National Fire News Report ~ 8/18/08

Monday, August 18, 2008

National Fire News Report ~ 8/18/08

(On a scale from 1 to 5)

Current hours for the National Fire Information Center are
(MST) 8:00 am - 4:30 pm, Monday - Friday
208-387-5050
This report will be updated daily.

August 18, 2008

Due to weather conditions, wildland fire activity continued to increase in Oregon and Washington over the weekend. A total of 10 fires have burned 11,868 acres.

Nationally, wildland fire activity remains light. Six new large fires developed: three in Oregon; two in California; and one in Washington. Two large fires were contained: one each in Texas and Montana.

Weather Discussion: Wet and dry thunderstorms, along with gusty winds, are predicted for northern California, Washington, Oregon, and western Montana. Cooler temperatures will spread into Oregon, Washington, and northern California. Southern California is expected to be dry.

Source: National Interagency Coordination Center


Daily statistics 8/18/08
Number of new large fires	6	States currently reporting large fires:
Number of active large fires	17	California (9) Idaho (3) New Mexico (1) Oregon (7) Washington (3) Wyoming (1)
Acres from active fires	413,813
Number of Wildland Fire Use (WFU) fires	7
Number of Wildland Fire Use (WFU) acres	48,491
Fires contained since 8/17/08	2
Year-to-date large fires contained	641
Year-to-date statistics
2008 (1/1/08 - 8/18/08)	Fires: 61,741	Acres: 4,297,076
2007 (1/1/07 - 8/18/07)	Fires: 61,959	Acres: 6,213,160
2006 (1/1/06 - 8/18/06)	Fires: 76,701	Acres: 6,558,774
2005 (1/1/05 - 8/18/05)	Fires: 42,838	Acres: 6,471,136
2004 (1/1/04 - 8/18/04)	Fires: 52,920	Acres: 6,134,183
2003 (1/1/03 - 8/18/03)	Fires: 41,684	Acres: 2,343,086
2002 (1/1/02 - 8/18/02)	Fires: 58,320	Acres: 5,831,595
2001 (1/1/01 - 8/18/01)	Fires: 55,017	Acres: 2,359,195
2000 (1/1/00 - 8/18/00)	Fires: 68,316	Acres: 5,226,028
5-year average
2004 - 2008	Fires: 59,232	Acres: 5,934,866
10-year average
1999 - 2008	Fires: 58,934	Acres: 4,960,516

Current Wildland Fires
California	Fires: 9	Acres: 399,045	New fires: 2	Fires contained: 0
Bear Wallow Complex (Klamath National Forest): 14,601 acres at 49 percent contained. This complex of two fires is 13 miles southeast of Happy Camp. Minimal fire activity was reported. Information: Call 707-467-1512 or visit the web site.
Canyon Complex (Plumas National Forest): 37,831 acres at 97 percent contained. This complex of three fires is 16 miles northeast of Paradise. Minimal fire activity was reported. Information: Call 530-283-7882 or visit the web site.
Iron and Alps Complexes (Shasta-Trinity National Forest): 104,411 acres at 81 percent contained. This complex of three fires is one mile north of Junction City. Residences and power lines remain threatened. Information: Call 530-623-6415 or visit the web site.
Panther (Klamath National Forest): 45,655 acres at 73 percent contained. This fire is 14 miles southwest of Happy Camp. Recreation sites are currently closed. Information: Call 530-841-4406.
Siskiyou/ Blue 2 Complex (Klamath National Forest): 77,325 acres at 72 percent contained. This complex consists of both the Siskiyou and Blue 2 complexes. The complex is 18 miles southwest of Happy Camp. Cultural sites remain threatened. Information: Call 530-627-3532 or visit the web site.
Yolla Bolly Complex (Mendocino National Forest): 89,389 acres at 95 percent contained. This complex of three fires is 47 miles southwest of Redding. Active fire behavior was reported. Information: Call 530-833-0357 or visit the web site.
Ukonom-South Complex (Six Rivers National Forest): 29,327 acres at 82 percent contained. This complex is 10 miles east of Orleans. Structures and cultural sites remain threatened. Information: Call 530-627-3532 or visit the web site.
NEW Santa Lucia Lightning Complex (Los Padres National Forest): 256 acres at 40 percent contained. This complex of three fires is located 18 miles east of Santa Maria.
NEW South (Angeles National Forest): 250 acres at 10 percent contained. This fire is burning 15 miles north of Santa Clarita. Green Valley is threatened.
Idaho	Fires: 2	Acres: 3,050	New fires: 1	Fires contained: 0
WFU Fires: 2		Acres: 3,903	New WFU: 0
Snow Hole (Craig Mountain Area Office, Idaho Department of Lands): 2,900 acres at 75 percent contained. This fire is 12 miles southeast of Cottonwood.
NEW Cayuse (Salmon-Challis National Forest): 150 acres at an unknown percent contained. This fire is 30 miles northeast of North Fork.
South Barker (Sawtooth National Forest): 2,787 acres. This fire is five miles northwest of Rocky Bar. This wildland fire use is being managed to accomplish natural resource objectives.
Willow (Caribou-Targhee National Forest): 1,116 acres. This fire is 11 miles west of Macks Inn. This wildland fire use is being managed to accomplish natural resource objectives.
Montana	Fires: 1	Acres: 2,022	New fires: 0	Fires contained: 1
Deep Draw (Flathead Agency, Bureau of Indian Affairs): 2,022 acres at 90 percent contained. This fire is eight miles west of Elmo. Structures and cultural sites are threatened. Information: Visit the web site.
Lazy Eye (Charles M. Russell National Wildlife Refuge): The fire was contained at 570 acres. Information: Visit the web site.
New Mexico	Fires: 0	Acres: 0	New fires: 0	Fires contained: 0
WFU Fires: 1		Acres: 375	New WFU: 0
Alta (Sante Fe National Forest): 375 acres. This fire is four miles northwest of Youngsville. This wildland fire use is being managed to accomplish natural resource objectives.
North Carolina	Fires: 0	Acres: 0	New fires: 0	Fires contained: 1
Pine Stand Ridge (National Forests in North Carolina): The fire was contained at 225 acres.
Oregon	Fires: 3	Acres: 7,369	New fires: 0	Fires contained: 0
WFU Fires: 1		Acres: 125	New WFU: 0
North Pole Ridge (Prineville District, Bureau of Land Management): 6,319 acres at 80 percent contained. This fire is 10 miles north of Clarno. Minimal fire activity was reported. Information: Visit the web site.
Gnarl (Mount Hood National Forest): 800 acres at five percent contained. This fire is 24 miles south of Hood River. Campgrounds and cultural sites are threatened. Active fire behavior was reported. Information: Call 541-352-6002 ext. 628 or visit the web site.
North Fork (Umpqua National Forest): 250 acres at zero percent contained. This fire is 26 miles northeast of Glide. Active fire behavior was reported. Roads are closed near the fire area. Information: Visit the web site.
Ochoco Fire Use (Ochoco National Forest): 125 acres. This fire is 10 miles southwest of Dayville. This wildland fire use is being managed to accomplish natural resource objectives.
Texas	Fires: 1	Acres: 874	New fires: 0	Fires contained: 0
Everett (Texas Forest Service): 874 acres at 80 percent contaned. This fire is 11 miles southwest of Throckmorton.
Washington	Fires: 2	Acres: 956	New fires: 0	Fires contained: 0
Jack Creek (Okanogan/Wenatchee National Forest): 625 acres at zero percent contained. This fire is located 13 miles southwest of Leavenworth. Cultural sites are threatened. Areas and trails near the fire are closed. Information: Visit the web site.
Malott (Northeast Region, Washington Department of Natural Resources): 331 acres at 50 percent contained. This fire is two miles northwest of Malott. Information: Visit the web site.
Wyoming	Fires: 0	Acres: 0	New fires: 0	Fires contained: 0
WFU Fires: 1		Acres: 41,406	New WFU: 0
Gunbarrel (Shoshone National Forest): 41,406 acres. This fire is 40 miles west of Cody. This wildland fire use is being managed to accomplish natural resource objectives. Information: Call 307-578-5199 or visit the web site.

No comments:

How fires get their names

Every year in California thousands of wildfires start throughout the state. In most cases, the dispatch center sending the initial resources to a wildland fire will designate a name for the fire, but the first on scene engine or fire official can also name the incident. Fires are usually named for the area in which they start – a geographical location, local landmark, street, lake, mountain, peak, etc. Quickly naming the fire provides responding fire resources with an additional locater, and allows fire officials to track and prioritize incidents by name. For example during the Southern California Fire Siege of 2003, the largest wildland fire in California history, the Cedar Fire in San Diego County, was named after the Cedar Creek Falls area where it started. The destructive Old Fire, which burned during the same time period in San Bernardino County, was named after the road along which it started - Old Waterman Canyon Road.

CAL FIRE is the largest fire department in California and the second largest fire department in the United States. CDF - CAL FIRE Firefighters answer the call more than 300,000 times a year. CAL FIRE Firefighters make up the fire department for 30 of our 58 counties in California and more than 100 local communities. We serve as the incident command during many of California’s most serious disasters. CAL FIRE Firefighters respond to many various types and forms of calls ranging from structural fires, to auto accidents, to earthquakes, to floods, to the spilling of hazardous materials, to every conceivable disaster; CAL FIRE answer's the calls. CAL FIRE is the largest fire department in California and the second largest fire department in the United States . CAL FIRE firefighters protect 33 million acres of State Responsibility Area (SRA). We have over 4,000 members within CAL FIRE and CAL FIRE is associated with the California Professional Firefighters (CPF) and the International Association of Firefighters (IAFF).

CFN - CALIFORNIA FIRE NEWS - CAL FIRE NEWS

Monday, August 18, 2008