Forest Fires in the United States: 10 November 1999

Forest Fires in the United States

10 November 1999


Fire officials closed the 1999 Northern California fire season on Tuesday, 9 November 1999. It was a hard fire season, that left nearly 305,000 ha charred. More than 200,000 ha of national forest land burned, which is more than six times the 32,000 ha that burn in an average year, making 1999 the second-worst year in Forest Service history. An article with the title Northern California Fire Season Ends published by The New York Times/The Associated Press [AP] on 9 November 1999 gives more detailed information about the Northern California fire season.

The Wildland Fire Update from the National Interagency Fire Center (NIFC) will be updated from now on every Friday unless significant activity occurs. The latest overview fire map from the 5 November 1999 shows large wildland fires in the United States. For more information please refer to the website of NIFC.

The Wildland Fire Assessment System, provided by “The Fire Behavior Research Work Unit”, Missoula (Montana USA), produces following fire danger map.

click here to enlarge (27 KB)

Fig. 1. Fire Danger Forecast Map, 10 November 1999
(Source: Fire Behavior Research Work Unit, Missoula)

According the INCIDENT MANAGEMENT SITUATION REPORT the situation for 9 November 1999 can be quoted as follows:

“…
CURRENT SITUATION
Initial attack activity was moderate in the Eastern and Southern Areas. New large fire activity was reported in the Southern Area. Good progress was made on the large fires in the Great Basin and the Northwest. The National Interagency Coordination Center processed orders for airtankers, a lead plane, radio equipment, crews, and miscellaneous overhead. Very high to extreme fire indices were reported in California, Idaho, Utah, Wyoming, Arizona, Colorado, North Dakota, South Dakota, Nebraska, Illinois, Indiana, Missouri, and Virginia.

OUTLOOK:
A fire weather watch is posted for SOUTHERN ILLINOIS and SOUTHERN MISSOURI for gusty winds and low relative humidities.
Near record temperatures are expected in Ohio, Indiana, Kentucky and Illinois today. Partly cloudy skies with temperatures ranging from 70 to 80 degrees. Minimum relative humidities should be 20 to 30 percent in Kentucky with 35 to 50 percent elsewhere in the area.
Idaho, Utah, Colorado and Wyoming will be partly cloudy with a chance of morning rain and snow showers. Highs in the 50’s and 60’s in the valleys and in the 40’s and 50’s in the mountains. Winds will be variable 10 to 25 MPH with minimum relative humidities expected to be from 25 to 50 percent.
California will be mostly cloudy in the north with a chance of light rain along the northern coast and Sierra Nevada range. Highs will be in the 40’s and 50’s in the mountains and 60’s and 70’s in the valleys. Southern California will be mostly sunny with locally breezy conditions in the canyons and mountain passes. High temperatures will be in the 50’s and 60’s in the mountains and near 80’s in the deserts.
… .”

Following basic fire data describe the fire situation in the United States:

Number of FIRES in the last 24 hours HECTARES burning in the last 24 hours FIRES
YEAR-TO-DATE HECTARES
YEAR-TO-DATE 341 2,064 85,422 2,205,108

For detailed information regarding specified regions, please refer to the whole report.


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