News and opinion about wildland fire
Author Bill GabbertPosted on Categories Uncategorized2 Comments on Satellite image of fires in Arkansas, March 5, 2020 Fires also detected in eastern OK and southeast MO
At 4:14 p.m. CST on March 5 the GOES 16 satellite detected fires and smoke in Arkansas, eastern Oklahoma, and southeast Missouri. It is difficult to tell if they are wildfires, prescribed fires, or agricultural burning, but most of them appear to in forested areas.
The March 5 prediction for Red Flag Warnings designated areas of enhanced wildfire danger north and northwest of Arkansas.
The National Weather Service has issued Red Flag Warnings due to low humidity and strong winds in areas of Montana, Colorado, Kansas, Nebraska, and Texas. Most of the warnings expire Wednesday evening except for those in western and north central Nebraska which are in effect until Thursday evening.
(Red Flag Warnings can be modified throughout the day as NWS offices around the country update and revise their weather forecasts.)
It will also be very windy in Northern California
8:24 a.m. PST November 25, 2019
Strong north winds gusting up to 50 mph in the Southern Sierras on Monday with humidity in the low teens has generated a Red Flag Warning for Owens Valley. The wind behind a cold front is expected to reach Bishop, California around 10 a.m. and then spread down to the rest of the valley by noon, continuing into the early evening before gusts decrease to less than 35 mph.
It will also be very windy in Northern California on Monday but no Red Flag Warnings have been issued for that part of the state as of 8:15 a.m. Monday.
The enhanced wildfire danger will be followed by a winter storm warning from late Tuesday afternoon through Friday morning. Significant snow accumulations are predicted for much of Inyo County, the southern Great Basin, and higher elevations of the Mojave Desert. Forecasters expect total snow accumulations of five to 10 inches in the Owens Valley and 12 to 36 inches in the mountains, with winds gusting up to 45 mph.
(Red Flag Warnings can be modified throughout the day as NWS offices around the country update and revise their weather forecasts.)
Electricity could be shut off for millions of people
Red Flag Warnings in northern and southern California include forecasts for very strong winds and single digit humidity that will make wildfires difficult or impossible to suppress until, 1) the weather changes, or 2) the fire runs out of fuel.
Conditions in the southern part of the state will be critical, especially in the greater Los Angeles area which should expect 30 to 55 mph winds gusting at 75 to 85 with humidity of 3 to 8 percent.
Below is the National Weather Service forecast for Santa Clarita, near last week’s Tick Fire north of Los Angeles: Tuesday night, winds 41 to 46 mph gusting out of the northeast at 61 to 68. The relative humidity will drop to the single digits by noon on Wednesday.
Below is information about this weather event from Jim Cantore of The Weather Channel Tuesday morning:
No good news for California over the next 48 hours. Current fires and any new fires will be almost impossible to control at the height of pending high wind/ super low RH event. Some scary scenarios come to mind with the latest SPC read. pic.twitter.com/m9GDKrJLxT
— Jim Cantore (@JimCantore) October 29, 2019
The three large utility companies could potentially shut off the power to millions of people in California beginning Tuesday. The maps below were collected from the web sites of the power companies at 8:30 a.m. PDT October 29 and show areas that could potentially be affected by power shutoffs. The information could change.
(Red Flag Warnings can be modified throughout the day as NWS offices around the country update and revise their weather forecasts.)
The fire weather in southern California for Tuesday night through Thursday, October 29-31, is predicted to be the most severe so far this year. Wind gusts of 50 to 70 mph are possible in the mountains and foothills and relative humidity could drop into the single digits.
In areas of northern California a Red Flag Warning will be in effect from 8 a.m. PDT Tuesday until 4 p.m. PDT Wednesday. The wind is expected to be out of the north or northeast at 15 to 35 mph with gusts of 35 to 60 mph, locally higher in canyons and exposed ridges.
(Red Flag Warnings can be modified throughout the day as NWS offices around the country update and revise their weather forecasts.)
Smoke will affect areas in Arizona, New Mexico, and southern California
On Sunday October 27 smoke from wildfires in northwest Mexico will affect areas in southern California, Arizona, and New Mexico.
The smoke in Mexico has been coming from the fires shown on the map below.
