W.I.S.E. Fire Tracking

238 Fire

Location: HWY 238 South of Buckeye, Lea Co. NM
Specific Location: W of Arkansas Junction, Carlsbad District BLM, Lat 32° 47´ 30″; Lon 103° 29´ 48″

Date of Origin: 03/30/2009
Cause: downed powerlines

Situation as of 03/31/2009 8:00 pm
Personnel: unknown
Size: 8,960 acres:
Percent Contained: 100%

Costs to date: $50,000+

Fire destroyed a barn and an abandoned truck stop.

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Situation as of 03/30/2009 6:10 pm
Personnel: 146
Size: 8,960 acres:
Percent Contained: 0%

Fire jumped Hwy 529 and Hwy 62/180. Temporary threats to a hospital and nursing home before wind changed direction. One barn burned.

Grass fire, erratic fire behavior with rapid rates of spread. 50 engines on this fire.

Montana Fire

Location: 12 miles west of Pena Blanca Lake , Santa Cruz Co. AZ
Specific Location: Nogales Ranger District, Coronado NF, Lat 31°27´49″; Lon 111°9´40″

Date of Origin: 03/25/2009
Cause: human, under investigation

Situation as of 03/30/2009 6:30 pm
Personnel: 19
Size: 2,400 acres:
Percent Contained: 70%

Resources monitor and patrol east side, mop and cold trail west side.

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Situation as of 03/26/2009 6:30 pm
Personnel: ~135
Size: 1,500 acres:
Percent Contained: 0%

Fire is burning in grass and mesquite woodland.

Crews will be using a defensive-suppression strategy utilizing roads and natural features to contain the fire Because of the continuing Red Flag Warning and the difficult terrain involved, crews continue to assess the strategy.

Geronimo Fire

Location: Sunizona, 34 miles SE of Willcox, Cochise Co. AZ
Specific Location: Lat: 31° 52′ 35″ Lon: 109° 39′ 05″

Date of Origin: 03/25/2009
Cause: human, under investigation

Situation as of 03/27/2009 3:30 pm
Personnel: 74
Size: 2,460 acres:
Percent Contained: 100%

Eight outbuildings, two travel trailers and two vehicles have burned.

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Situation as of 03/25/2009 10:00 pm
Personnel: ~50
Size: 2,000 acres:
Percent Contained: unknown

The Cochise County authorities have confirmed ten structures have burned, ~70 residences threatened.

Air tankers retardant drops today on fire burning in dry grass.

Red Flag Warning for strong winds, gusts to 50 mph, in effect for Thursday.

Post-Fire Vegetation Conditions on the National Forests

The USFS RAVG interactive website [here]:

… offers an initial description of post-fire vegetative conditions using the Rapid Assessment of Vegetation Condition after Wildfire (RAVG) process. RAVG analysis looks at fires that burn more than 1,000 acres of forested National Forest System (NFS) lands, beginning with fires that occurred in 2007. These fires result in direct losses of vegetative cover and many of the benefits associated with forested ecosystems.

NFS lands experience thousands of wildfires every year, most of which are relatively small. The largest fires typically account for 90% of the total acreage burned. RAVG analysis provides a first approximation of areas that due to severity of the fire may require reforestation treatments. These reforestation treatments would re-establish forest cover and restore associated ecosystem services. This initial approximation could be followed by a site-specific diagnosis and development of a silvicultural prescription identifying reforestation needs.

Search for RAVG wildfire summaries using the Select Wildfires… “By Year…”, “By State…”, or “By National Forest/Grassland…” menus (does not allow multiple criteria selection) to produce lists of wildfires; or, you may select an individual wildfire using the “By Wildfire…” selection menu. You may also select a Forest Service Region on the map below to display a wildfire list for that region of the United States.

Juniper Springs Fire

Location: 9 Miles East of Silver Springs, Marion Co. FL
Specific Location: Ocala NF, Lat: 29° 11´ 31″ Lon: 81° 41´ 50″

Date of Origin: 03/10/2009
Cause: Human, escaped campfire

Situation as of 03/22/2009 6:00 pm
Personnel: unknown
Size: 10,022 acres:
Percent Contained: 100%

Cost to Date: $1,404,000

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Situation as of 03/16/2009 8:00 pm
Personnel: 132
Size: 10,022 acres:
Percent Contained: 85%

Estimated date of containment: 03/18/2009

75 homes threatened, none destroyed. Successful burn-out along FR 10 and around Sweetwater Cabin. Numerous spot fires were contained. Two spots across Juniper Run. Kept in check by aerial water drops. 20-40 foot flame lengths in sandpine scrub, significant short range spotting and some long range spotting.

Planned Actions: Send crews by canoe down Juniper Run to contain spots East of Juniper Creek. Burnout interior along Forest Road 65 and 10. Mop up and patrol previous burnouts.

Quarry Fire

Location: 2 miles W of Fountain, El Paso Co. CO
Specific Location: Fort Carson, Lat: 38° 39´ 23″ Lon: 104° 45´ 1″

Date of Origin: 03/03/2009
Cause: Human, military training

Situation as of 03/05/2009 3:00 pm
Personnel: 46
Size: 6,328 acres:
Percent Contained: 90%

Preliminary investigations reveal that the detonation of C-4 in a rock quarry in the training area may be the cause of the fire.

Grass, oak brush, ponderosa pine.

Picacho Fire

Location: 20 miles E of Mayhill, W of Hope, Chavez Co. NM
Specific Location: Hwy 82 W of Hwy 13, Lat: 32° 53´ 16″ Lon: 105° 10´ 22″

Date of Origin: 03/04/2009
Cause: Human

Situation as of 03/11/2009 5:40 pm
Personnel: unknown
Size: 16,141 acres:
Percent Contained: 100%

Costs to Date: $470,000

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Situation as of 03/08/2009 5:40 pm
Personnel: 99
Size: 12,500 acres:
Percent Contained: 90%

Costs to Date: $450,000

Structures Threatened: 2 homes; Structures Destroyed: NONE

Fire contained by NM T3 Team (Eddie Tudor IC) despite Red Flag winds and dried fuel. Ranchland grasses.

Hog Fire

Location: 25 Miles northeast of Douglas, Cochise Co. AZ
Specific Location: Coronado NF, Lat: 31° 30´ 8″ Lon: 109° 5´ 1″

Date of Origin: 03/01/2009
Cause: Human

Situation as of 03/09/2009 3:00 pm
Personnel: unknown
Size: 16,802 acres:
Percent Contained: 100%

Costs to Date: $265,000

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Situation as of 03/07/2009 3:00 pm
Personnel: 163
Size: 16,800 acres:
Percent Contained: 90%

Costs to Date: $245,000

Fire consisted of 9,136 acres on forest, 532 acres belonging to BLM, 5,581 acres on AZ State land and 1,018 acres of privately owned land.

Fire is burning in grass, oak and juniper in steep terrain. Areas which had burned in prior years are open savannah-like grasslands. Unburned areas are characterized by thick manzanita. Approximately 90% of the fire has burned at low to moderate intensities, with little to no tree mortality. Approximately 10% of the burned at a high intensity in the manzanita.

Fire progression:

March 2 - 1,600 acs
March 3 - 4,000
March 4 - 16,000
March 5 - 16,800
March 6 - 16,800

Tuscola Fire

Location: 15 Miles S of Abilene, Taylor Co. TX
Specific Location: Lat: 30° 14´ 3″ Lon: 99° 45´ 52″

Date of Origin: 03/05/2009
Cause: Under investigation

Situation as of 03/06/2009 11:45 am
Personnel: 12
Size: 300 acres:
Percent Contained: 75%

Structures Threatened: 70+ PRIM , 150 OUTB

Evacuations. Two homes and one outbuilding destroyed. US highway #83 and 84 were closed.

Over 70 homes and 150 outbuildings were saved. The air tanker made a direct drop on one residence saving it. Volunteer departments were on this fire all night. Started in the median of a 4-lane road and subsequently jumped that road plus another highway. Fire in heavy grass, brush, and mesquite. One firefighter was treated for smoke inhalation and released. A FEMA Management Assistance Grant was received for this fire.

Loma del Norte Fire

Location: 8 Miles S of Alpine, Brewster Co. TX
Specific Location: Lat: 30° 13´ 24″ Lon: 103° 32´ 6″

Date of Origin: 03/03/2009
Cause: Under investigation

Situation as of 03/05/2009 6:00pm
Personnel: 35
Size: 800 acres:
Percent Contained: 50%

Over 35 homes plus surrounding outbuildings have been saved with no losses or reported damage to any homes or structures. The burn out operation around various structures was successful, providing protection and securing black lines around the structures.

Very dry fuels and high winds continue to fuel interior burning. Aggressive suppression activities have subdued much of the fire that was of an immediate threat.

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Situation as of 03/04/2009 6:00pm
Personnel: 35
Size: 800 acres:
Percent Contained: 50%

At least 25 primary residences have been saved by aggressive suppression actions. Highway 118 remained open. Significant progress has been made due to the aggressive use of ground forces and aircraft.

Active fire fueled by high winds, dry fuels and uneven terrain with limited access will continue to contribute to very high fire behavior.

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Situation as of 03/03/2009 6:00pm
Personnel: 35
Size: 600 acres:
Percent Contained: 30%

This fire is burning eight miles south of Alpine in heavy juniper. Approximately 100 residences and 50 outbuildings in and near the Double Diamond Subdivision were saved. Two heavy airtankers and two single-engine airtankers dropped retardant yesterday and have been requested for additional drops this morning. A Type I interagency hot shot crew is on order to help with line construction and hot spots. The fire is 600 acres and 30 percent contained. A FEMA Management Assistance Grant (FMAG) was received for this fire.

Wilderness Ridge Fire

Location: 33 Miles SE of Austin, Bastrop Co. TX
Specific Location: Lat: 30° 5´ 30″ Lon: 97° 12´ 6″

Date of Origin: 02/28/2009
Cause: Under investigation, possibly downed powerline

Situation as of 03/03/2009 8:00pm
Personnel: 34
Size: 1,491 acres:
Percent Contained: 85%

Structures Destroyed: 29 homes , 12 businesses , 13 outbuildings

Losses include 29 homes, 12 businesses and 13 other buildings, with an additional 200 homes, 5 businesses and 30 outbuildings saved. Despite diminished winds yesterday the fire remained active in heavy fuels including timber, brush and grass. Some evacuated residents were being allowed to return to their homes yesterday. A downed power line is believed to be the cause.

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Situation as of 03/01/2009 6:00pm
Personnel: 34
Size: 1,200 acres:
Percent Contained: 70%

Structures Destroyed: 28 homes , 12 businesses , 13 outbuildings

Active fire behavior in heavy fuels

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Situation as of 02/28/2009 6:00pm
Personnel: 12
Size: 400 acres:
Percent Contained: 10%

Structures Destroyed: 12 residences , 3 commercial buildings , 13 outbuildings

Note: the Austin American-Statesman reports on 03/01 that 23 homes have been destroyed, and the fire was 650 acres [here].

At one point, more than 200 homes were threatened. One firefighter was treated for smoke inhalation, but no other injuries were reported Saturday night.

Portions of Texas 71 between Bastrop and Smithville were shut down as crews from at least four firefighting airplanes, three helicopters and a host of emergency vehicles toiled to keep the fast-moving fire, fed by gusty winds and parched conditions, at bay.

County Judge Ronnie McDonald declared Bastrop a disaster zone, opening the way for state or federal help. It’s the second time in less than two weeks that the judge has declared a disaster. McDonald recently wrote Gov. Rick Perry asking for help because of record dry conditions.

The area struck by the fire is home to Bastrop’s piney woods and some of its agriculture. It is also dotted with subdivisions. Sandra Taylor, a spokeswoman for the Texas Forest Service, which was assisting Bastrop County with the fire, said officials did not know the names of the destroyed businesses.

As night fell, officials said the fire was 40 percent contained and said they were hoping to make a stand along the Colorado River.

Observed Fire Behavior: Running fire with flame lengths to 40′ and ROS of 1-2 mph. Long distance spotting.

Note 2: as of 6:00pm Mar 1 news wires are reporting 25 homes destroyed, 1,000 acres, 70% contained.