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Red Flag Warnings and lightning in the West

Author Bill GabbertPosted on Categories UncategorizedTags , ,

Red Flag Warnings issued Thursday for areas in Oregon, Utah, Wyoming, and Colorado

lightning
Lightning between 6 a.m. Aug. 28 and 6 a.m. Aug. 29, 2019 MDT.

Moderate amounts of lightning occurred Wednesday in Southern Oregon, Northern California and Central Nevada, while larger numbers of strikes were detected in New Mexico and Arizona. Most areas where the lightning occurred in Oregon, California, and Nevada received light rain but many locations in Arizona and New Mexico saw heavier precipitation along with the lightning.

Here is a summary from the Northwest Geographic Area Coordination Center issued Thursday at 6:57 a.m. PDT:

Thunderstorms moved north across the Pacific Northwest spreading moderate lightning from the California border to the Puget Sound. Pockets of lightning occurred in South Central Oregon, the Oregon and southern Washington Cascades, and Western Oregon and southwest Washington, with scattered light precipitation. Isolated lightning strikes in Eastern Washington and Northeast Oregon. Light initial attack occurred with the largest fire reported in Central Washington for approximately 100 acres.

 

Observed precipitation
Observed precipitation between 9 a.m. CDT Aug. 28 and 9 a.m. Aug. 29, 2019.

Dry lightning is in the forecast for most of Utah Thursday, resulting in Red Flag Warnings.

Red Flag Warnings
Red Flag Warnings for August 29, 2019.

(Red Flag Warnings can be modified throughout the day as NWS offices around the country update and revise their weather forecasts.)

TBT: dog discovers brush fire, alerts owner

Author Bill GabbertPosted on Categories UncategorizedTags

For throwback Thursday:

From a post on Wildfire Today April 26, 2008:

Robert Lane and his dog, Max

In Ipswich, Massachusetts yesterday, a dog escaped from his leash, discovered a fire, then like Lassie, barked at his 13-year old master and led him to the fire.

Like a scene out of “Lassie,” Robert Lane, 13, followed his barking dog yesterday to a brush fire burning in the woods behind the family’s home, then ran to a vernal pool to soak his T-shirt in water to try to put out the 10-foot circle of flames.

“I just wanted to get it out as fast as possible,” Robert said.

Discovering the fire was bigger than he thought, Robert ran home to tell his mother, who called the Fire Department at 12:30 p.m. If not detected early by Robert and the family dog, Max, who had escaped its leash, the brush fire could have easily spread and damaged the home and construction business located on their property at 285 High St., David Lane said.

“It could’ve been 10 times worse,” David Lane said by phone last night. “If it wasn’t for the dog getting off the leash, we wouldn’t have a house.”

Firefighters from six communities were able to contain the fire to a 400-by-800 foot area of woods, about three-quarters of an acre, on property across from the Dow Brook Reservoir, said Ipswich firefighter Lee Prentiss. Lane’s antique horse-drawn manure spreader was destroyed, but an estimated 30 to 40 pieces of his equipment were not damaged.

From the Salem News. Photo courtesy of the Daily News.

Lightning in the forecast for some western states

Author Bill GabbertPosted on Categories UncategorizedTags , ,

Wildfire smoke forecast

Red Flag Warnings wildfire Fire Weather Watches
Red Flag Warnings for August 27 (in red) and Fire Weather Watches for August 28 (in brown). NOAA.

The forecast for areas with Red Flag Warnings in effect Tuesday include gusty winds and low humidities. The Warning area for southwest Utah could also experience dry lightning from noon to 9 p.m. MDT Wednesday. The Fire Weather Watch areas (brown on the map above) are for Wednesday. Some areas in Oregon could receive lighting Wednesday afternoon through Thursday afternoon with light rain.

Below is the forecast for the distribution of smoke from wildfires at 5 p.m. MDT August 27, 2019.

wildfire smoke forecast map
The forecast for 5 p.m. MDT August 27 for wildfire smoke, vertically integrated and near surface.

(Red Flag Warnings can be modified throughout the day as NWS offices around the country update and revise their weather forecasts.)

Many of the photos circulating of wildfires in the Amazon, are not of the Amazon

Author Bill GabbertPosted on Categories UncategorizedTags 8 Comments on Many of the photos circulating of wildfires in the Amazon, are not of the Amazon
Bolivia Fires
An actual photo of some of the wildfires in Bolivia, as seen from the 747 Supertanker. It was posted by Global Supertanker August 24, 2019.

According to an article at CNN, “Some of the most-shared images of the Amazon rainforest fires are old or are not of the Amazon”. Their article includes many examples of incorrectly attributed photos.

One of the most glaring examples is very familiar to many wildland firefighters and is often called the “Elk Bath” photo (below). It was taken August 6, 2000 by John McColgan, a Forest Service employee who was assigned as a Fire Behavior Analyst on a fire in the Bitterroot National Forest in Montana. It was taken as part of his official duties and is in the public domain.

Elk Bath photo
Elk Bath photo, taken August 6, 2000 by John McColgan, a Forest Service employee who was assigned as a Fire Behavior Analyst on a fire in the Bitterroot National Forest in Montana.

Below is where the Elk Bath photo was posted on Twitter. It is at the bottom-right. The top-right photo, according to CNN is from a 2018 wildfire in Sweden.

The photo at the top of this article is a legitimate photo of some of the fires in Bolivia, as seen from the 747 Supertanker. It was posted by Global Supertanker August 24, 2019. The air tanker arrived in Bolivia at 1:37 a.m. local time Friday August 23 at Viru Viru International Airport outside the capital city of Santa Cruz de la Sierra and began sorties on fires later in the day.

The two photos below do not show fires, but they were also taken from the 747 Supertanker showing scenes in Bolivia. They might give us a glimpse of some of the fuels and terrain involved.

Bolivia 747 Supertanker
Taken from the 747 Supertanker in Bolivia and posted August 24, 2019. Global Supertanker photo.
Bolivia 747 Supertanker
Taken from the 747 Supertanker in Bolivia and posted August 24, 2019. Global Supertanker photo.

“You’ll get to carry fire”

Author Bill GabbertPosted on Categories UncategorizedTags , , ,

Looking at the experience of prescribed fire

Prescribed fire Big Cypress National Preserve
Prescribed fire at Big Cypress National Preserve video. Screenshot from NPS video below.

I assumed this third film in a series about prescribed fire at Big Cypress National Preserve in south Florida would be strictly that, prescribed fire. But it took an unexpected turn highlighting the unheralded and under-appreciated federal employees — firefighters — without whom there would be no fire management program in the National Park Service and several other agencies.

In the film there is no off screen narrator that drives that point, but instead there are interviews with two firefighters who obviously cherish the work they do. As a former firefighter, (is anyone ever a FORMER firefighter?) I could relate to the sentiment. They didn’t mention the money they make, which is a fraction of what they could make doing more, uh, normal work. But they conveyed the satisfaction in what they are accomplishing, both personally and for the natural resources.

“We’re here to manage the land and we have that responsibility as a human to do that.”
Megan Hurrell, Firefighter and Fire Effects Monitor at Big Cypress National Preserve

I don’t know if it was one of the producers’ objectives, but the film could serve as an effective recruitment tool.

“I went to my first fire and I knew right then. It’s kinda like when people say you meet the love of  your life it was kind of like that. It was — wow! That was good work, that was hard work. I’m filthy. I feel good about myself, I’m doing something that’s right. I’m comfortable with that and I’m in awe with it.”
Jay Thatcher, Burn Boss at Big Cypress National Preserve

When I was a Fire Management Officer and Burn Boss, occasionally a high-ranking person in the agency would attend a prescribed fire that was in progress. If they were near the action they wore personal protective equipment and I often put a drip torch in their hands and let them participate in ignition, under close supervision, of course. Sometimes it was difficult to get the drip torch back. They had a different perception of prescribed fire after that experience.

Recently a mom was encouraging her eight-year old son to serve in their church as an acolyte, with part of the duties being lighting candles at the alter. She told him, “You’ll get to carry fire,” then she looked at me and smiled.

For Megan and Jay in South Florida it’s in their job description. Sometimes wildland firefighters hear, “You’ll get paid in sunsets.” Well, that, and, you’ll get to carry fire.