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Unplanned vegetation fires

Two prescribed fires in New Mexico escape and become wildfires

Author Bill GabbertPosted on Categories Prescribed Fire, WildfireTags , , , , 63 Comments on Two prescribed fires in New Mexico escape and become wildfires

In the vicinity of Roswell and Las Vegas

Updated 4:52 p.m. MDT April 10, 2022

Hermits Peak Fire, April 10, 2022
Hermits Peak Fire, the morning of April 10, 2022. USFS photo.

Information released from the Incident Management Team for the Hermits Peak Fire at approximately 1:30 p.m. MDT on Sunday, stated that voluntary evacuations are in effect for three communities:

In coordination with the San Miguel County Sheriff’s Office, voluntary evacuations for the communities of San Ignacio, Las Dispensas and Pendaries have been put in place. Forecasted winds exceeding 60 mph have been predicted for today. Increasing winds each day through next week can cause holding concerns, drier weather is forecasted into next week and a RED FLAG WARNING is in effect for the fire area today until 8 pm.

The Incident Management Teams will continue using full suppression strategy utilizing hand crews and assessing the best strategy to engage the fire during the high wind period. The Hermits Peak Fire is in steep, rugged, terrain with limited access by vehicle. Firefighters are working to keep the fire out of Beaver Creek and out of the Gallinas Municipal Watershed.

Hermits Peak Fire map
Unofficial map of the Hermits Peak Fire area showing the communities of San Ignacio, Las Dispensas and Pendaries.

Early Sunday morning the fire was about 12 miles northwest of Las Vegas, New Mexico and according to the US Forest Service had burned 540 acres.

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

A Type 2 Incident Management Team, Southwest Team 4 with Incident Commander Aaron Hulburd, will assume command on Monday, April 11.

On Sunday resources assigned to the fire included 4 hotshot crews, 1 Type 2 IA crew, 8 fire engines, 1 Type 1 helicopter, 1 Type 2 helicopter, 1 Type 3 helicopter, 1 Rapid Extraction Module, and 1 Tactical Water Tender, for a total of 163 personnel.

Updated 12:05 p.m. MDT April 10, 2022

Map Hermits Peak Fire at 8:30 a.m. MDT April 10, 2022
Map showing the location of the Hermits Peak Fire at 8:30 a.m. MDT April 10, 2022.

Hermits Peak Fire

Most of the Hermits Peak Fire in the Santa Fe National Forest 12 miles northwest of Las Vegas, New Mexico is spreading in the Pecos Wilderness. While the transition is occurring from the Type 3 Incident Management Team to the incoming Type 2 Team very little current information is available. An unofficial estimate of the size after a mapping flight early Sunday morning puts it at more than 500 acres.

The weather will challenge firefighters for the next several days, with looming Red Flag Warnings Sunday and Monday and a Fire Weather Watch on Tuesday. The spot weather forecast for Sunday is for 10 to 14 percent relative humidity, an unstable atmosphere, the possibility of erratic, downburst winds, and general 22 to 30 mph winds gusting in the afternoon out of the west to 60 mph along ridges. Strong winds and low humidities will continue Sunday night and Monday. A longer range forecast predicts strong winds and low humidities persisting into Saturday, April 15.

The Incident Management Team said the fire could potentially spread in all directions on Sunday due to the predicted wind and topography.

The Hermits Peak Fire is a result of the Las Dispensas prescribed fire spreading out of control at 4:30 p.m. on April 6.

Overflow Fire

Another escaped prescribed fire, the Overflow Fire 10 miles southeast of Roswell, New Mexico, is burning in lighter fuels than the Hermits Peak Fire. Sunday morning it is still listed at 1,900 acres as the firefighters move into the mopup phase. Resources for the fire Sunday include five engines, two hotshot crews, and one bulldozer. Air support resources remain on standby.

Map Overflow Fire, April 9, 2022
Map of the Overflow Fire, April 9, 2022. BLM.

A Red Flag Warning is in effect Sunday in Southeast New Mexico due to expected strong winds and low relative humidity. Monday’s forecast predicts similar conditions, with the Red Flag Warning remaining in place.

 

12:04 MDT April 9, 2022

Map two escaped prescribed fires New Mexico
Map showing location of two escaped prescribed fires in New Mexico (at the red arrows).

Two prescribed fire projects in New Mexico have escaped and were declared as wildfires.

Hermits Peak

The Hermits Peak Fire on the Santa Fe National Forest is 29 miles east of Santa Fe and 12 miles northwest of Las Vegas, New Mexico. It escaped from the Las Dispensas prescribed fire at 4:30 p.m. on April 6 after the project was ignited late that morning. On Friday the U.S. Forest Service said it had burned approximately 350 acres after having been declared a wildfire. It is burning in mixed conifer in steep, rugged terrain. A Type 3 Incident Management Team assumed command on April 8 with the objective of full suppression. A Type 2 IMT, Southwest Team 4 with Incident Commander Aaron Hulburd, has been ordered and will inbrief at 9 a.m. Sunday.

It is moving toward the Pecos Wilderness. As of April 8 there were no direct threats to private property.

Hermits Peak Fire
Hermits Peak Fire, April 8, 2022. USFS photo.
Map Hermits Peak Fire New Mexico
Map showing the location of the Hermits Peak Fire at 10 p.m. MDT April 8, 2022.

In a statement released on April 6, the U.S. Forest Service said, “Although forecasted weather conditions were within parameters for the prescribed burn, unexpected erratic winds in the late afternoon caused multiple spot fires that spread outside the project boundary.”

Overflow Fire

The Overflow Fire has burned approximately 1,900 acres of salt cedar and grass 10 miles southeast of Roswell, New Mexico. The Bureau of Land Management was conducting a prescribed fire along the Pecos River corridor in Chaves County on April 7 when, the agency said, “an unexpected fire whirl carried fire across the control lines.” It was declared a wildfire at 1:25 p.m. April 7 and the strategy is full suppression. It has spread onto Federal, State and private lands.

Map Overflow Fire New Mexico
Map showing heat detected on the Overflow Fire by satellites as late at 2:55 p.m. MDT April 8, 2022.

As of April 8 resources on the incident included six engines, two hotshot crews, and overhead from Chaves County, Carlsbad Fire Department, Ruidoso Fire Department, New Mexico Forestry, U.S. Forest Service, and U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

Weather

Early in the morning on April 6 The National Weather Service said there would be strong winds across Central and Western New Mexico that day. They issued a wind advisory for “northwest and central portions of the area” in effect from 2 to 7 p.m.

The spot weather forecast for the Las Dispensas prescribed fire which became the Hermits Peak wildfire was issued at 8:54 a.m. MDT April 6, a few hours before it was ignited. It predicted clear skies, 9 to 13 percent relative humidity, and winds at 20 feet to be out of the west at 10 to 15 mph with gusts to 25 mph possible.

A spot weather forecast for the Overflow prescribed fire issued the previous evening predicted for the next day clear skies, 7 percent relative humidity, and “north winds 5 to 6 mph shifting to the south 7 to 13 mph late in the morning.”

Jury finds man guilty of arson for starting the August 2020 Dolan Fire

Author Bill GabbertPosted on Categories WildfireTags , , 7 Comments on Jury finds man guilty of arson for starting the August 2020 Dolan Fire

The blaze burned more than 124,000 acres along the coast and mountains of Central California in 2020

Ivan Geronimo Gomez
Ivan Geronimo Gomez. Monterey County Jail photo.

A 31-year old man was convicted Thursday of starting the Dolan Fire that burned 124,527 acres along the coast and mountains of Central California in 2020. A judge found Ivan Gomez guilty of arson, throwing rocks at a vehicle, cultivating marijuana, and 11 counts of cruelty to animals for killing multiple condors. In all Mr Gomez was found guilty of 16 felony counts.

After the fire started on August 18, California State Parks personnel detained Gomez at the John Little State Natural Reserve near the fire’s origin in Dolan Canyon. He had been seen throwing rocks at vehicles on Highway 1 and the Lime Creek Bridge. Mr. Gomez told officers that he had started the fire at an illegal marijuana grow on the other side of the ridge and killed five men.

Map of the Dolan Fire
Map of the 124,527-acre Dolan Fire, Central California, 2020.

There was no evidence of any homicides, but a multi-week investigation by US Forest Service fire investigators confirmed the fire did in fact originate at the illegal marijuana grow site. According to the Monterey County District Attorney’s Office, this piece of evidence proved to be key as the defendant correctly identified the area of origin, which was also confirmed by a defense expert. The evidence showed Mr. Gomez would have had time to start the fire around 5 p.m. and make it to the Lime Creek area where he was confronted at 8:15 p.m. Firefighters testified that no other individuals were found in this area and that the defendant was shirtless, sweating, and was found with multiple lighters on his person when contacted by law enforcement. The lighters were in working order and matched others found at the point of origin. In a three-hour interview with detectives from the Sheriff’s Department Mr. Gomez admitted numerous times that he started the fire.

The Dolan fire destroyed 14 structures including 10 residences. It also ruined multiple condor nesting structures and caused 12 condor birds to perish, injuring several more.

On September 8, 2020 the fire burned over and destroyed the US Forest Service fire station on Nacimiento-Fergusson Road seven miles from the California coast highway. Personnel there at the time included two USFS engine crews, two dozers with operators, and the only Division supervisor working the night shift due to a shortage of personnel. Fifteen firefighters deployed into only 13 fire shelters. Four were injured and three were hospitalized. One had very serious burns and had to rely on contributions from a GoFundMe account to help pay for his desperately needed long-term medical treatment, since the federal government dragged their feet in paying the bills.

Wildfire convection may have contributed to a flood advisory

Author Bill GabbertPosted on Categories WildfireTags , , , 2 Comments on Wildfire convection may have contributed to a flood advisory

North of Miami

Smoke and flood advisory

There is a discussion on Twitter about to what extent, if any, fire-induced convection and smoke from a wildfire northwest of Miami contributed to downstream precipitation and a flood advisory north of the city. While it happened on April 1, I don’t see any indication that it is a joke.

There is a possibility that outflow from a nearby thunderstorm interacted with the convection and smoke from the wildfire to intensify the effects.

The thread was started by Philipe Papin, a meteorologist with the NWS National Hurricane Center.

One of the fires in that general area is the 12,000-acre L 30 Fire which has been burning since at least March 28.

Wildfires in the Miami area, April 1-2, 2022
Wildfires in the Miami area, April 1-2, 2022.

Presumido Peak fire burns thousands of acres in Southern Arizona

Author Bill GabbertPosted on Categories WildfireTags 1 Comment on Presumido Peak fire burns thousands of acres in Southern Arizona

About two miles north of the US/Mexico border

Presumido Peak Fire map March 28, 2022
Vicinity map of the Presumido Peak Fire, March 28, 2022.

The Presumido Peak Fire in Southern Arizona had burned about 2,600 acres of grass, brush, oak, and juniper when it was mapped Monday. That number will be updated today after it made wind-driven runs Monday afternoon during Red Flag Warning conditions.

It is about 20 miles northwest of the border town Sasabe, two miles north of the US/Mexico border, on the edge of the Tohono O’odham Nation Reservation, and two miles west of the Buenos Aires National Wildlife Refuge.

Presumido Peak Fire map March 28, 2022
Presumido Peak Fire map March 28, 2022. Incident Management Team.

On Monday the fire received light showers which decreased fire activity significantly. The forecast for Tuesday calls for 54 degrees and cloudy skies with a 70 percent chance of  0.10″ rain, with clouds clearing by 11 p.m. On Wednesday and Thursday firefighters should expect mostly clear skies, temperatures of 68 to 75, winds out of the west and then south at 15 mph, and relative humidity in the low 20s and high teens.

Monday night the management of the incident transitioned to a Type 3 organization with approximately 70 personnel assigned. Aircraft remain assigned and on standby, if needed. The human-caused blaze was discovered Saturday afternoon near Presumido Peak

Presumido Peak Fire
Presumido Peak Fire, March 28, 2022. Incident Management Team.

NCAR wildfire prompts evacuations near Boulder, Colorado

Author Bill GabbertPosted on Categories WildfireTags ,

The fire has burned 189 acres south of the Mesa Laboratory of the National Center for Atmospheric Research, on the southwest side of the city

10:55 a.m. MT, March 27, 2022

map NCAR Fire Boulder Colorado
Map showing the perimeter of the NCAR Fire at 10:02 a.m. March 27, 2022. The evacuation area is shown in red.

The NCAR Fire that started at about 2:08 Saturday afternoon on the southwest edge of Boulder, Colorado initially required the evacuation of 19,000 people and 8,000 homes. By early Sunday morning the blaze had slowed and the evacuation area had been reduced, affecting 1,629 people and 699 housing units. The fire was mapped Sunday morning at 189 acres. They are calling it 21 percent contained.

NCAR fire, 2:39 pm MT March 26, 2022
Smoke from the NCAR fire, 2:39 p.m. MT March 26, 2022. Image from Louisville Cam.

Regarding the status of the fire, Incident Commander Mike Smith of Boulder Fire Rescue said Sunday morning, “I think right now we’re in a good position. The wind speeds are nothing like they were during the Marshall Fire, we’ve got a lot of good resources in place, we have full structure protection groups as well as assets up on the hill. I think as long as the weather does what it is supposed to do today and tomorrow we’re gonna be in good shape.”

The fire came within 1,000 yards of homes on the southwest side of Boulder, but no structures have been destroyed. The incident is near the Mesa Laboratory of the National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR).

The Marshall Fire, pushed by winds gusting at 60 to 100 mph, on December 30 spread rapidly as it destroyed more than 1,000 homes. Most were in the city of Louisville and the town of Superior. It started about 4 miles southeast of the NCAR Fire.

Mr. Smith said there have been no injuries. The cause is under investigation but the area of origin has been identified as being on the northwest side of the fire in the Bear Canyon/Bear Creek area.

NCAR fire, 6:44 a.m. MT March 27, 2022
Smoke from the NCAR fire, 6:44 a.m. MT March 27, 2022. Image from Louisville Cam.

Resources available on the fire Sunday will include 110 personnel, 2 fixed wing air tankers, and one helicopter. Initially on Saturday over 200 firefighters from about 30 agencies responded.

The plan for today is to reinforce the fire line and “corral the fire up into the rocks and snow”, Mr. Smith said. The evacuation areas will be reevaluated today.

Mike Smith NCAR fire
Mike Smith, Incident Commander on the NCAR Fire, speaks to reporters, at 9 a.m. Sunday, March 27, 2022.

“Good planning, good prep, and a lot of good mitigation work are the reasons why we had good success today,” said Incident Commander Mike Smith. “The forecast today is for north and northwest winds which is a little less favorable [than in an earlier prediction] but the wind speeds are not that high, 15 maximum to 20. We have the plan in place to create more evacuations [if necessary], our hope is that we don’t have to do any of those.”

Some nearby water reservoirs were frozen and were not available for firefighting helicopters as a source of water, according to @mitchellbyars, a reporter with the Daily Camera.

The forecast for Monday in the fire area is for 80 degrees, very low humidity dropping to 10 percent, and light winds ranging from 5 to 12 mph out of the southwest.

The intensity of this fire in a few places was pretty high, Mr. Smith said, but for the most part it was a pretty low intensity fire. He was also the Incident Commander on the Marshall Fire.

“Between aggressive initial attack and having the aviation assets, the single engine air tankers being able to put some retardant down in between the homes was a real benefit,” said Mr. Smith.

On the Marshall Fire strong winds prevented aircraft from dropping water or retardant as homes were burning.

When asked by a reporter, “It’s been a long year — how are you feeling?” Mr. Smith replied, “It’s March but it feels like it’s November. No, we’re doing good. We’re nervous about the season coming up. When you look at the long term forecast for the upcoming season I think this is just a sign of the way things are going to go…We only have 365 fire days a year,” he said with a smile.

50 homes burn in wildfires southeast of Abilene, Texas

Author Bill GabbertPosted on Categories WildfireTags , 11 Comments on 50 homes burn in wildfires southeast of Abilene, Texas

Deputy Sheriff killed while evacuating residents on the Eastland Complex of fires

Updated at 9:31 a.m. CT March 20, 2022

Saturday night the Texas Forest Service released the sizes of the four wildfires in the Eastland Complex :

Kidd Fire  42,333 acres
Oak Mott Fire  4,031 acres
Wheat Field Fire  7,268 acres
Walling Fire  383 acres
TOTAL: 54,015 acres

The Dallas Morning News reported Saturday that 86 homes and a majority of the small town of Carbon, Texas, were destroyed.

The video below illustrates why the recent fires in Texas have been difficult to stop.

Updated 1:14 p.m. CT March 19, 2022

Map of Eastland Complex of fires in Texas
Map of Eastland Complex of fires in Texas at 8 p.m. March 18, 2022.

At least 50 homes have been destroyed by wildfires that broke out in the Eastland County area this week, Gov. Greg Abbott said during a news conference Friday at the Eastland Volunteer Fire Department.

Sergeant Barbara Fenley. Eastland County Sheriff's Office
Sergeant Barbara Fenley. Eastland County Sheriff’s Office photo.

The Governor presented a Texas flag to a relative of Sergeant Barbara Fenley of the Eastland County Sheriff’s Office who was killed while evacuating residents from the fires.

“While evacuating people and going door-to-door, Fenley was last heard that she was going to check on an elderly individual,” a statement from the Sheriff’s office read. “With the extreme deteriorating conditions and low visibility from smoke, Sgt. Fenley ran off the roadway and was engulfed in the fire. Sgt. Fenley gave her life in the service of others and loved her community.”

To see all articles on Wildfire Today about the Eastland Complex of fires in Texas, including the most recent, click here: https://wildfiretoday.com/tag/eastland-complex/

The Fort Worth Police Officers Association wrote on their Facebook page, “Sergeant Fenley had served with the Eastland County Sheriff’s Office for nine years and had previously served with the Gorman Police Department for 10 years, including six years as the police chief.”

Four fires 40 to 45 miles east-southeast of Abilene, Texas primarily in Eastland County have burned at least 45,000 acres; unofficial reports put it at more than 53,000. For administrative purposes the Texas Forest Service has grouped them into the Eastland Complex of fires.

Eastland Complex of fires, Texas. March, 2022
Eastland Complex of fires, Texas. March, 2022. Texas Forest Service photo.

The acreages below were provided at 11 a.m. CT, March 19 by Angel Lopez Portillo, a spokesperson for the fires.

The Kidd Fire, approximately 34,000 acres, south of Eastland burned through Carbon March 17, heavily impacting structures. On Friday there was increased activity on the southern portion of the fire. Ground crews, dozers, motor graders, and aircraft worked on hotspots. Engine crews were focused on mop up operations around structures. Ground resources will continue building containment lines around the fire perimeter Saturday.

The Wheatfield Fire northeast of Cross Plains has burned  an estimated 5,000 acres. There was increased activity Friday, but ground and aviation resources were able to work hotpots. There is currently no threat to the community of Rising Star. On Saturday resources will focus on constructing, widening, and improving containment lines.

The Oak Mott Fire has blackened 5,252 acres southwest of Rising Star in Comanche and Brown Counties. It is completely contained.

The Walling Fire northeast of Cross Plains was mapped at 383 acres and is contained.

A fire not in the Complex is the 586-acre Mariah Ridge Fire south of Cross Plains in Brown and Callahan Counties. It has not grown in the last 24 hours.

Other unconfirmed reports put the Kidd Fire at 41,000 acres, and the Wheat Field Fire at more than 6,000 acres.

Mr. Portillo said that in addition to firefighters on the ground, resources working on the fires include three single engine air tankers, two National Guard Blackhawk helicopters, a National Guard Chinook helicopter, another large Type 1 helicopter, and three large fixed wing air tankers.

The wind on the fires decreased Friday and on Saturday will be out of the southwest at 8 to 12 mph, and like on Friday will be moderate enough to allow aircraft to assist firefighters on the ground. The relative humidity will drop Saturday afternoon into the mid-teens under clear skies with a high of 77 degrees. A Fire Weather Watch has been issued for Western Texas on Sunday. The strong winds will be back in the fire area, 20 mph out of the south and southeast gusting to 28 mph with relative humidity in the mid-teens. Rain is in the forecast for Monday.

Texas Red Flag Warnings and Fire Weather Watch
Red Flag Warnings and Fire Weather Watch, March 19, 2022.