Record Drought Possibly Record Wildfires

While the wildfires in Oklahoma, Chile and elsewhere are for now being contained other parts of the US are gearing up for what might be a significant wildfire season unlike any recently. While here in Virginia yesterdays rains were welcomed as we have had over 100 fires for a couple of hundred acres this last week. This time of year it  doesn't take long to go from snow and rain to dry "enough" conditions for wildfires.

No Spring Drought Relief for California, Nevada, Oregon

 The spring weather outlook for the west issued Thursday by federal forecasters has a familiar ring to it: continuing drought conditions leading to greater wildfire risk.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration forecast predict drought will persist or worsen in California, Nevada, Arizona, Oregon, and western Colorado through June.

"Periods of record warmth in the west and not enough precipitation during the rainy season cut short drought relief in California this winter, and prospects for above-average temperatures for this spring may make the situation worse," said Jon Gottschalck, with NOAA's Climate Prediction Center.

El Niño finally arrived in February, but forecasters say it’s too weak and too late in the rainy season to provide much relief for California which will soon reach its fourth year in drought.

Drought is expected to persist in California, Nevada, and Oregon through June with the onset of the dry season in April. Drought is also forecast to develop in remaining areas of Oregon and western Washington. Drought is also likely to continue in parts of the southern Plains.

Drought will continue, increase in wildfire risk

 These two images are of the same boat ramp at Lake Tahoe. Above what it looks like today and the one below shows the lake this same time back in 2012.

Risk of wildfires grows across Wisconsin

Forecasters say drought improvement or removal is favored for some areas in the Southwest, southern Rockies, southern Plains, and Gulf Coast while drought development is more likely in parts of the northern Plains, upper Mississippi Valley and western Great Lakes where recent dryness and an outlook of favored below average precipitation exist.

If you live in any of these areas targeted for an increase in wildfire activity or if you live anywhere where there is a threat of wildfire there ARE things you can do NOW in preparation. Giving YOU, YOUR HOME and YOUR DREAM the best chances possible of surviving the devastation of a wildfire.

 I recently came across what I feel is one of the best if not the best website for information. Although it is from a small county in California the information is invaluable and could save property and lives, possibly yours! GO THERE AND SPEND TIME LOOKING AND LEARNING.                          Then TAKE ACTION.

http://firewisemaderacounty.org/

Thanks Madera County!

Wildfires in Chile

We might be enjoying an easy (for now) Spring Wildfire Season everyone is not so fortunate.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DZ4o6rK2X4o

SANTIAGO, Chile (AP) — A big coastal wildfire was briefly contained then flared to life again in hot, windy weather, although it posed no threat to homes in the nearby Pacific ports of Valparaiso and Vina del Mar, officials said late Saturday.

Chile's National Emergency Office said the revival was mainly in unpopulated forest along two roads connecting the two cities, and sections of both routes had to be closed.

Earlier Saturday, many of the more than 7,000 people who had been evacuated after flames neared their neighborhoods the previous night were allowed to return to their homes as the blaze waned in those areas.

About 200 firefighters on the ground and water-dumping helicopters and planes were battling the wildfire, which started Friday afternoon at an illegal dump and was quickly spread by strong winds. Officials declared a state of emergency.

The fire was blamed for the death of a woman in her 60s who suffered a heart attack. Thirty-two people had been injured, including 19 firefighters, the emergency office said. Five of the firefighters were badly injured, but their lives were not in danger.

Electricity service for about 12,000 people was turned off as a precaution, officials said.

The fire comes nearly one year after a wildfire tore through Valparaiso neighborhoods, leaping from one hilltop to another. The blaze killed 15 people, injured more than 500 and destroyed nearly 3,000 homes.

No houses were reported damaged from the latest fire, which Chile's Emergency Office estimated had affected about 740 acres (300 hectares) by early Saturday.

The government asked people to avoid traveling to either of the coastal cities, both of which are popular weekend destinations, especially during the Southern Hemisphere's summer months.

Can you help little Smokey find his way to the 4 leaf-clover? Each one has a path to the shamrock!  All 3 images are dated 1950. Do you know the little girls name? 

Judy Bell... That's correct. She enjoyed helping nurse Smokey (the cub) back to health after he was rescued.

Can you believe this is her all grown up. 

Smokey looks pretty good also as a grown bear.1961 --- 11-12 years old.

As the snows melt wildfires occur and....

Saint Patrick's Day is right around the corner and it is said that at least for a day everybody is Irish!  Hopefully the Smokey Bear keepers don't get so upset that smokey has a new hat for the day!

PLEASE remember at least here in Virginia we are still in what is considered our Spring Wildfire Season and as the snow melts the wildfires are beginning to show up. There were several around yesterday even with snow still being found on the Northern slopes and in shaded areas. DON'T depend on being LUCKY obey the fire laws and do your part to NOT let a wildfire start. ONLY YOU CAN.

 

 And by the way .......  

Smokey is well rested and ready to hit one out of the park for wildfire prevention!!!

Enought Snow and Ice talk Lets Talk Wildfires!

But Wait! One last word for now. I know many of you really enjoy the white covered countryside we have seen since February14 and while the snow brings about a certain calmness and beauty it also bring with it challenges and dangers. I hope all of you have and are doing well and staying safe...

 

For those who must be on the roads:

•     Delay trips at least until the afternoon, if possible.

•     Use extreme caution, increase following distance and do not brake quickly. Many vehicles have been observed traveling at dangerous speeds for road conditions.

•     Roads that appear clear are likely to have many locations covered with black ice.

•     Clean all snow from mirrors and your vehicle.

•     Watch carefully for pedestrians walking alongside roadways.

Now for the fires!

Wildfires eat up Forest Service budget, hampering prevention

The cost of fighting wildfires in California and in the western United States has skyrocketed, hampering efforts by the U.S. Forest Service to implement fire prevention and forest management programs, the country’s top natural resources official said Wednesday.
Fire suppression and other firefighting expenses have increased from 16 percent of the Forest Service budget in 1995 to 42 percent in 2014, according to Robert Bonnie, the undersecretary of natural resources and environment for the U.S. Department of Agriculture, which oversees the Forest Service.
“The general consensus is that this is a problem and we need to fix it,” Bonnie said Wednesday during a Chronicle editorial board meeting. He said money has been borrowed that was targeted for non-fire-related activities, like landscaping and fire prevention, to pay for fighting fires.
California, which is suffering from a fourth year of drought, is one of the major culprits. At one point last September, 12 major wildfires were burning in the state. Eleven of them were in Northern California. Nearly 6,000 firefighters were employed to beat back the flames.

Catastrophic wildfires expected in Southern Oregon this summer

Record low snowpack amid a second straight drought year has wildland managers bracing for what they consider an upcoming wildfire season in which catastrophic fire in the Cascades or Siskiyous "seems inevitable."

State and federal wildfire experts said Thursday in Medford that they expect mid- and high-elevation forestlands to be prime for generating a 2015 fire season that will start earlier, last longer and likely burn hotter than normal in this area known for summer fires.

With minimal or no snow around places such as Howard Prairie and Mount Ashland, the sun's rays that normally would melt snow and wet the forest instead will be cooking it tinder dry this spring, making slopes more able to carry flames and more susceptible to fire starts caused by lightning downstrikes.

 THE Biggest story with regards to wildfires comes out of South Africa.

Despite Encroaching Wildfires, Cape Town Should Be Safe

Wildfires have been ripping through peripheral parts of Cape Town, South Africa, since Sunday. As of Tuesday, more than 7,000 acres of land had been destroyed, according to NBC. Allafrica.com reported that at least five homes have burned, but the fires have yet to claim any lives. City officials are increasingly concerned, however, dispatching hundreds of additional firefighters to combat the flames, according to the Independent.

Bushfires raging through one of South Africa's most popular international tourist destinations have destroyed vineyards and scorched thousands of hectares of spectacular scenery.

Firefighting teams and water-bombing aircraft were in action as the flames swept down Cape Town's southern peninsula, a mountainous spine of land running from the city to Cape Point, Africa's most southwestern tip.

At least two vineyards in the Constantia Valley, below the eastern slopes of Table Mountain, and one further south at Noordhoek, lost vineyards. Steenberg winery general manager John Loubser told Bloomberg that winemakers were concerned that smoke could taint unharvested grapes.

It's NOT cold Everywhere ... BUT there are Wildfires.

I thought I would give you and me a break from the talk about snow, ice and cold temps. And in keeping with one of my  goals to inform about wildfire activity I thought talking about Hawaii right now might be a nice break.


Here is an iconic view from the Islands ... Can you name it?

That's right it's Diamond Head.  Diamond Head is the name of a volcanic tuff cone on the Hawaiian island of O’ahu  and known to Hawaiians as Lēʻahi, most likely from lae 'browridge, promontory' plus ʻahi 'tuna' because the shape of the ridgeline resembles the shape of a tuna's dorsal fin. Its English name was given by British sailors in the 19th century, who mistook calcite crystals on the adjacent beach for diamonds.  

But were suppose to be talking about wildfires. Did you ever connect Hawaii with a wildfire problem??

Hawaii Has a Wildfire Problem Each year, about 0.5% of Hawaii's total land area burns each year, equal to or greater than the proportion burned of any other US state. Over 98% of wildfires are human caused. Human ignitions coupled with an increasing amount of nonnative, fire-prone grasses and shrubs and a warming, drying climate have greatly increased the wildfire problem. 

Wildfires are a mauka to makai issue, affecting everything from human safety, infrastructure, drinking water, agricultural production, cultural resources, native forests, watersheds, and coral reefs.

Honolulu firefighters battled a brush fire near the University of Hawaii at Manoa Wednesday.

The fire was reported at around 1:30 p.m. by a hiker in the area.

Crews responded to an area off Dole Street, near Kamakakuokalani Center for Hawaiian Studies.

Firefighters hiked up hill, dragging hoses from a hydrant and tanker parked on Dole Street.

According to the university’s Department of Public Safety, the fire was west of Waahila Apartments faculty housing. Residents were not evacuated.

“The fire is high on the ridge and does not present a fire danger to the community at the present time, however, smoke is causing limited visibility,” the department said.

Fire officials say the fire was small, its size estimated at one to two acres, but “it was difficult because the terrain was very tough,” said battalion fire chief Ken Lee.

“We had the helicopter do water drops and we had 18 firefighters up in the mountain,” he added.

One last bit of information.. Can you guess the only other non-human cause of wildfires besides lightning?

Two for two, your right Volcano activity. And we cant talk about Hawaii with out mentioning the current lava flow on the island.

There continues to be no change with any of the down slope flow areas. Civil defense says there were numerous surface breakouts and very little breakout activity along the margins. The breakout along the north margin was not active and no advancement was noted since Monday morning. Smoke and vog conditions were light with a light southwest wind blowing the smoke and vog in a northeast direction.

 VOG is right its not FOG. Vog is a form of air pollution that results when sulfur dioxide and other gases and particles emitted by an erupting volcano react with oxygen and moisture in the presence of sunlight.

I hope you learned something and enjoyed the diversion from our weather.

HOWEVER do NOT for a moment thing that because of the recent snows that we here in VA are completely out of harms was when talking about wildfires this Spring. Once the snow melts and the temps begin to normalize it will only take a few day and we will have the potential.

Thanks

Smokey  

Hey if you want to watch a good movie kind of connected to this post check out the cult classic...