Wildfire Today

News and opinion about wildland fire

Wildfire Today

Author: Bill Gabbert

After working full time in wildland fire for 33 years, he continues to learn, and strives to be a Student of Fire.

Fire burns into another giant sequoia grove, this time in Yosemite National Park

Author Bill GabbertPosted on Categories WildfireTags , , , 9 Comments on Fire burns into another giant sequoia grove, this time in Yosemite National Park

Washburn Fire has burned hundreds of acres in the Mariposa Giant Sequoia Grove

Updated at 5:26 p.m. PDT July 9, 2022

Washburn Fire at 5:24 p.m. July 9, 2022
Washburn Fire at 5:24 p.m. July 9, 2022. Sierra Fire Watch image.

Smoke over the Washburn Fire is preventing air tankers from dropping retardant.

The FIRIS mapping aircraft reported at about 4 p.m. that the fire had grown to 1,384 acres

Updated 8:03 a.m. PDT July 9, 2022

Map 3-D Washburn Fire Yosemite National Park 10 p.m. July 8, 2022
3-D map of the Washburn Fire in Yosemite National Park, looking east at 10 p.m. July 8, 2022.

The Washburn Fire in Yosemite National Park in California was very active throughout Friday night and into Saturday morning. The photo below taken at dawn on Saturday shows a convection column of smoke, something you don’t often see over a wildfire at dawn.

Washburn Fire, July 9, 2022
Washburn Fire, looking NNE from the Deadwood camera at 6:03 a.m. July 9, 2022.

The National Park Service, which often “manages” wildfires in Yosemite rather than aggressively putting them out, said they are fully suppressing this fire. California Interagency Incident Management Team 13 has assumed command, and additional firefighting resources will continue to arrive over the coming days.

A mapping flight at 10 p.m. Friday found that it had grown to 703 acres, a number that has no doubt been exceeded in the subsequent hours.

Map Washburn Fire Yosemite National Park 10 p.m. July 8, 2022
Map of the Washburn Fire in Yosemite National Park, 10 p.m. July 8, 2022.

The overnight weather at the Fish Camp weather station south of the fire 1,000 feet lower in elevation, recorded a maximum relative humidity of 53 percent and light winds out of the west and northwest. The spot weather forecast issued Friday afternoon predicted for Saturday 82 degrees, 27 percent relative humidity, and 6-12 mph afternoon ridgetop winds gusting to 18 mph out of the southwest and west. This should  influence the fire to continue spreading to the northeast and east.

Approximately 155 acres of the fire has burned into the west side of the 1,300-acre Mariposa giant sequoia grove. The Park Service has been conducting prescribed fires within the grove for years, including about seven since 1999. This should slow the spread in the grove and reduce the fire intensity compared to other locations that do not have similar recent fire history. It remains to be seen how much sequoia mortality will occur under the present low fuel moistures and “exceptional drought” conditions.

It appears likely that the blaze will reach the South Fork of the Merced River, the southern perimeter of the 2017 South Fork Fire, which should also slow the progression of the fire.

Washburn Fire, July 8, 2022
Washburn Fire, July 8, 2022. By @countryheli
Washburn Fire, July 8, 2022
Washburn Fire, July 8, 2022. By @countryheli

7:04 p.m. PDT July 8, 2022

Washburn Fire map, 2:42 p.m. July 8, 2022
Washburn Fire map. The dots represent heat detected by a satellite as late as 2:42 p.m. July 8, 2022. The red dots are the most current.

Another wildfire is burning in a grove of giant sequoia trees — behemoths that can live for 3,000 years. The Washburn fire was reported at 2 p.m. Thursday July 7 and by 4 p.m. Friday it had been mapped by a FIRIS aircraft at 466 acres. At least 150 acres of the fire are within the Mariposa giant sequoia grove in the south end of Yosemite National Park two miles southeast of Wawona, a community that is under an evacuation order. An evacuation map has been posted and the south entrance to the park is closed.

Preliminary surveys found that in a two year period, 2020 and 2021, almost 20 percent of all giant sequoias in their natural range over four feet in diameter were killed by fire (and neglect) or will die in the next few years. In 2020, 10 to 14 percent of the entire Sierra Nevada population of giant sequoia trees over 4 feet in diameter were killed in the Castle Fire. Early estimates after two fires the following year, the KNP Complex and the Windy Fire, 2,261 to 3,637 sequoias over four feet in diameter were killed or will die within the next three to five years.

Washburn Fire, July 8, 2022
Washburn Fire, July 8, 2022. NPS photo.

Aircraft report that as the activity on the Washburn Fire increased Friday afternoon multiple spot fires occurred near the South Fork of the Merced River and east of Highway 41, some of them 0.7 miles out ahead of the main fire. That river was the south edge of the South Fork Fire that burned 7,563 acres in 2017. Normally a fire would slow down considerably when it encountered a fire scar less than 8 or 9 years old, but the Electra Fire near Jackson, CA burned quite well earlier this week in a seven year old scar. It will be interesting to see what the Washburn Fire will do if it bumps the South Fork Fire footprint.

Washburn Fire
Washburn Fire, looking north-northeast from the Deadwood AlertWildfire camera at 6:07 p.m. July 8, 2022.

The National Park Service has conducted four prescribed fires east of the Washburn Fire, in 2003, 2004, 2006, and 2016 for a total of 295 acres. This would have reduced some of the fuel in those areas, which may slow the spread in those treated locations, reduce the wildfire intensity, and the mortality of the giant sequoias. The more recent treatments are the most effective for modifying the behavior of a wildfire.

Washburn Fire, fuel treatments
Washburn Fire, fuel treatments. There have been other fuel treatments in the Mariposa Grove not shown on this map.
Washburn Fire
Washburn Fire, as seen from a firefighting helicopter. Photo by @countryheli July 8, 2022.
Washburn Fire shortly after it was discovered, July 7, 2022
Washburn Fire shortly after it was discovered, July 7, 2022. NPS photo.

Information about the Mariposa grove of giant sequoia, from Yosemite Mariposa County:

The most famous tree in the grove is the Grizzly Giant, one of the largest trees in the Mariposa Grove and, at an estimated age of 2,700 years, one of the oldest living sequoia.

Beyond the Grizzly Giant sit hundreds of lesser-visited sequoias in the upper grove including the Clothespin Tree, the Faithful Couple and the fallen Wawona Tunnel Tree.

Respirator being developed for wildland firefighters

Author Bill GabbertPosted on Categories UncategorizedTags , , , 25 Comments on Respirator being developed for wildland firefighters
Wildland fire respirator
Development of a wildland fire respirator. Two versions are being tested, with the filter being carried on the chest hip. Department of Homeland Security photo.

A working group for the International Agency for Research on Cancer, the cancer agency of the World Health Organization, has just “classified occupational exposure as a firefighter as carcinogenic to humans.” Part of the reason is the toxic gasses firefighters are exposed to.

Wildland firefighters working on a vegetation fire can’t wear the conventional self contained breathing apparatus used by structural firefighters. It is too bulky, heavy, and only lasts 10 to 30 minutes.

In an effort to provide less carcinogenic air to wildland firefighters, the Department of Homeland Security’s Science and Technology Directorate  is developing a respirator capable of removing airborne hazards present in the wildland firefighting operating environment. They are working with the International Association of Firefighters, National Fire Protection Association, International Association of Fire Chiefs, U.S. Forest Service, and local Colorado fire departments to develop and test the Directorate’s Wildland Firefighter Respirator (WFR). It contains a HEPA filter module that will remove very fine particulates, and a carbon sorbent to remove toxic gases. The team is investigating wildland firefighter-approved designs like the Radio Carrier and Hip-Mounted units shown in the photo below.

Wildland fire respirator
Development of a wildland fire respirator. Two versions are being tested, with the filter being carried on the chest hip. Department of Homeland Security photo.

The WFR was designed around a lightweight mask covering just the mouth and nose. It relies on filtration, designed to go a whole shift before needing to be changed.

“Our system pushes clean air to firefighters using a powered blower with HEPA and carbon filters,” said S&T Program Manager Kimberli Jones-Holt. The system connects to the half-mask through a lightweight, flexible breathing hose to provide clean air and draws in air from the bottom of the unit to prevent rain or water infiltration.

“The filters were also designed to be inexpensive and easily replaced at $5 to $10 each,” Jones-Holt continued.

It uses an electric blower to force filtered air to the mask, relying on AA batteries for power.

The DHS says if wildland firefighters use respiratory protection, their careers could be significantly extended, leading to a more educated and experienced workforce capable of more efficient operations, with lower medical bills and training costs.

Thanks and a tip of the hat go out to Bob.

Members announced for Wildland Fire Commission

Author Bill GabbertPosted on Categories UncategorizedTags 26 Comments on Members announced for Wildland Fire Commission

47 are part of the group

Fall Creek Area of San Miguel County, NM, Hermits Peak - Calf Canyon Fire
Fall Creek Area of San Miguel County, NM, Hermits Peak – Calf Canyon Fire, May 8, 2022.

The members of a new Wildland Fire Mitigation and Management Commission were announced today. The group is tasked with recommending federal policies and strategies to more effectively prevent, mitigate, suppress, and manage wildland fires, including the rehabilitation of land affected by wildland fires.

The establishment of the commission was required by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, H.R.3684, signed by the President on November 15, 2021, which became Public Law Number 117-58.

More than 500 applications were received, and 36 non-federal members — 18 primary and 18 alternates — were selected. Along with 11 federal members, the commission will be co-chaired by Departments of Agriculture, the Interior, and FEMA leadership. Commission members represent federal agencies, Tribes, state and local municipalities, and private entities, as directed by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law.

*The selections of the members were made by the co-chairs of the Commission.

A government official who is not authorized to speak publicly on the issue said the makeup of the commission “Has been close hold between fire leadership and intergovernmental affairs. Need to know basis; tighter than budget issues or executive orders.”

The members have their work cut out for them, already up to seven months late on mileposts. Their appointments were to be made no more than 60 days after the date the legislation became law, which works out to January 14, 2022. Their initial meeting was to be held within 30 days after all members have been appointed — no later than February 13, 2022. They are to meet at least once every 30 days, in person or remotely and will serve “without compensation” but can be reimbursed for travel expenses and per diem.

Deliverables

Their assignments, according to the law, fall into two broad categories; here are some of the highlights:

1. Develop recommendations to mitigate and manage wildland fires

By February 13, 2023 develop a report describing recommendations to prevent, mitigate, suppress, and manage wildland fires; consider protection of human life, short- and long-term forest management; wildland-urban interface; utility corridors; rehab after fires; streamlining environmental reviews; and, recommendations for modernizing and expanding the use of technology, including satellite technology, remote sensing, unmanned aircraft systems, and any other type of emerging technology to prevent, mitigate, suppress, and manage wildland fires.

2. Report on aerial wildland firefighting equipment, strategy, and inventory

By March 30, 2022 prepare an inventory of surplus cargo and passenger aircraft that may be used for wildland firefighting purposes.

By June 28, 2022 develop an assessment of the number of aircraft needed to fight wildland fires through 2030. The report will include an assessment of the federal government’s authorities to provide or sell surplus aircraft to Federal, State, or local organizations to be used for wildland firefighting, and, identify any additional authorities that are needed. The Commission is directed to consider all private and public sector options for accessing necessary aircraft and aircraft parts, including procurement, contracting, retrofitting, and public-private partnerships.

Membership (as announced July 7, 2022). The categories of membership and types of expertise were specified by the legislation. For example, “not fewer than one representative from wildland firefighters” was required. That was fulfilled by the selection of Kelly Martin, former Chief of Fire and Aviation at Yosemite National Park, currently president of Grassroots Wildland Firefighters. One of 47. However, other members of the committee presumably have on-the-ground fire experience in the past.

Listed below are the members:

Continue reading “Members announced for Wildland Fire Commission”

Study confirms extreme wildfires of 2020 in Western Oregon were not unprecedented

Author Bill GabbertPosted on Categories UncategorizedTags , 24 Comments on Study confirms extreme wildfires of 2020 in Western Oregon were not unprecedented
satellite photo fires smoke Washington, Oregon, and California
GOES-17 photo of smoke from wildfires in Washington, Oregon, and California at 5:56 p.m. PDT Sept. 8, 2020. The photo was taken during a very strong wind event.

By U.S. Forest Service

When the 2020 Labor Day Fires torched more than 300,000 hectares over the span of two weeks in parts of western Oregon and Washington, they devastated communities and put the threat of west-side fires squarely into focus. A new study led by the USDA Forest Service’s Pacific Northwest Research Station examines the context surrounding the fires and offers insight into the historical role of large, high-severity fires—and the future of wildfires—west of the Cascades.

“Without a doubt, the 2020 Labor Day Fires were a significant fire event on many levels, and one that was a wake-up call for the region,” said Matthew Reilly, research forester and lead author of the study, which is published in the journal Ecosphere. “The goal of our study was to help understand how this event compared to past west-side fires so that we can help inform adaptation strategies aimed at preventing or mitigating similar events in the future.”

Drawing from a literature review, extensive historical data, and new analysis, Reilly and his co-authors explored five questions surrounding the 2020 Labor Day Fires: how the 2020 fires compared with historical fires in the region, the role of weather and climate, the effects of forest management and pre-fire forest structure on burn severity, the impacts of these fires on west-side landscapes, and what can be done to adapt to similar fires in the future. Ultimately, they found that the 2020 fires were remarkably consistent with historical fires on the west side, both in terms of their timing and size and the cause of their rapid spread—dry conditions combined with strong east winds.

“Our findings suggest that these severe fires are normal for west-side landscapes when you look at historical fire regimes at longer time scales,” Reilly said. In fact, the researchers identified similarly large historical fires in the early 20th century under similar weather conditions—some even burning right around Labor Day—in some of the same locations that burned in 2020.

Because of the abundant and productive forests characteristic of the west side and the driving role of extreme winds, conventional fire management tools used in dry forests, like prescribed burning and fuels management, will likely be less effective in west-side forests than they are on the east side. This is particularly the case, their study found, when fire weather conditions are as extreme as those witnessed during the 2020 fires.

“Our study indicates we need very different approaches and adaptation strategies in west-side forests compared to those we use in dry forests,” Reilly said.

The study was conducted as part of the Pacific Northwest Research Station’s ongoing West-side Fire Research Initiative, which was launched in 2019 to develop science-based tools to help resource managers respond to wildfire risk in west-side forests. The study’s coauthors are from the Washington State Department of Natural Resources, University of Washington, Oregon State University, and USDA Forest Service’s Pacific Northwest Region.

Highlights

  • The 2020 Labor Day Fires were much larger and more severe than others in the recent record, but they were remarkably consistent with many historical fires. Strong east winds and dry conditions are the common denominators in both large historical fires of the past and the 2020 fires.
  • Forest management and fuel treatments are unlikely to influence fire severity in the most extreme wind-driven fires, like the 2020 Labor Day Fires. Pre-fire forest structure, largely the result of previous forest management activities, had little effect on burn severity when east winds were strong during the 2020 fires.
  • Fuel treatments around homes and infrastructure may still be beneficial under low and moderate fire-weather conditions.
  • Adaptation strategies for similar fires in the future in west-side communities might, instead, focus on ignition prevention, fire suppression, and community preparedness.

More information:

Matthew J. Reilly et al, Cascadia Burning: The historic, but not historically unprecedented, 2020 wildfires in the Pacific Northwest, USA, Ecosphere (2022). DOI: 10.1002/ecs2.4070

Wildfire Today, articles posted in September, 2020 tagged Oregon, or Washington.

Firefighters gain more containment on Electra Fire

Author Bill GabbertPosted on Categories WildfireTags , 2 Comments on Firefighters gain more containment on Electra Fire

Four miles southeast of Jackson, California

Updated 9:59 a.m. PDT July 7, 2022

Electra Fire map 11:15 p.m. July 6, 2022
The red line on the map was the perimeter of the Electra Fire at 11:15 p.m. July 6, 2022. The green line was the perimeter about 24 hours before. Most of the fire is within the footprint of the 2015 Butte Fire (white line).

Most of the 372-acre growth of the Electra Fire Wednesday was on the northeast side east of Clinton Bar Road, where crews conducted a firing operation. There was also growth on the southeast side in the Rich Gulch area near Highway 26.

Fire behavior moderated Wednesday night due to increased humidity. Several small spot fires were detected and mitigated with the support of intel platforms and one of the first uses of a CAL FIRE helicopter (C-101) conducting night-flying operations dropping water, using one of the new Firehawk ships.

The wind has been moderate since the Electra Fire started July 4. The prediction for Thursday is 6 to 10 mph winds out of the southwest in the afternoon, 86 degrees, and about 30 percent relative humidity.

Updated at 3:01 p.m. PDT July 6, 2022

Electra Fire map, northeast side, 1:39 p.m. MDT July 6, 2022
Electra Fire map, northeast side. The red squares represent heat detected by satellites at 1:39 p.m. PDT July 6, 2022. The red line was the perimeter at 11:50 p.m. MDT July 5, 2022.

The Electra fire 4 miles southeast of Jackson, California was not as active in the early portion of Wednesday afternoon as it was the previous two days. A satellite overflight at 1:39 p.m. only detected large heat sources on the northeast side southeast of Clinton Bar Road. There is no doubt there were many small heat sources scattered around the fire which could not be seen by the sensors on the satellite, but if it was vigorously spreading those areas would have shown up in the data.

Electra Fire, northeast side
Electra Fire, northeast side, looking southeast from Mt. Zion at 2:31 p.m. MDT July 6, 2022.

Wednesday afternoon at 2 p.m. CAL FIRE announced changes regarding road closures and evacuation status.

AMADOR COUNTY

Evacuation Order Update: The Amador County Sheriff’s Office is removing the road closure at the intersection of Lower Clinton Road and Butte Mountain Road. The new road closure will be moved to the Upper Clinton Road and Butte Mountain intersection. All residents along Clinton Road and Butte Mountain Road within this area are clear to return home. The evacuation order for this area has been reduced to a warning. Visit www.bit.ly/AmadorCountyEvacMap for more information.

Evacuation Warning Update: The warning zone running east from Jackson, along Hwy 88 to Previtali Road has been removed. All existing Evacuation Orders and Warnings not listed above remain in effect.

Road Closures: Tabeaud Road southbound at Highway 88, Mount Zion Road southbound at Highway 88, Upper Clinton Road at Butte Mountain Road, Clinton Road at West Clinton Road, and Electra Road at Highway 49

CALAVERAS COUNTY

All evacuation orders, evacuation warnings, and road closures remain unchanged.

9:37 a.m. PDT July 6, 2022

Electra Fire 3-D map 1150 p.m. MDT July 5, 2022
3-D map of the Electra Fire map at 11:50 p.m. MDT July 5, 2022. Looking northeast.

On Tuesday the Electra Fire four miles southeast of Jackson, California was not as active as it was on Monday, which allowed firefighters to make progress aided by numerous drops by air tankers and helicopters. Crews have been constructing direct fireline and burning out where possible, gaining containment, even though the official containment percentages are very low.

As of Tuesday night the 3,900-acre fire was almost entirely still within the footprint of the Butte Fire that burned more than 70,000 acres in September of 2015. It has burned both sides of the drainage along the Mokelumne River and reached but not crossed Highway 26 on the south side near Rich Gulch.

To see all articles on Wildfire Today about the Electra Fire, including the most recent, click HERE.

Electra Fire map 1150 p.m. MDT July 5, 2022
Map of the Electra Fire at 11:50 p.m. MDT July 5, 2022; and, the 2015 Butte Fire.

The most recent growth of the Electra Fire has been on the north and northeast sides, where firefighters are working to protect homes near Quail Drive and Clinton Bar Road. Where possible they are taking advantage of firelines used during the Butte Fire, firing out or backfiring from those areas.

The Amador County Sheriff’s office has created an online map showing the areas under evacuation orders.

Resources on the fire Tuesday included 200 fire engines, 26 water tenders, 7 helicopters and 41 dozers for a total of 1,334 personnel.

The weather forecast for Wednesday calls for skies clearing in the afternoon, 84 degrees, 40 percent relative humidity, and 5-10 mph afternoon winds out of the southwest and west gusting to 15.

Two CAL FIRE firefighters, Emily Eymann and Jessica Moser, rescued a pair of dogs, loading them into a US Forest Service truck for evacuation as the Electra Fire approached.

28 years ago eight firefighters survived the South Canyon Fire in their shelters

Author Bill GabbertPosted on Categories UncategorizedTags , , , 5 Comments on 28 years ago eight firefighters survived the South Canyon Fire in their shelters
South Canyon memorial
South Canyon Fire memorial in Two Rivers Park, Glenwood Springs, Colorado.

Today marks the 28th anniversary of the entrapment and death of 14 firefighters on the South Canyon Fire who were overrun by the fire on Storm King Mountain near Glenwood Springs, Colorado. Those firefighters were Kathi Beck, Tamera Bickett, Scott Blecha, Levi Brinkley, Robert Browning, Doug Dunbar, Terri Hagen, Bonnie Holtby, Rob Johnson, Jon Kelso, Don Mackey, Roger Roth, Jim Thrash, and Richard Tyler.

Barry Stevenson of Outside Adventure Media produced the short video below that looks at an often overlooked part of the event — the eight smokejumpers further uphill who took refuge in their fire shelters for two hours as the fire burned around them.

If you have not seen it already, be sure and watch the excellent lessons learned video about the South Canyon Fire titled Everyone Goes Home. It includes numerous interviews of wildland firefighters who were involved with, or were on scene during the entrapment and deaths of the 14 firefighters.

For more information about the South Canyon Fire visit southcanyonfire.com.