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.

Prescribed fire near D.C.

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Above: NPS photo by Nathan King

On April 6 firefighters conducted the first prescribed fire in Wolf Trap National Park for the Performing Arts west of the District of Columbia. According to the National Park Service it was also the first prescribed fire in Fairfax County, Virginia. (UPDATE April 11, 2018: Katie said in a comment that Fairfax County Park Authority has  been conducting prescribed burns in Fairfax County for many years.)

Fire was introduced to the native meadow in order to help the indigenous vegetation flourish while helping to control non-native plants.

Wolf Trap National prescribed fire
NPS photo by Nathan King

The agencies assisting included Prince William Forest Park, Fredericksburg and Spotsylvania County Battlefields National Military Park, and Fairfax County.

Wolf Trap National prescribed fire
NPS photo by Nathan King

The park is about 8 air miles west of the District of Columbia. It was created by legislation passed in 1966 “… for the performing arts and related educational programs, and for recreation use in connection therewith…”

Numerous wildfires burning in Russia’s Amur province

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Above:  NASA’s Suomi NPP satellite captured this natural-color image of smoke streaming from wildfires on April 4, 2018. Recently charred areas appear black. Rivers, still ice-covered, are white. Heat at the fires is represented by red dots.

NASA reports on wildfires in Russia seen from space:

As is often the case in the spring, satellites detected dozens of fires burning in Russia’s far eastern Amur province in late-March 2018. Fires usually flare up around the time that the winter snow cover melts.

The fires were initially quite small. Most of them were probably lit by people, mainly to burn dried grasses and old crop debris from fields. People in the area routinely light fires in the spring to fertilize the soil, maintain pasturelands, and prevent forest encroachment.

Many of the fires near the Amur and Zeya rivers spread rapidly over the following week. By April, several were raging out of control—in some cases burning through forests. Dahurian larch dominates forests in Amur, though deciduous trees such as birch and aspen are also common.

The Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite (VIIRS) on the Suomi NPP satellite captured this natural-color image of smoke streaming from several fires on April 4, 2018. Recently charred areas appear black. Rivers, still ice-covered, are white.

Hundreds of firefighters are working in the region, according to news reports. However, the fires are proving difficult to control and have spread about 20,000 hectares (80 square miles) per day. On April 5, authorities reported extinguishing 15 fires, but 23 new fires emerged on the same day.

Diversity of structure in a forest can make it more resilient to fire

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Above: A slab of wood from the Stanislaus-Tuolumne Experimental Forest showing a history of very frequent fires, some of them as little as four years apart. Screen grab from the USFS video.

The U.S. Forest Service found some old research plots in the Sierras that have been measured over time dating back to the days of old growth. The evidence suggests that a diversity of species, density, and structure can make a forest more resilient to fire and attacks by insects.

Red Flag Warnings in four states, April 8, 2018

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The National Weather Service has issued Red Flag Warnings for areas in Colorado, Arizona, Texas, and New Mexico.

The Red Flag Warning map was current at 10:35 a.m. MDT on Sunday. Red Flag Warnings can change throughout the day as the National Weather Service offices around the country update and revise their forecasts.

California burn projects wrap up before major precipitation event

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Above: Forecast published Thursday April 5 by the National Weather Service.

National Forests in California have been busy in recent days completing pile burning and prescribed fire projects as they prepare for heavy precipitation through Saturday.

Most areas in the northern part of the state should expect at least two inches with as much as three to five inches in some locations.

Thursday brought showers but the heaviest rain and snow will occur Friday, transitioning to light showers on Saturday.

rain forecast northern california
Forecast published Thursday April 5 by the NWS.

 

Whites to replace boots worn by burned firefighter

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The company is saying they will not ask the firefighter to pay for the replacement pair

White’s Boots Company is saying they will replace at no charge the boots worn by the firefighter who fell into an ash pit in Arizona March 16 and suffered 2nd & 3rd degree burns over 20 percent of his body. He said the boots protected his lower leg, ankle, and foot, but he had severe burns above the boots. Another firefighter was burned at the same time but he was treated and released.

The next day a third firefighter was injured on the same fire. He suffered minor burns and was also treated at the hospital and released.

We asked Brandon Upchurch, a House Account Consultant for White’s, if most leather boots would provide the same protection, and he said, “Not necessarily. Other boots could use thinner leather, or have weak points due to construction.”