Red Flag Warnings and Fire Weather Watches for enhanced wildfire danger have been issued by the National Weather Service for areas in Idaho, Montana, California, and Oregon. Dry lightning is in the forecast on Monday for northern California.
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The Red Flag Warning map above was current as of 9:40 a.m. MDT on Monday. Red Flag Warnings can change throughout the day as the National Weather Service offices around the country update and revise their forecasts. For the most current data, visit this NWS site.
The map below shows the distribution of wildfire smoke in the United States at 11:04 a.m. MDT August 19, 2013.
Wildfire smoke, at 11:04 a.m. MDT, August 19, 2013
Below is the map of the northwest U.S. from Sunday, showing only dense smoke.
Wildfire smoke, August 18, 2013, showing only the dense smoke.
An arrangement has been made to write a movie script for John N. Maclean’s book The Esperanza Fire: Arson, Murder, and the Agony of Engine 57. Legendary Pictures has closed a deal with Sean O’Keefe to adapt the book about the 2006 entrapment and deaths of the five firefighters who were working on U.S. Forest Service Engine 57.
We talked with Mr. Maclean in February when he signed the movie rights deal with Legendary Pictures. He told us then that while the contract had been signed, including the stipulation that he will serve as a consultant, there are many steps that have to be completed before it appears on the big screen. The producers must arrange for someone to write the screenplay, financing has to be arranged, and actors have to be signed — just to name a few. So, the first of those three important steps has begun. But many scripts never become movies, Mr. Maclean said.
The arsonist who started the fire, Raymond Oyler, was found guilty of five counts of first-degree murder, 20 counts of arson, and 17 counts of using an incendiary device to start fires. He was sentenced to death.
The firefighters who died were engine Capt. Mark Loutzenhiser, 44, of Idyllwild; engine operator Jess McLean, 27, of Beaumont; assistant engine operator Jason McKay, 27, of Phelan; firefighter Daniel Hoover-Najera, 20, of San Jacinto; and firefighter Pablo Cerda, 23, of Fountain Valley.
Numerous lightning strikes, some of them without rain, started several dozen new fires in the Sierras and in southern California. On Sunday 24,681 strikes were recorded in the state, but so far firefighters have kept the fires small. Scattered mostly dry thunderstorms are predicted to continue through Monday followed by widespread thunderstorms with wetting rain in the Sierras Tuesday through Thursday.
The National Weather Service has issued a Red Flag Warning due to the possibility of dry lightning in combination with gusty winds for most of the foothills and mountains of Northern California.
Aviation
There are three new articles over at Fire Aviation.
Tanker 910, a DC-10 Very Large Air Tanker, experienced an engine failure coming off of a drop on the Beaver Creek Fire in Idaho on Thursday, August 15.
Minden Air Corp has made a video available of the takeoff for the first flight test of their Tanker 46, a converted BAe-146, which occurred June 9, 2013.
An Air Tactical Group Supervisor (ATGS) has completed a detailed comparison of the use of a DC-10 Very Large Air Tanker (VLAT) and P2V Large Air Tankers to complete the same task of creating 4.6 miles of retardant line on the Colockum Tarps Fire,
Atlanta evacuated (not THAT Atlanta)
Residents of Atlanta, Idaho have been ordered to evacuate by noon today, Monday, because of the 2,000-acre Little Queens Fire burning about four miles north of the town. The majority of the fire is in the Sawtooth Wilderness and Sawtooth National Forest.
The Great Basin Type 2 Team 5 (Wilde) is being reassigned to the fire.
From InciWeb, on August 17:
Jason Greenlee is the Incident Commander, “We will manage the Little Queens Fire as a long term fire. We will monitor the fire to ensure that it does not burn into Atlanta, Idaho and plan and prepare to defend the community if the fire changes direction and moves to the south”. This strategy is being used due to the shortage of resources to fight the fire due to other fires in the area.
In case you’re not familiar with Atlanta, it is 37 miles northwest of Ketchum, ID, and 23 miles northwest of the 104,000-acre Beaver Creek Fire.
Wildfire smoke, at 10:23 a.m. MDT, August 18, 2013
The map above shows the distribution of smoke from wildfires in the United States at 10:23 a.m. MDT today.
The map shows Red Flag Warnings, Fire Weather Watches, and some of the more active fires in the United States. (click to enlarge)
Red Flag Warnings and Fire Weather Watches for enhanced wildfire danger have been issued by the National Weather Service for areas in Idaho, Oregon, and California.
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The Red Flag Warning map above was current as of 11 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. For the most current data, visit this NWS site.
Yarnell Hill Fire, morning of June 30, 2013. Photo by Joy Collura.
Paul Whitefield has written an editorial for the Los Angeles Times that criticizes the City of Prescott for giving full survivor benefits to the families of only 6 of the 19 members of the Granite Mountain Hotshots that died in the employ of the city while fighting the Yarnell Hill Fire on June 30.
Below is an excerpt, but you should read the entire well-written editorial.
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“…As my Times colleague Cindy Carcamo writes:
It would cost the city an estimated $51 million over the next 60 years and would mean cuts to vital services to the people of Prescott, city spokesman Peter Wertheim said Thursday in a statement.
If the city were to make a one-time lump-sum payment of $24 million, it would be three times the entire budget of the Prescott Fire Department.
Excuse me, but when exactly did Prescott, Ariz., turn into Bangladesh? Brave young men die doing dangerous work protecting public and private property, and Prescott can’t “afford” to take care of their survivors? If that’s the case, then I’d say Prescott can’t “afford” to send such folks out to fight fires either.
And about that affordability explanation: If you’re so inclined, you can visit the city’s website and check out its financial position. For 2014, the city says it has about $230 million available; it’s budgeted about $173 million for expenditures. Hmmm. Is it just me, or does it appear the city could cough up a few bucks for some widows and their kids?”
Alum Fire, August 17, 2013. NPS photo. (click to enlarge)
Of the three significant active fires in Yellowstone National Park, the 6,150-acre Alum Fire northwest of Fishing Bridge is by far the largest and appears to have the most potential. It was discovered August 14 and did not do much until strong winds on Saturday caused it to grow to over 3,000 acres. The fire is within a mile of the Grand Loop Road north of Fishing Bridge. There is the potential for temporary closures of the road between Canyon Village and Fishing Bridge Junction. The latest road status information is available 24-hours a day by calling 307-344-2117.
Map of Alum Fire by NPS, August 18, 2013. The original version of this map can be found HERE. (click to enlarge)
The park reports that help is on the way:
Additional firefighters and engines arrived on Sunday and more are expected today and later in the week as fire mangers focus on protection of the road corridor, the boardwalk in Mud Volcano, and the nearby power line. As a precaution, structure protection efforts are already underway in Fishing Bridge, Lake Village, and Bridge Bay should the fire advance toward those areas in coming days. While area evacuations are not imminent, preparations are underway to assist residents and visitors in leaving the Fishing Bridge, Lake Village, and Bridge Bay area in the unlikely event that an evacuation is necessary in the coming days.
The 2,000-acre Alder Fire on a peninsula in the south end of Yellowstone Lake is constrained by water on three sides and a recent fire footprint on the other. The Druid Fire near Lamar Valley in the northeast section of the park has burned 75 acres.
The park sent out a Tweet Monday afternoon saying:
All roads leading into & through Yellowstone & all visitor services are OPEN. The Alum Fire is not a threat to visitors or residents.
Occasionally the fires can be seen from the two Mt. Washburn web cams, but sometimes drift smoke from fires outside the park degrade the visibility.
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(UPDATE at 11:30 a.m. MDT, August 18, 2013)
Map of Alum Fire in Yellowstone National Park, showing heat detected by a satellite at 11 p.m. MDT, August 18, 2013 (click to enlarge)
The Alum Fire has grown to 3,000 acres, the Alder Fire has burned 900 acres, and the Druid Fire is 60 acres. Below is an update Saturday morning from Yellowstone National Park:
“Alum Fire: This lightning caused fire was discovered Wednesday morning, August 14, burning in the backcountry west of Mud Volcano near Alum Creek. The fire had remained fairly quiet for several days and had grown only to 3 acres as of Saturday morning. However, as critical fire weather conditions developed early Saturday afternoon the fire sprang to life. Extreme fire behavior was observed including short periods where the fire advanced through the crowns of the mature lodgepole pine forest. The fire advanced at least six miles to the east-northeast in the span of a few hours. The head of the fire is within a mile of the Grand Loop Road near Mud Volcano. The Alum Fire is now estimated at 3,000 acres. Additional firefighting resources are on their way to the park to assist with protection of the road corridor, the boardwalk in the Mud Volcano, and the nearby power line. There is the potential for temporary closures of the road between Canyon Village and Fishing Bridge Junction.
Alder Fire: This fire on a peninsula at the south end of Yellowstone Lake experienced significant fire activity again Saturday, doubling in size from 450 acres to an estimated 900 acres as it burned in heavy timber and produced a tall smoke column visible all around the lake. The fire is hemmed in by water on three sides and by a recently burned area to the south. Several backcountry campsites on The Promontory have been temporarily closed. This fire was discovered on August 14th and was caused by lightning.
Druid Fire: Gusty winds, low humidity and hot temperatures resulted in active fire behavior on the Druid Fire Saturday, which is burning in a steep heavily timbered bowl in the backcountry high above the Northeast Entrance Road on Druid Peak. The fire grew from 30 to 60 acres on Saturday, and at times some smoke and flames were visible from along the road.”
Alum Fire in Yellowstone National Park as seen through a dirty lens and drift smoke; Mt. Washburn web cam at 11:24 a.m. MDT, August 18, 2013
The U.S. Forest Service has released a 72-hour report for an engine rollover in Wyoming that injured three firefighters. It occurred at noon on August 8 while the crew was responding eastbound on Highway 450 to a report of a fire near Newcastle, Wyoming. Here is a link to a map of the general area.
The engine, a new Kovatch Mobile Equipment (KME) Type 4, was totaled.
Below is the narrative from the report:
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“Narrative: A type 4 wildland engine, traveling east along Wyoming State Highway 450, lost control and rolled over, approximately 10 miles east of the Thunder Basin work center. The engine, with a complement of three fire personnel, was responding to a smoke report near Newcastle, WY.
Following the accident, two personnel were transported by ambulance to Newcastle, WY and one by ambulance with life-flight assistance, to Casper, WY. Two personnel were released on the same day (August 8, 2013), while the third individual was released on Saturday, August 10, 2013.
Accident investigations are being conducted by Wyoming Highway Patrol (including an accident reconstruction analysis) and Forest Service law enforcement.
A Facilitated Learning Analysis (FLA) team is on-site and has completed an in-briefing and delegation by the Regional Forester. The FLA team is conducting interviews, reviewing the accident site and assessing information from the accident.”
