News and opinion about wildland fire
A research project is underway which seeks to solicit information from wildland firefighters about unexpected or extreme wildfire behavior they have experienced. More information is at their website, and below. Click on the image to see a larger version.
At the Large Fire Conference in Missoula, Montana today we were intrigued by the Simtable in the exhibits area. The technology uses a projector connected to a computer to place an image on a sand table, resulting in an amazing three dimensional simulation of the spread of fires. We first wrote about the system in 2010.
It is the software that takes it to the next level. Fire modeling algorithms simulate the spread of fire through the vegetation and across the topography while also taking weather and fuel conditions into account. You can simulate the spread of a fire at your choice of location. Or, you can view the spread of historic fires. So far the company has collected wildfire perimeter mapping data for dozens of actual fires over the last two years. Using linear interpolation it can produce videos showing the fire spread from beginning to end, or at least to the extent that mapping data is available.
It can all be yours at a starting price in the mid-$20,000s.
Below is a video that we shot today, showing Stephen Guerin demonstrating the system.
Author Bill GabbertPosted on Categories Uncategorized9 Comments on Excellent video from the West Fork Complex This video was obviously shot by a firefighter on the West Fork Complex and has some excellent images of the fire. Be sure and notice the horizontal roll vortex at 1:35.
West Fork Complex from Hon schlapfer on Vimeo.
The description of the video as it appears on Vimeo:
“One for the record books! June 13-24 2013
Started as ICT3 20 acres in the Wiminuche wilderness San Juan National Forest.Fire ran to 5,000 acres called NIMO Team. west Fork Jumped the continental divide, closed HWY 160,evacuated the town of South Fork,Got the call to get over to the Papoose fire,Evacuated town, found missing Boy Scout troop, and thanks to some solid folks we saved every house.”
We took the liberty of getting a screen grab from the video and decided that it needed a caption:
One of the Predictive Services offices issued a Fuels and Fire Behavior Advisory for southern California. In this new one, most of Northern California has been temporarily removed due to the unseasonably cool and wet weather pattern. With the forecast for the weather pattern to make a dramatic change mid-week with strong high pressure developing over California for rapid drying/warming into the weekend, they anticipate Northern CA will once again warrant an advisory in the next 1-2 weeks.
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“Fuels and Fire Behavior Advisory
Southern California
June 25, 2013
Subject: Low live and dead fuel moistures, along with persistent drought have created the potential for active to extreme fire behavior in Southern California.
Discussion: All of California is experiencing drought conditions. Effects of lower than normal live and dead fuel moistures and observed fire behavior for 2013 are the focus of this advisory. Note that most of Northern CA was included in the previous advisory but has been temporarily removed due to forecasted widespread wetting rain. It is anticipated that area will warrant an advisory in the next couple weeks.
Difference From Normal Conditions: Drought conditions ranging from abnormally dry to severe exist and are expected to persist or intensify. The entire area is deficient in rainfall and snow pack, resulting in fuels that are 4-8 weeks ahead of normal drying/curing rates.
Concerns to Firefighters:
Mitigation Measures:
Area of Concern: The area of concern is the Southern California geographic area with the exception of 4 PSA’s: Central Valley, Central Mojave, Eastern Desert, and Lower Deserts. A map showing the areas of concern described in this advisory can be found at: National Fuel Advisories
Issued: June 25, 2013 (Note this advisory will be in effect for 14 days and will be reviewed/updated at that time.)”
One of the Predictive Services offices has issued another Fuels and Fire Behavior Advisory. The last one, issued June 10, was for California. This new one, dated June 16, is for portions of Arizona and New Mexico.
The advisory does not mention the “Southwest Monsoon,” an event that typically starts in early July and generally begins to draw the curtain on the fire season in Arizona, New Mexico, West Texas, southern Utah and southwestern Colorado.
Below is the full text of the advisory.
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“Fuels and Fire Behavior Advisory
Arizona and New Mexico
June 16, 2013
Subject: Persistent multi-year drought across much of New Mexico and Arizona has dropped fuel moistures to critically low levels in the large dead and live foliar fuels. These critically low fuel moistures increase available fuel loading which contributes to and supports active crown fire in timber fuels when critical fire weather is present.
Discussion: The multi-year drought has reduced the fine fuel loading across most of the region so the focus for this advisory will be the timber fuels within the region.
Difference from normal conditions: Drought creates more available fuel in timber fuel types which will increase fire intensities, crown fire potential and difficulty of control for fire suppression resources. Short duration rain events provide only short term fuel moisture improvement in timber litter fuels (1, 10, and 100 hour dead fuels). Fuels rebound quickly to previous dryness levels. Short duration rain events provide no fuel moisture recovery in large dead and live foliar fuels.
Concerns to Firefighters and the Public:
Mitigation Measures:
Area of Concern: Please reference the map posted on the National Fuel Advisory Page.
http://www.predictiveservices.nifc.gov/fuels_fire-danger/fuels_fire-danger.htm
The timber fuels within this area of concern are the target for this fire behavior advisory.”
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(End of text)
Thanks go out to Ken
Author Bill GabbertPosted on Categories Uncategorized2 Comments on As fast as a freight train with a broken throttle The American Red Cross of Los Angeles — I guess their heart is in the right place. They produced a video that tries to impress upon viewers the speed at which a vegetation fire spreads. They convinced an Inspector with the Los Angeles County Fire Department to say “…a wildfire can come at you like a freight train with a broken throttle.” Then they pump propane through a pipe with holes in it and ignite the escaping gas, while Red Cross volunteers try to outrun the flames coming out of the pipe. I’m not sure that this has anything in common with a vegetation fire, but what the hell.
Be warned, at 1:40 the sound volume triples.
