Map showing heat detected by satellites during the last seven days. Updated at 1 p.m. CDT April 19, 2019.
The Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE) says the average annual acreage burned in the Flint Hills during the prescribed fire season was almost matched over the past month. Most of the burning is related to agriculture, improving pastures or preparing crop lands.
Almost 2.1 million acres of grassland were treated with fire between March 15 and April 12. KDHE said roughly 2.5 million acres are burned annually.
The reporting time period includes 21 counties in Kansas and Oklahoma.
KDHE said burns from April 8-9 caused six air quality exceedances across parts of Kansas, Missouri and Oklahoma. There were no air quality exceedances due to burns last year.
Thanks and a tip of the hat go out to Matt. Typos or errors, report them HERE.
The service for Dwain Hudson who passed away while en route to the fire has been scheduled
Screenshot from drone footage of the High Plains Fire northwest of Custer, SD at 7 p.m. MDT April 17, 2019. Video by Custer County Search And Rescue. Click to enlarge.
The High Plains Fire five air miles south of Jewel Cave National Monument in the Black Hills of South Dakota has been more accurately mapped at 140 acres. The lightning-caused fire was reported at 12:29 p.m. on April 17.
The photo above is a screenshot from drone footage obtained over the fire by the Custer County Search and Rescue Service at 7 p.m. the day the fire started. The image quality is quite good considering it was cloudy and was filmed 40 minutes before sunset.
Part of the fire is in the footprint of the Jasper Fire that burned 83,000 acres in August, 2000, as indicated by the fallen trees from 0:25 to 1:15.
The service for Dwain Hudson who passed away while en route to the fire has been scheduled, but the family is requesting that it be intimate in nature. Due to that and the limited size of the venue they are requesting that only the three local fire departments and ambulance service attend. The service will be April 27 at 11 a.m. at McColley’s Chapels in Custer, South Dakota.
Condolences can be sent to the Argyle Volunteer Fire Department, P.O. Box 176, Pringle, SD 57773. More information will be at the Department’s Facebook page.
On November 17, 2018 President Trump, California Governor Jerry Brown, and Governor-elect Gavin Newsom (L-R) visited the Incident Command Post at the Camp Fire near Chico, California. Screenshot from CBS video.
Since California Governor Gavin Newsom’s inauguration in January he has proposed a number of initiatives that he hopes will help mitigate the damages caused by wildfires in California. Ten of the most destructive fires in the state have occurred since 2015.
“We are in a very precarious state literally and figuratively,” said Governor Newsom.
Most of the Governor’s recommendations will require action by the state legislature when considering the 2019-2020 budget:
Funding to convert seven HC-130H aircraft into air tankers. The aircraft initially operated by the Coast Guard were transferred to the U.S. Forest Service. After several years the FS decided they did not want them and they were then given to the state of California by an act of Congress.
Funds for hundreds of new fire detection cameras.
A 911 fee on phone bills, starting in 2020, to help pay for improving emergency communications system statewide.
The Governor said he wants to hold “Pacific Gas & Electric accountable” for safety in light of the fact that the company’s power lines have started numerous destructive wildfires in recent years.
“I expect that PG&E is going to get serious, no longer misdirect, manipulate, mislead the people of this state about their resolve and commitment to address reliability and safety,” said Newsom.
However one of the more controversial proposals from the Governor is allocating responsibility for wildfire costs. One of the alternatives is to establish a catastrophic wildfire fund which would potentially spread the cost of damages from wildfires more broadly to ratepayers, investors, insurance companies, local governments, and attorneys representing victims.
In February the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection released a Community Wildfire Prevention and Mitigation Report that outlined plans to reduce hazardous fuels, identifying 35 priority projects that can be implemented immediately to help reduce public safety risk for over 200 communities.
A firefighter that was responding to the High Plains Fire five air miles south of Jewel Cave National Monument in the Black Hills of South Dakota has died.
Custer County Emergency Management reported that on April 17, 2019 Dwayne Hudson, a firefighter with the Argyle Fire Department, experienced a medical emergency while en route as a passenger in one of the vehicles. He was treated by fellow responders and the Custer Ambulance Service on scene and continued to be treated while being transported to Custer Regional Hospital. However, he did not survive.
The High Plains Fire started Wednesday afternoon from a lighting strike and as of Thursday morning had burned approximately 100 acres.
Our sincere condolences go out to Mr. Hudson’s family, friends, and coworkers.
Thanks and a tip of the hat go out to Matt. Typos or errors, report them HERE.
Map showing the location of the High Plains Fire. The brown dots represent heat detected by a satellite at 1:46 p.m. MDT April 17, 2019. Click to enlarge.
(UPDATED at 1:10 p.m. MDT April 18, 2019)
Wednesday afternoon a firefighter that was responding to the fire, Dwayne Hudson, experienced a medical emergency while en route and passed away. More details.
(Originally published at 11:18 a.m. MDT April 18, 2019)
A lightning-caused fire has burned 100 acres in the Black Hills National Forest in South Dakota. The High Plains Fire is southwest of Custer near Pass Creek Road five air miles south of Jewel Cave National Monument and Highway 16. It was reported at 12:29 p.m. on April 17 and is being fought by federal, state, and volunteer fire departments.
Erin Considine, a spokesperson for the Great Plains Dispatch Zone, said firefighters expect to have it controlled by 7 p.m. today.
The weather forecast for the fire area Thursday afternoon will not be favorable for the firefighters. It predicts southeast winds of 18 to 21 mph with gusts to 30, humidity in the low 30s, and a high of 53 degrees.
With the passage of Senate Bill 160 Montana becomes the 48th state with some form of presumptive care for firefighters.
The Firefighters Protection Act lists 12 presumptive diseases for which it would be easier for a firefighter to file a workers’ compensation claim if they served a certain number of years:
Bladder cancer, 12 years
Brain cancer, 10 years
Breast cancer, 5 years
Myocardial infarction, 10 years
colorectal cancer, 10 years
Esophageal cancer, 10 years
Kidney cancer, 15 years
Leukemia, 5 years
Mesothelioma or asbestosis, 10 years
Multiple myeloma, 15 years
Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma, 15 years
Lung cancer, 4 years
The bill applies to volunteers and local fire departments in Montana, but not to federal firefighters. It is unclear if it affects those employed by the state government.
The federal government has not established a presumptive disease program for their 15,000 wildland firefighters.
At a bill signing ceremony Thursday afternoon Governor Bullock will issue a proclamation ordering flags to be displayed at half-staff in honor of all Montana firefighters who have lost their lives from a job-related illness in the line of duty.
Almost 2.1 million acres of grassland were treated with fire between March 15 and April 12. KDHE said roughly 2.5 million acres are burned annually.
