California Fire weather: Drying trend is underway

Sunday, January 11, 2009

California Fire weather: Drying trend is underway

California Fire Weather: Despite the strong offshore winds across Southern California through early next week, there will be very little or no fire activity across the entire region through the forecast period due to high fuel moisture levels.
Fire weather in SoCal – Fire weather conditions remain critical today and tonight for parts of Southern California. Strong Santa Ana winds are expected to gust from 50 to 70 mph tonight into Monday morning for favored areas. Red flag fire warnings are in effect through Monday for the Ventura County Coast, the Ventura County Mountains, Los Angeles County Mountains, Los Padres National Forest and Angeles National Forest.

Current Fire Weather Summary for Northern California
Weather Synopsis: Strengthening high pressure will dominate the weather pattern for the next week to 10 days. Between now and midday Tuesday there will be occasional periods of N-NE-Easterly winds that will enhance the dry conditions from the west slopes of the Sierra to the coast. The first such period is occurring this morning with gusts in exposed areas in the 30-40 mph range, and isolated exposed areas are seeing stronger gusts. This dry pattern may eventually cause increasing fire potential in areas with a heavy buildup of dry dead and dormant fine fuels.

Fire Potential Discussion: A drying trend is underway and it will last more than a week in most areas. Fine dead and dormant fuels will dry out during this time, especially in the lower elevations from the west slopes of the Sierra to the coast as offshore/NE-ly winds occur. Some localized areas will see a slight increase in fire potential with this pattern, but this will be offset by existing green grass, and the pockets of higher fire potential will be of a much smaller scale than PSA-size.

Resources: Northern California Geographic Area Preparedness Level 1, MACS Mode 1.
NOAA Northern Raws - Link
http://gacc.nifc. - Predictive outlooks - link

Current Fire Weather Summary for Southern California

Weather Discussion: ***STRONG WINDS ALONG WITH WARM TEMPERATURES AND VERY LOW HUMIDITY OVER

SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA THROUGH TUESDAY MORNING***
A strong ridge of high pressure will build into California from the Pacific Ocean bringing a slow warming trend and very low humidity to the region through the end of next week. Temperatures will be well above normal Sunday through the end of next week. There will be strong and gusty north to east winds over the mountains and below the canyons and passes of Southern California through early next week.
Winds will be 20 to 40 mph with gusts to 60 mph over the wind prone areas.

Fire Potential Discussion: Despite the strong offshore winds across Southern California through early next week, there will be very little or no fire activity across the entire region through the forecast period.

Resources: CWCG Preparedness Level: CWCG Preparedness Level 2, MACS Mode 2
NOAA Southern California Raws - Link
http://gacc.nifc. - Predictive outlooks - .pdf

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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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Sunday, January 11, 2009