Satellite photo of smoke from the Woodbury Fire east of Phoenix, Arizona at 7:31 p.m. MDT, June 18, 2019.
(To see all articles on Wildfire Today, including the most recent, click HERE.)
The Woodbury Fire 12 miles east of the Phoenix suburbs became very active on the northeast side Tuesday beginning at about 2 p.m., sending up another large column of smoke that blew off to the northeast. It added another 3,894 acres to bring the total up to 44,451 acres.
The convection column at the Woodbury Fire shows the beginning of condensation at the top, becoming a pyrocumulus cloud. Tanker 914, a DC-10 is in the foreground, with Tanker 101, an MD87. Photo taken at Phoenix Gateway Airport at 3:18 p.m. MST June 18, 2019. Photo by Ty Miller.
On Wednesday fire crews are preparing for the possibility of the fire moving north towards Roosevelt and east towards the Pinto Mine along Pinto Canyon. Firefighters will be using burnouts and existing black lines to divert fire from the Reavis Ranch, Roosevelt, and mining operations. They will continue the preparations along 500 KV power lines to make them more defensible, masticating brush and building bulldozer lines where appropriate.
Map of the perimeter of the Woodbury Fire at 10:41 p.m. MST June 18, 2019.
The smoke is expected to spread to the east on Saturday, becoming noticeable in Southern New Mexico and Western Texas.
The smoke from the Woodbury Fire is expected to blow off to the east on Wednesday into Southern New Mexico and Western Texas. The map depicts the forecast for 6 p.m. MDT June 19, 2019.
These May 26 images from the European Space Agency’s Sentinel-2 satellite were processed by Jess Clark of the Forest Service Geospatial Technology and Applications Center. They highlight the northern portion of the Chuckegg Creek Fire in Northern Alberta that has burned 130,000 hectares (321,000 acres).
In an article yesterday, May 27, we posted a low-resolution satellite image of the fire in which we pointed out shadows cast by towering pyrocumulus clouds over areas that were burning intensely. These photos that Mr. Clark sent are more zoomed in and have higher resolution.
Satellite photo of the Chuckegg Creek Fire May 26, 2019 processed by Jess Clark, USFS. Visible bands. Click to enlarge.
The photo we posted yesterday and the one above utilize the bands of light that are visible to the naked eye and are what you would see if you were flying over the fire 50 miles above the ground.
The false color image below uses bands that minimized the appearance of smoke, enhanced water vapor in the pyrocumulus, and highlighted heat from the fire.
Satellite photo of the Chuckegg Creek Fire May 26, 2019 processed by Jess Clark, USFS. Enhancing water vapor, heat, and minimizing smoke. Click to enlarge.
Mr. Clark explained the utility of these images:
“This really highlights just how important multispectral imaging is for those of us interested in seeing fire effects and extent on the ground. The National Infrared Operations Program (NIROPS) maps fire extent on a tactical basis with much higher resolution aerial imagery, but there are occasions when this space-based data helps corroborate or clarify the data NIROPS interpreters couldn’t see. Our main use of imagery like what I’ve attached is for severity mapping after the fire’s out to aid emergency response teams (BAER) in their mitigation planning efforts. It’s also used by the silviculture folks as they plan reforestation efforts, if appropriate.”
The Chuckegg Creek Fire has burned more than a quarter-million acres
The Chuckegg Creek Fire, looking west along highway 58, west of High Level, Alberta on Saturday evening, May 25, 2019. (photograph by Chris Schwarz/Government of Alberta).
(Originally published at 10:15 a.m. MDT May 27, 2019)
The Chuckegg Creek Fire in northern Alberta has burned more than a quarter-million acres just west of the town of High Level. Alberta Wildfire announced Sunday that they estimate it has grown to 107,000 hectares, or 264,000 acres. (UPDATE at 2:38 p.m. MDT May 27: Alberta Fire now says the fire has burned 127,000 hectares [314,000 acres – almost one-third of a million].)
(To see all of the articles on Wildfire Today about the Chuckegg Creek Fire, including the most recent, click here.)
Dry conditions and the lack of recent precipitation has caused the blaze to grow significantly on Sunday. Pushed by a wind out of the west, large pyrocumulus clouds formed over the fire north of Highway 58 casting shadows that could be seen in the satellite photo below.
Satellite photo of the Chuckegg Creek Fire near High Level, Alberta May 26, 2019. The arrows point to a shadow caused by high, towering pyrocumulus clouds caused by intense burning. The red dots represent heat.Map showing heat detected by a satellite on the Chuckegg Creek Fire near High Level, Alberta during the seven days prior to May 27, 2019.
The weather forecast for Monday calls for moderate south and southeast winds which should cause most of the spread to be on the west and northwest sides, but Tuesday and Wednesday should bring stronger winds out of the west and northwest along with humidities in the 20s. The high temperature will be 91F (33C) on Tuesday. If the fuels north of highway 58 and northwest of High Level are conducive to burning, the fire could grow closer to the town under those conditions.
Weather forecast for High Level, Alberta, Tuesday May 28, 2019. Temperature shown in Centigrade.
Below are excerpts from a Sunday evening update by Alberta Wildfire:
Today’s weather conditions led to increased wildfire activity. Extreme fire behaviour was observed on the north and west sides of the fire, away from the town. The weather also created challenges along the established fire guard. Wildfire and Structural firefighters were active on controlling hotspots along the fire perimeter in the priority areas around High Level. Airtankers worked today to drop fire retardant to reinforce the fire guard that heavy equipment and firefighters placed to protect the community and infrastructure.
The weather forecast tomorrow expects a cold front to arrive, bringing dry conditions and variable winds. This forecast will produce extreme fire behaviour conditions again tomorrow for firefighters.
Heavy equipment continues to work along the northeast side of the fire and make good progress on this section of the fire perimeter.
Firefighters have completed a successful controlled burn technique to create a containment boundary along highway 35 south of High Level, highway 58 west of High Level and the fire perimeter, as weather conditions allowed firefighters to do so.
Alberta Wildfire firefighters in conjunction with municipal firefighters, along with air support from helicopters and air tankers continue to work hard to contain the fire. The main area of spread remains away from town. There have been no homes or businesses damaged to date but the threat remains.
The High Level Fire Department and other municipal firefighters have set up sprinklers on the southwest and northwest side of town. In addition, structural protection has been completed on Mackenzie County homes southeast of High Level, Tolko and Norbord.
Structural firefighters have also been taking preventive measures on homes. This includes removing debris from yards, removing patio furniture from decks and other flammable material.
There are 194 structural firefighters that continue to establish and maintain structural protection on homes in the Town of High Level and on other critical values at risk within Mackenzie County. Alberta Wildfire has 400,firefighters along with 28 helicopters on this fire. There are more resources arriving daily.
Atco has restored power supply and is supporting normal operations to Mackenzie County, Town of High Level, La Crete, Fort Vermilion & Dene Tha’ First Nation. Atco has secured large-scale backup generators that can be drawn on to provide power to communities, if needed.
Most large convection columns of smoke rising over large or intense wildfires rotate to some degree. In the video below filmed near Melbourne, Australia, the speed of the playback has been increased, making it easier to notice the rotation. To confirm this, check out the car driving by at what appears to be over 250 miles per hour.
Pyrocumulus north of Timbarra, Victoria, Australia. Murray King took the photo 30km west of the fire in Bindi, East Gippsland on January 25, 2019 at 5:30 p.m.
Murry King sent us this photo of the pyrocumulus cloud over a bushfire north of Timbarra, Victoria, Australia. He got the shot from a point 30km west of the fire in Bindi, East Gippsland on January 25, 2019 at 5:30 p.m.
Thanks Murry.
Here is the latest information about the fire from Vic Emergency:
This Advice message is being issued for Timbarra, Gillingall, Gelantipy, Butchers Ridge, W-Tree, Murrindal, Buchan and Buchan South.
There is an active bushfire north of Timbarra and Gillingall and west of the Gelantipy Road between Butchers Ridge and W-Tree that is not yet under control.
We have now started igniting a back burn on the south eastern corner of the fire near W-Tree, along Hodges Track and Dawson Track. If conditions are favourable, we will continue to extend the back burn later today.
There will be increased smoke in this area. Crews and machinery continue to strengthen containment lines around the fire perimeter.
Massive pyrocumulus cloud over a bushfire north of Timbarra, Victoria, Australia. TRFM photo.
Extreme heat on Friday in Victoria, Australia combined with strong winds and low humidity caused a bushfire 10 km (6 miles) north of Timbarra to grow from 300 hectares (740 acres) to approximately 10,522 hectares (26,000 acres). Lighting ignited the fire on January 16 and in an odd twist, extreme fire behavior Friday created hundreds of lightning strikes around a massive pyrocumulus cloud that rose to 38,000 feet while igniting additional fires.
The temperature at the top of the cloud was -55°C (-67°F) according to the Victoria Bureau of Meteorology.
Large bushfire in #EastGippsland producing a huge plume of smoke this afternoon stretching over eastern Bass Strait. Check out the satellite picture at https://t.co/9md40P2b4kpic.twitter.com/5ceZV5nf0T
Friday evening the weather changed substantially, bringing in cool, moist air that slowed the spread of the fire. Officials say due to the size and difficult topography, it will be weeks before it can be completely contained.
