National Fire News Report ~ 9/18/08

Thursday, September 18, 2008

National Fire News Report ~ 9/18/08

(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 Monday - Friday.

September 18, 2008

Initial attack activity was light across the nation. Large fire activity continues in Oregon where six wildland fires are burning about 23,000 acres. Firefighters contained four fires yesterday, two in California, and one each in Idaho and Nevada.

Firefighters are positioned to help support the aftermath of Hurricane Ike. Teams are stationed in Galveston, Texas; Beaumont, Texas; Florida; and Jackson, Mississippi.

Weather Discussion: Thunderstorm activity today will be generally over the eastern Great Basin and Rockies. Temperatures will gradually cool from the west today and Friday along with increasing humidity. Another low pressure will move into northern California on Friday with widely scattered showers and wet thunderstorms over northern California, Oregon and the Great Basin.

Source: National Interagency Coordination Center


Daily statistics 9/18/08
Number of new large fires	2	States currently reporting large fires:
Number of active large fires	8	California (2) Oregon (6) Utah (1) Wyoming (1)
Acres from active fires	210,019
Number of Wildland Fire Use (WFU) fires	2
Number of Wildland Fire Use (WFU) acres	412
Fires contained since 9/17/08	4
Year-to-date large fires contained	692
Year-to-date statistics
2008 (1/1/08 - 9/18/08)	Fires: 67,777	Acres: 4,700,479
2007 (1/1/07 - 9/18/07)	Fires: 70,421	Acres: 8,056,257
2006 (1/1/06 - 9/18/06)	Fires: 82,317	Acres: 8,849,418
2005 (1/1/05 - 9/18/05)	Fires: 49,391	Acres: 8,014,487
2004 (1/1/04 - 9/18/04)	Fires: 59,321	Acres: 7,703,402
2003 (1/1/03 - 9/18/03)	Fires: 48,176	Acres: 3,115,376
2002 (1/1/02 - 9/18/02)	Fires: 65,936	Acres: 6,496,642
2001 (1/1/01 - 9/18/01)	Fires: 61,484	Acres: 3,040,600
2000 (1/1/00 - 9/16/00)	Fires: 77,893	Acres: 6,762,838
5-year average
2003 - 2007	Fires: 65,845	Acres: 7,464,809
10-year average
1999 - 2008	Fires: 65,975	Acres: 6,143,748

Current Wildland Fires
California	Fires: 2	Acres: 186,675	New fires: 0	Fires contained: 2
Hidden (Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Park): 750 acres at 30 percent contained. Information: Call (559) 565-3703 or visit the web site.
Klamath Complex (Klamath National Forest): 185,925 acres at 75 percent contained. The complex is 14 miles west of Etna. Moderate fire activity was reported.
Cascadel (Sierra National Forest): This fire was contained at 280 acres.
Deerhorn (Hoopa Valley Tribe, Bureau of Indian Affairs): This fire was contained at 381 acres.
Idaho	Fires: 0	Acres: 0	New fires: 0	Fires contained: 1
Cotterel (South Central Idaho Area Office, Idaho Department of Lands ): This fire was contained at 500 acres.
Nevada	Fires: 0	Acres: 0	New fires: 0	Fires contained: 1
Green Monster (Elko District, Bureau of Land Management): This fire was contained at 886 acres.
Oregon	Fires: 6	Acres: 23,344	New fires: 2	Fires contained: 0
NEW Double Day (Medford Unit, Oregon Department of Forestry): 750 acres at five percent contained. This fire is two miles south of Butte Falls. Structures are threatened.
NEW Lake Lenore (Mt Hood National Forest): 550 acres at zero percent contained. This fire is 12 miles northwest of Detroit. Structures are threatened.
Gnarl (Mt Hood National Forest): 2,000 acres at zero percent contained. This previously reported incident is 10 miles south of Parkdale. Structures are threatened and evacuations and area closures are in effect.
Royce Butte (Deschutes National Forest): 381 acres at zero percent contained. This fire is 12 miles west of Crescent. The community of Crescent Junction is threatened. Highway 50 is closed and evacuations are in effect.
Rattle (Umpqua National Forest): 11,207 acres at 30 percent contained. This fire is 30 miles east of Glide. Extreme fire behavior was observed. Structures and power lines are threatened and voluntary evacuations are in effect. Information: Visit the web site.
Lonesome Complex (Rogue River National Forest): 9,056 acres at 15 percent contained. This complex of three fires is 20 miles northeast of Prospect. Residences are threatened. Information: Visit the web site.
Utah	Fires:	Acres: 0	New fires: 0	Fires contained: 0
WFU Fires : 1		WFU Acres: 225	New WFU fires: 0
Forsyth Ridge (Dixie National Forest): 225 acres. This Wildland Fire Use fire is 11 miles east of Veyo.
Wyoming	Fires: 2	Acres: 11,619	New fires: 0	Fires contained: 0
WFU Fires : 1		WFU Acres: 187	New WFU fires: 0
Forsyth Ridge (Dixie National Forest): 187 acres. This Wildland Fire Use fire is 31 miles north of Kemmerer.

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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.

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Thursday, September 18, 2008