It has burned over 7,300 acres in the southeast part of the state near Kim
Cherry Canyon Fire as seen from about 10 miles south of La Junta, Colorado. Photo by Otero County Sheriff, May 20, 2020.
(Originally published at 11:40 a.m. MDT May 22, 2020)
The Cherry Canyon Fire that was reported May 20 grew rapidly Thursday and has now burned 7,390 acres. The fire is in southeast Colorado 9 miles northwest of Kim and 58 miles east-northeast of Trinidad.
(To see all articles on Wildfire Today about the Cherry Canyon Fire, including the most recent, click here)
From the Colorado Division of Fire Prevention and Control Friday morning:
Yesterday was the first shift for our folks on the #CherryCanyonFire near Kim, CO. The fire made an impressive 6000+ acre push yesterday due to sustained winds of around 40mph.
On Thursday it was burning in chaparral and short grass exhibiting extreme fire behavior with crowning, torching, and spotting. According to Friday morning’s Situation Report the firefighting resources assigned include 2 hand crews and 10 engines for a total of 61 personnel.
The area is under a Red Flag Warning Friday from 1 p.m. until 9 p.m. for 10 to 20 mph winds gusting to 35 mph, with relative humidity as low as 7 percent. A Fire Weather Watch is in effect Saturday afternoon and evening for similar conditions.
Vicinity map of the Cherry Canyon Fire in southeast Colorado.Map of the Cherry Canyon Fire showing heat detected by satellites as late as 2:54 a.m. MDT May 22, 2020.Cherry Canyon Fire. Photo by Colorado Fire Prevention & Control.
The Big Timber Fire had burned 250 acres at 6 p.m. Tuesday
Map showing the general location of the Big Timber Fire in southern New Jersey.
Fire officials with the New Jersey Forest Fire Service expect the Big Timber Fire in the southern part of the state to burn about 2,100 acres by the time the fire is contained within planned control lines.
The fire is 31 miles northwest of Atlantic City and 13 miles northeast of Vineland.
The fire was detected Tuesday at 1:30 p.m. by personnel in two fire lookout towers. Their azimuth readings intersected near the Blue Anchor Fire Line in the Winslow Wildlife Management Area, Winslow Township in Camden County.
The Big Timber Fire is burning in heavy brush and timber and has jumped across the Egg Harbor River. At 6 p.m. Tuesday it had burned about 250 acres.
Big Timber Fire, May 19, 2020. ABC channel 6.
Strong gusty winds are hindering containment efforts. The forecast is for east-northeast winds to continue through Tuesday night at 13 to 17 mph with the relative humidity in the 50s. On Wednesday the winds will be about the same as the RH dips into the low 40s in the afternoon with a high temperature of 59. Cloud cover Tuesday night and on Wednesday should be 85 to 90 percent.
Residents in Baltimore and possibly Washington, DC, 90 and 115 miles away respectively, might smell the smoke Tuesday night and Wednesday.
Map showing the projected containment lines within which the New Jersey Forest Fire Service intends to control the Big Timber Fire in southern New Jersey. Map produced at 5 p.m. EDT May 19, 2020.
The map shows the location of heat detected by a satellite on the English Fire in Saskatchewan from May 8 through 4:18 a.m. CDT on May 18.
A wildfire named “English” by the Saskatchewan Ministry of Environment has burned over 71,000 acres (28,800 hectares) 30 miles (47 km) east of Prince Albert, Saskatchewan. GPS perimeter data was collected by the agency on May 16. The fire has been burning since May 8.
From Global News at 12:42 p.m. May 18, 2020:
The Saskatchewan government issued two wildfire alerts for communities northeast of Prince Albert on Sunday.
The alerts apply to the RM of Garden River the RM of Torch River specifically.
According to the government website the advisories were issued because of “wildfire[s] that [have] serious potential to cause emergency situations for the public.”
It said fires are burning in Fort a la Corne Forest and along the southwest edge of the Torch River area.
Residents in both rural municipalities are asked to “prepare and be ready to take action should an evacuation be required.”
The advisories say residents in Meath Park, Weirdale, Smeaton, Snowden and Shipman should close doors, windows and vents.
Firefighters receive a briefing on the East Desert Fire, May 18, 2020. Photo by Arizona State Forestry.
(UPDATED at 8 p.m. MDT May 19, 2020)
At 6 p.m. Tuesday all evacuations due to the East Desert Fire were lifted.
Firefighters have slowed the spread and the size is holding at 1,492 acres.
(UPDATED at 11:10 a.m. MDT May 18, 2020)
Arizona State Forestry estimated that at 12:01 a.m. May 18 the East Desert Fire north of Phoenix had burned approximately 1,500 acres. After the fire started at about 1 p.m. on Sunday it spread to the east and northeast toward Cahava Springs near the community of Cave Creek. About 130 homes near Cahava Springs were evacuated overnight.
The human-caused fire started near 24th St. and Desert Hills Road in North Phoenix. Hand crews are working to build fireline around the perimeter while engine crews are providing structure protection for nearby homes threatened by the fire.
Sunday at 8 p.m. the East Desert Fire made a run pushed by strong winds and dry conditions. The fire is burning through dry grasses and brush and other desert vegetation. Additional firefighting resources were ordered Sunday night, including 6 hotshot crews and 10 engines. Aircraft have been requested to be on standby Monday morning.
Map showing heat detected by satellites on the East Desert Fire through 4:12 a.m. MDT May 18, 2020. Locations are approximate.
At 9:43 a.m. an RJ85 air tanker and an air attack ship were seen over the fire.
At 9:43 a.m. on May 18, 2020 FlightRadar24 tracked two aircraft over the East Desert Fire — an RJ85 Air Tanker and an air attack shipEast Desert Fire north of Phoenix. Photo by Arizona State Forestry, May 17, 2020.
(UPDATED at 11:31 p.m. MDT May 18, 2020)
In an 11 p.m. update on Sunday Arizona State Forestry reported that the East Desert Fire north of Phoenix has grown to approximately 1,000 acres. Additional firefighting resources have been ordered, including 6 hotshot crews and 10 engines. Aircraft have been requested to be on standby for Monday morning.
Despite cooler nighttime weather, strong winds are pushing the fire northeast toward Cahava Springs and Cave Creek. Firefighters will be working Sunday night into Monday morning.
(Originally published at 8:19 p.m. MDT May 17, 2020)
Map showing the location of the East Desert Fire north of Phoenix at 2:48 p.m. MDT May 17, 2020.
The East Desert Fire has burned 300 to 500 acres near Cave Creek Regional Park north of Phoenix. It was reported Sunday afternoon east of Interstate 17 and north of Carefree Highway.
A report from the Arizona State Forestry at about 8 p.m. said the fire was moving into open desert country away from homes. Approximately five homes are being protected by fire engines. Helicopters and air tankers have been assisting firefighters on the ground.
The fire is three miles northwest of the community of Cave Creek.
36th Ave. SE Fire — Greater Naples Fire Rescue District.
These photos of personnel at the 36th Ave. SE Fire about 10 miles east of Naples, Florida show that many of the emergency management staff members were wearing masks.
The photos by the Greater Naples Fire Rescue District were posted May 14, 2020.
36th Ave. SE Fire — Greater Naples Fire Rescue District.36th Ave. SE Fire — Greater Naples Fire Rescue District.36th Ave. SE Fire — Greater Naples Fire Rescue District.36th Ave. SE Fire — Greater Naples Fire Rescue District.
Map for the 36th Ave. SE Fire, released by the Florida Forest Service, May 15, 2020.
(UPDATED at 1:37 p.m. EDT May 15, 2020)
The Florida Forest Service Green Incident Management Team assumed command of the 36th Ave SE Fire at 7 a.m. today. The team reports the latest size of the fire is 8,500 acres.
Mandatory evacuations are still in place on both sides of Alligator Alley (Interstate 75). Friday morning, the Collier County Sheriff’s Office gave an update on the situation, saying no additional evacuations are expected today those in effect will remain throughout the day.
Currently, the FFS has 16 tractor/plow units from around the state battling the blaze, along with 3 single engine air tankers, 1 fixed wing aircraft, and 4 helicopters, including the Collier County Sheriff’s Office Air Rescue 1 which is assisting with water drops.
A large air tanker out of Lake City, Florida an MD-87, is also being used. Yesterday the aircraft completed four sorties to the fire — each time dropping 4,000 gallons.
Map showing heat detected by satellites on the 22nd Ave. SE and the 36th Ave. SE fires, at 12:30 a.m. EDT May 14, 2020.
(UPDATED at 6:25 p.m. EDT May 14, 2020)
The two wildfires 10 to 12 miles east of Naples, Florida have merged and by 4 p.m. EDT Thursday had grown to about 8,000 acres according to the Florida Forest Service (FFS). The fire is now known as the 36th Ave. SE Fire.
The FFS is working in unified command with local fire and emergency responders, including the Greater Naples Fire Rescue, North Collier Fire Rescue, Marco Island Fire Rescue, Collier County Emergency Management, Collier County Sheriff’s Office and many others. Currently, the FFS has 16 tractor/plow units battling the blaze, along with 3 single engine air tankers, 1 fixed wing aircraft, and 3 helicopters, including the Collier County Sheriff’s Office Air Rescue 1, which is assisting with water drops.
Additional FFS resources have been deployed, including the Green Incident Management Team, a dozer strike team from Northeast Florida, and 2 dozer strike teams which are en route from the Five Mile Swamp Fire in the Panhandle. The Florida Fire Chiefs Association is securing resources to provide additional structure protection.
Currently, there are 80 active wildfires burning nearly 16,000 acres in Florida. Last week, the Florida Forest Service battled the 2,000-acre #5MileSwamp Fire in Santa Rosa County and the #MussettBayouFire in Walton County, in which an arrest was announced on Tuesday.
Wildfire east of Naples Florida. Photo May 14, 2020 by Florida Department of Agriculture & Consumer Services.
Two helicopters shown working the #wildfires about 10 miles east of Naples, Florida — a UH1 and a H60; at 4:15 p.m. EDT today. pic.twitter.com/Hsz3bQBuP1
Two wildfires about 12 miles east of Naples, Florida have prompted mandatory evacuations and closed parts of Interstate 75 (Alligator Alley). Named 22nd Ave. SE Fire and 36th Ave. SE Fire, the two blazes merged Wednesday night and have burned approximately 4,000 acres according to the Collier County Sheriff’s Office in a Wednesday evening update. That night, pushed by winds described as moderate, the fire spread south across the Interstate requiring additional evacuations.
The fire behavior was described as extreme and burning embers were causing spot fires. Greater Naples Fire reported “several” structures have been lost or damaged, but they did not have an exact number.
The Florida Forest Service has mobilized the Green Incident Management Team to assist local firefighters.
Photo of the 22nd Ave. SE and the 36th Ave. SE wildfires, May 13, 2020. Collier County Sheriff’s Office.Evacuation map posted by the Collier County Sheriff’s Office Wednesday night.
Thanks and a tip of the hat go out to Rob. Typos or errors, report them HERE.
