Tanana on public lands administered by the Bureau of Land Management,
Tanana Zone. The fire was started by lightning on June 14 in an area that has been designated for limited suppression of fires. Cabin sites and
native allotments are being protected on the south shore of the Yukon River. 21 people are assigned to this fire.
Nevada
KELLY CREEK: This 37,717 acre fire burned 12 miles northeast of Golconda on public lands administered by the Bureau of Land Management, Winnemucca Field Office. 100 percent of the work has been completed to contain this fire. 426 people are assigned. This will be the last report unless new activity is reported.
VIGUS: This 1,200 acre fire burned near Austin on public lands administered by the Bureau of Land Management, Battle Mountain Field Office. 100% of the work necessary has been completed to contain this fire. 150 people are assigned to this fire. This will be the last report unless new activity is reported.
Idaho
CEDAR FIELD: This 4,200 acre fire is burning 10 miles southwest of American Falls. The fire is burning in grass and sagebrush near the Massacre Rocks State Park on public lands administered by the Bureau of Land Management, Upper Snake River District. The fire continues to be active in sagebrush and juniper vegetation types. 90% of the work necessary to contain this fire has been completed. 58 people are assigned to this fire.
Hawaii
BROOMSEDGE: This 1,008 acre grass fire is burning 30 miles southwest of Hilo on public lands administered the National Park Service, Hawaii Volcanoes National Park. Crews are continuing to build a fireline through difficult terrain and extinguishing hot areas near the edge of the fire. 50 percent of the work has been completed to contain this fire. 89 people are assigned to this fire.
National Interagency Fire Center (NIFC) Wildland Fire Update (5 July 2000) [conversion table]
Firefighters were successful in containing large fires in Nevada yesterday, but new large fire activity in Colorado and Wyoming was reported as six large fires burn actively in those states. Also, there are currently six other large fires burning in Alaska, Hawaii, Idaho and Oregon today for seven-state total of 218,788 acres.
A fire weather watch is posted in southwest Wyoming for strong winds and low relative humidities.
A fire weather watch is posted in southern and eastern Utah and western Colorado for strong winds.
A fire weather watch is posed in east central Nevada for gusty winds and low relative humidities.
Very high to extreme fire conditions are being reported from Colorado, Wyoming, Utah, Nevada, Idaho, Alaska, Oregon, Washington, California, Arizona, New Mexico, and South Dakota
.
Large Wildland Fires in the United States, 5 July 2000.
(Source: National Interagency Fire Center)
Tab.1. Five-Year Wildland Fire Comparison Statistics Year-to-Date for the United States (3 July 2000)
(Source: National Interagency Fire Center (NIFC)
[conversion table]
As of 3 July 2000 Number of Wildland Fires Area burnt Acres Hectars 2000 49,656 1,904,709 770,808 1999 47,706 1,244,983 503,827 1998 32,941 759,080 307,189 1997 32,540 843,224 341,241 1996 69,207 2,470,611 999,821
NIFC Incident Management Situation Report (5 July 2000) [conversion table]
Current Situation:
New large fires were reported in the Rocky Mountain, Eastern Great Basin, and Southern California Areas. With cooler temperatures, initial attack activity decreased in all the geographic areas. The National Interagency Coordination Center processed orders for helicopters, lead planes, air attack aircraft, engines, radio equipment, crews, and miscellaneous overhead. Very high to extreme fire danger indices were reported in Colorado, Wyoming, Utah, Nevada, Idaho, Alaska, Oregon, Washington, California, Arizona, New Mexico, and South Dakota.
Outlook:
Colorado will have mostly sunny skies in the morning, becoming partly cloudy by afternoon with locally strong winds. High temperatures will be in the 70’s in the mountains and 80 to 90 at lower elevations. Winds will be southwest at 10 to 20 mph east of the Continental Divide and 15 to 30 mph in the western part of the state. Minimum relative humidities will be from 5 to 20 percent.
Wyoming and Montana will be partly cloudy with isolated showers and thunderstorms. High temperatures will be between 65 and 75 in the mountains and in the 80’s in the valleys. Winds will be northwest to southwest at 10 to 20 mph. Minimum afternoon relative humidities will be 10 to 20 percent except at higher elevations and around thunderstorms, where humidities will be higher.
Utah will be sunny and locally windy. High temperatures will be in the 70’s in the mountains and 85 to 105 in the valleys and deserts. Winds will be south to southwest at 10 to 20 mph with gusts to 30 mph. Relative humidities will be 5 to 15 percent in the deserts and up to 30 percent in the mountains.
Idaho will be partly cloudy with isolated afternoon thunderstorms in the mountains. High temperatures will be in the 60’s in the mountains and 70 to 80 at lower elevations. Winds will be northwest to southwest at 10 to 25 mph. Minimum relative humidities will be 15 to 30 percent.
Nevada will be partly cloudy with a slight chance of thunderstorms. Precipitation with the thunderstorms may occur over the Sierra Nevada. High temperatures will range from 55 at high elevations to near 90 in the desert areas. Winds will be from the west to southwest at 15 to 30 mph. Relative humidities will be 10 to 25 percent in the deserts and 30 to 40 percent in the mountains.
California will have morning coastal fog, but otherwise will be mostly sunny. Isolated afternoon showers and thunderstorms are possible in the northern part of the state. High temperatures will be in the 60’s along the coast, 75 to 85 inland, and up to 105 in the deserts. Winds will be west to southwest at 10 to 25 mph. Minimum relative humidities will be 15 to 35 percent inland and higher along the coast.
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).
30 and 90-day temperature and precipitation forecast maps (July and July to September 2000)
(Source: National Weather Service, Boise, Idaho)
NIFC Wildland Fire Potential Assessment (8 June to 6 July 2000):
ALASKA – Potential: normal.
Temperatures have been below normal and precipitation has been above normal for the last six weeks. May was the second coolest in the past 35 years, and green-up was a week or more later than usual. Currently south-central Alaska has the greatest fire potential. Thunderstorm activity should increase later this month and cause a normal amount of fire activity in the interior.
NORTHWEST – Potential: Below normal to normal.
Temperatures and precipitation have been normal for the past month. Live fuel moistures are above average and have been measured at 121% in central Oregon to 131% in eastern Washington. 1000 hour dead fuel moistures have been above normal in most of the area and generally are being measured from 28% in the west to 17% in the eastern regions. Low potential for fire occurrence and severity is expected for most of the area. In the lower elevations of eastern Washington and Oregon, predicted warmer and drier than normal weather conditions will lead to a normal potential for fires.
CALIFORNIA – Potential: Normal to above normal.
Precipitation has been below normal and temperatures have been above normal in southern California. In the north both temperature and precipitation have been normal. Some moderate drought conditions still exist in southern California. 1000 hour fuel moistures are normal for this time of year throughout the area. Precipitation received in June will be critical to determining the rest of the season for northern California. The May pattern of less marine influence on southern California will likely continue through June, promoting the likeliness of above average temperatures and low humidities.
NORTHERN ROCKIES – Potential: Normal.
Precipitation has been below normal and temperatures have been above normal during the last month in most of the area except for northern Idaho, where both have been normal. Live fuel moisture is below normal east of the Continental Divide. 1000 hour dead fuel moisture is running 9 to 12 percent below normal and is measured at 13 to 21%. Eastern and central Montana are experiencing moderate to severe drought conditions, but wetting rains at the end of May have brought some relief. If normal June rains occur, fire occurrence will be average.
GREAT BASIN – Potential: Normal to above normal.
Temperatures have been above normal during the past month while precipitation has been normal to below normal through the area. Snowpack is 45 to 80 percent of normal in the higher elevations, and most areas are reporting that they are two to three weeks ahead of normal fire season, because of the mild winter. Frost-killed fuels are a concern in eastern Utah. Fine fuel carryover from the past several years is contributing to increased risk of fire activity in Nevada. 1000 hr fuel moistures were measured at 10 to 25% throughout the Great Basin and are 10% below normal in Nevada. Moderate to severe drought conditions are being reported in both southern Nevada and southern Utah.
SOUTHWEST – Potential: Above normal.
Precipitation has been below normal everywhere except in southeastern Arizona, where it has been normal. Temperatures have been above normal in all parts of the region, as much as 5 to 8 degrees Fahrenheit. Long range forecasts call for above normal temperatures to persist during this month. Long range outlook indicates above normal precipitation for Arizona and New Mexico. 1000 hour fuel moistures are below normal in the central and southern regions and normal in the north. Live fuel moisture is in the 50 to 90 percent range everywhere except the northern portions of both state where live fuel moistures are measured in the 70 to 110 percent ranges. PDI indicates that moderate to severe drought conditions continue throughout all of Arizona and all except the northeast part of New Mexico.
ROCKY MOUNTAIN – Potential: Normal to above normal.
Precipitation has been normal to below normal and temperatures have been normal to above normal in the past month. Live fuel moistures have been normal except in southern and western Colorado, where they have been up to 40 percent below normal. 1000 hour fuel moistures are below normal for this time of year at 7 to 12% in the west and 10 to 14% in the east. Fire activity is expected to be above normal in southwestern Colorado and in southwestern Wyoming. Due to the anticipated weather pattern where waves of moisture move through about once a week, fire events should be of high intensity but relatively short duration.
EASTERN – Potential: Normal to above normal.
Temperatures and precipitation have been normal in most of the Eastern Area, except in the Upper Great Lakes region, where precipitation has been below normal. 1000 hr fuels are being measured in the 19 to 25% ranges, approximately 3% below normal for this time of year. Moderate to severe drought conditions exist in the central Midwest and the upper Great Lakes region. Green-up and increased precipitation over the past two weeks have significantly reduced fire danger everywhere except in the Upper Great Lakes area.
SOUTHERN -Potential: Normal to above normal.
Temperatures have been above normal and precipitation has been normal to below normal through most of the area last month. Approximately one third of the area has a soil moisture deficit of six inches or more. Long-term precipitation anomalies are substantial over most of the region. Southern Louisiana, Georgia, western South Carolina, and central Florida all report extreme drought conditions. 1000 hour fuel moistures are being measured at 7% in parts of Florida and around 20% in the rest of the area.
Temperatures and Precipitation reflect conditions over the past four to six weeks. The long range forecast is for the next 30 days. Above and below normal is indicated above in the narrative, areas not mentioned fall in the climatology category which means there are equal chances of being below normal(33.3%), normal (33.3%) or above normal (33.3%).
Map describing the wildland fire potential (8 June – 6 July 2000) for areas throughout the country.
(Source: National Interagency Fire Center)
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.
