Revisiting why I am writing about wildfires

I have been thinking about why I have been posting about wildfires on this blog as I continue to read books about wildland fires, read incident reports of certain wildfires (e.g. certain fires that had tragic outcomes), look at web pages from various federal and state forest fire agencies, and other prowl the internet researching wildfires and the people who fight wildfires.

The answer that I came up is, at least for now, that I am using this blog to write about some of what I have been learning about wildfires and the people who fight wildfires. In a way, I am taking you along on my journey into the world of learning about wildfires and the people who fight wildfires.

Sometimes I do no more than post links with some added sentences to make the post coherent. Other times, I have posted links where others have been writing about current wildfires such as the recent Santa-Ana wind driven wildfires in southern California. Or I have posted what I hope are accurate references to sites explaining terminology used by wildfire fighters and the agencies that employ them. I hope that I am getting "it" right. I may not be. And when I later recognize that I may have gotten something wrong, then I might edit the post in question and/or write a follow-up post.

There is much that I still have to learn, and where I am uncertain about my facts or if I recognize that I still have more to learn before I can write about a particular aspect of the world of wildfires, I do not post. There has been one occasion, as happened earlier today where I posted a reference only to delete the post later when I realized that I still had more to learn about issues that I was attempting to raise. So, I decided that the simplest thing was to delete the post.

When I first started writing about the Basin Complex Fire in CA in early July, I knew very little about wildfires. I have learned a great deal since that time, and have recently become aware that I have only scratched the surface of what there is to know.

What does containing a fire mean?

The LA Fire Department's news and information blog has a link to a good, short article about what it means when it is reported that a fire is 50% contained.

photos from So CA fires

Check out these photos from photographers at boston.com. I found the link to these photos from this thread at wildland fire.

In Memoriam: El Cariso Hotshots

I saw a reference to this post on the LA fire department news and information blog. This post tells a story behind the Sayre Fire story. That the command post for the command post is in El Cariso Park. El Cariso Park memorializes 12 members of the El Cariso Hotshots (wildfire fighters) who died in the 1996 Loop fire in LA.

Three So CA wildfires contained but . . .

Just checked the CAL Fire webpage. All three fires -- Tea Fire, Freeway Complex, and the Sayre Fire are contained. A total of 52,829 acres burned.

But the danger may not be over yet . . .

More red flag warnings for Southern California. At least through late Friday night. Found these warnings on the NOAA website for the Los Angeles, CA area:

RED FLAG WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LOS ANGELES/OXNARD CA
240 PM PST THU NOV 20 2008

...RED FLAG WARNING IN EFFECT UNTIL 10 AM PST FRIDAY FOR THE SANTA
YNEZ RANGE AND SANTA BARBARA COUNTY SOUTH COAST DUE TO GUSTY NORTH
TO NORTHEAST WINDS AND LOW HUMIDITIES...

.HIGH PRESSURE WILL BEGIN TO BUILD INTO NORTHERN AND CENTRAL
CALIFORNIA TONIGHT IN THE WAKE OF A WEAK WEATHER SYSTEM PASSING
THROUGH THE PACIFIC NORTHWEST. THIS WILL BRING ANOTHER ROUND OF
GUSTY NORTHERLY SUNDOWNER WINDS TO THE SANTA YNEZ RANGE AND
COASTAL AREAS OF SOUTHERN SANTA BARBARA COUNTY THROUGH FRIDAY MORNING.
MEANWHILE...HUMIDITY VALUES ARE EXPECTED TO LOWER INTO THE TEENS
ACROSS WIND FAVORED LOCATIONS. THE COMBINATION OF GUSTY WINDS...LOWERING
HUMIDITIES...AND CRITICALLY DRY FUELS HAS PROMPTED THIS RED FLAG WARNING.

CAZ239-211800-
/O.UPG.KLOX.FW.A.0008.081121T0200Z-081121T1800Z/
/O.EXB.KLOX.FW.W.0033.081121T0000Z-081121T1800Z/
SANTA BARBARA COUNTY SOUTH COAST-
240 PM PST THU NOV 20 2008

...RED FLAG WARNING IN EFFECT UNTIL 10 AM PST FRIDAY DUE TO GUSTY
NORTH TO NORTHEAST WINDS AND LOW HUMIDITIES...

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN LOS ANGELES/OXNARD HAS ISSUED A RED
FLAG WARNING...WHICH IS IN EFFECT UNTIL 10 AM PST FRIDAY. THE FIRE
WEATHER WATCH IS NO LONGER IN EFFECT.

AREAS OF NORTH TO NORTHEAST WINDS 20 TO 30 MPH WITH LOCAL GUSTS
TO 40 MPH WILL DEVELOP BELOW PASSES AND CANYONS. THE GUSTY WINDS
ARE EXPECTED TO AFFECT AREAS AROUND THE TEA FIRE IN MONTECITO.
AT THE SAME TIME... RELATIVE HUMIDITY VALUES WILL BE NEAR OR FALL
TO CRITICAL LEVELS WITH MINIMUM VALUES IN THE TEENS.

A RED FLAG WARNING MEANS THAT CRITICAL FIRE WEATHER CONDITIONS
ARE EITHER OCCURRING NOW...OR WILL SHORTLY. A COMBINATION OF
STRONG WINDS...LOW RELATIVE HUMIDITY...AND WARM TEMPERATURES WILL
CREATE EXPLOSIVE FIRE GROWTH POTENTIAL. PLEASE ADVISE THE
APPROPRIATE OFFICIALS OR FIRE CREWS IN THE FIELD OF THIS RED FLAG
WARNING.

$$

RED FLAG WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LOS ANGELES/OXNARD CA
240 PM PST THU NOV 20 2008

...RED FLAG WARNING IN EFFECT UNTIL 10 AM PST FRIDAY FOR THE SANTA
YNEZ RANGE AND SANTA BARBARA COUNTY SOUTH COAST DUE TO GUSTY NORTH
TO NORTHEAST WINDS AND LOW HUMIDITIES...

.HIGH PRESSURE WILL BEGIN TO BUILD INTO NORTHERN AND CENTRAL
CALIFORNIA TONIGHT IN THE WAKE OF A WEAK WEATHER SYSTEM PASSING
THROUGH THE PACIFIC NORTHWEST. THIS WILL BRING ANOTHER ROUND OF
GUSTY NORTHERLY SUNDOWNER WINDS TO THE SANTA YNEZ RANGE AND
COASTAL AREAS OF SOUTHERN SANTA BARBARA COUNTY THROUGH FRIDAY MORNING.
MEANWHILE...HUMIDITY VALUES ARE EXPECTED TO LOWER INTO THE TEENS
ACROSS WIND FAVORED LOCATIONS. THE COMBINATION OF GUSTY WINDS...LOWERING
HUMIDITIES...AND CRITICALLY DRY FUELS HAS PROMPTED THIS RED FLAG WARNING.

CAZ252-211800-
/O.EXT.KLOX.FW.W.0033.081121T0000Z-081121T1800Z/
SANTA BARBARA COUNTY MOUNTAINS / LOS PADRES NATIONAL FOREST-
240 PM PST THU NOV 20 2008

...RED FLAG WARNING NOW IN EFFECT UNTIL 10 AM PST FRIDAY DUE TO GUSTY
NORTH TO NORTHEAST WINDS AND LOW HUMIDITIES...

THE RED FLAG WARNING IS NOW IN EFFECT UNTIL 10 AM PST FRIDAY.

AREAS OF NORTH TO NORTHEAST WINDS 20 TO 30 MPH WITH LOCAL GUSTS TO
45 MPH WILL DEVELOP THROUGH PASSES AND CANYONS IN THE SANTA YNEZ
RANGE. THIS INCLUDES THE FOOTHILLS AREAS ABOVE MONTECITO. AT THE
SAME TIME... RELATIVE HUMIDITY VALUES WILL BE NEAR OR FALL TO
CRITICAL LEVELS WITH MINIMUM VALUES IN THE TEENS.

A RED FLAG WARNING MEANS THAT CRITICAL FIRE WEATHER CONDITIONS ARE
EITHER OCCURRING NOW...OR WILL SHORTLY. A COMBINATION OF STRONG
WINDS...LOW RELATIVE HUMIDITY...AND WARM TEMPERATURES WILL CREATE
EXPLOSIVE FIRE GROWTH POTENTIAL. PLEASE ADVISE THE APPROPRIATE
OFFICIALS OR FIRE CREWS IN THE FIELD OF THIS RED FLAG WARNING.

$$

GOMBERG

Tallies of So Cal fires as of Nov. 18

Cap't Mike of Firefighter blog posted these tallies today. Some of these figures are updates from the figures I found yesterday on Cal Fire, but he also included totals to day as well as some figures I did not have such as the numbers of fire fighters injured in each fire.

photos of So CA wildfires

The CBS affiliate in Los Angeles has a webpage where you can view slide shows of the fires.

images of So CA fires from space

This is a photo of the So CA fires taken from space courtesy of NASA. Check the link out for a close up with labels showing the three fires.

Southern CA wildfires, Nov. 17

Cal Fire is reporting the following (I checked these sites at 10:20 PM EST):

1. Tea / Montecito Fire is 100% contained, 1,940 acres burned, 210 residences destroyed and 9 residences damaged.

2. Sayre Fire is 64% contained, 11,207 acres burned, approximately 615 residences damaged or destroyed, civilian injuries reported

3. Freeway complex Fire is 60% contained, 28,889 acres burned, 155 residences destroyed, 104 residences damaged, and 1,000 residences still threatened.

Wildlandfire cites a report that four firefighters had minor injuries fighting the freeway fires.

CA wildfires redux

There is nothing that I can say about the current fire emergency in Southern California. Prayers for those affected by the fires and the firefighters.

For those who are interested, here are some places that you can go to read more:

1. CBS TV in Southern California has some good maps from google earth along with other news items about the fires.

2. California Dept. of Forestry and Fire Protection has an incident page with basic statistics about the fires.

3. Capt. Mike of the Firefighter Blog is blogging about the fires with some interesting accounts, and maps.

4. The wildlandfire website has some interesting threads on the fires including links to maps and, individual forum threads about the Tea / Montecito fires, Sayre fires, Freeway Complex fires. All of these threads are in their major incidents thread in their hotlist forums. As I may have mentioned in earlier posts, there are many wildland firefighters, their friends and families who use this site, forming a sort of community of wildland firefighters. I go and mostly lurk, learn, and say prayers.

Montecito CA wildfire

I was reading about the Santa Ana winds and a red flag warning on wildland fire forums the other day. So, I figured that sooner or later there would be something on the national news about wildfires in CA. As some of you may have guessed, I have been involved with other things the last couple of days so have not been following wildfires in CA as closely as I might.

At least 100 homes have been burned in these fires near Santa Barbara and the Governor has declared a State of Emergency.

Here are some places you can go to read about these fires:

1. LA Times

2. Firefighter blog

3. Wildland Fire website

Fire Safety Plan adopted in two communities in NJ Pine Barrens

In my wonderings recently on the NJ Pinelands Commission website, I found this draft version, Fire Safety Initiative: Stafford and Barnagat Townships (NJ). I skimmed it several days and was especially interested in plans to build fire breaks along residential areas in the two townships that are especially vulnerable to wildfires. I made a mental note to add spending some quality time with this plan to read up on what they are planning to do.

Just this morning, I was reading the posts in the general discussion forum on wildland fire when I came across a post in a thread on news from the NJ forest fire service community with a link to this Nov. 8th article from the Asbury Park Press reporting that Stafford and Barnagat Townships have officially adopted this plan.

One of the policy issues relating to wildfires that I am interested in relate to issues facing communities such as Stafford and Barnagat Townships in NJ who are on the wildland/urban interface. These two communities are in the NJ Pine Barrens near the Warren Grove military base. In May 2007, a fire, known as the Warren Grove fire, burned 10,000+ acres including portions of both townships. If I am not mistaken, the Warren Grove fire was started by a flare dropped from a military plan from Warren Grove on a training run. I believe that this fire safety plan was adopted, in part, in response to this fire.

Sunrise Wildfires (1995) Long Island Pine Barrens

Some of you, especially those of you in the NY and NJ areas, may recall that 1995 was especially dry, creating prime conditions for wildfires in this region. I have been reading about the wildfires that burned the Long Island Central Pine Barrens for 13 days in late August and early September of that year. Approximately 6,800 acres were burned.

The Westhampton Volunteer Fire Department has a webpage on this fire with a couple of photos. Some picture of the fire, from the Riverhead Fire Department may be found here.

For those of you who are interested in such things, a copy of the (Long Island) Central Pine Barrens Fire Management Plan, dated August 1999 may be found here.

Wildland fire fighting safety: LCES

Before leaving the subject of fire fighting safety, I would be remiss to not mention the acronym LCES that every wildland firefighter is familiar with:

lookouts
communications
escape routes
safety zones

More information on LCES may be found here.

________________________________

Note: on October 14, 2014 I checked the link above and it worked.

Wildland fire fighting safety: 10 orders and 18 watchout situations

One of the things that has jumped out at me in the reading that I have done to date on wildland fires is the emphasis on wildland firefighter safety. The safety of the wildland fire fighter is paramount. I quickly learned that there are guidelines in place to protect the safety of wildland firefighters.

The National Wildfire Coordinating Group (NWCG) is an operational group designed to coordinate programs of the participating wildfire management agencies publishes a document. They also publish a document, The Fireline Handbook, that I consider a manual of wildland firefighting. This handbook is but one of a long list of publications that one may download from the NWCG website. I downloaded a copy and do refer to it from time to time.

When I skimmed the Fireline Handbook (437 pages!), I quickly noticed the emphasis on firefighter safety. John Maclean talks about the evolution of the 10 standard fire orders in Fire and Ashes in referencing the task force referred to below. I suspect that it is no accident that the 10 orders were put in place after investigations into both the 1949 Mann Gulch and the 1953 Rattlesnake Fires. I am not sure whether the 18 watchout situations came to be as a result of the 1957 task force or if they came about at a later time. I include them here. (Revised on October 14, 2014 from http://www.fs.fed.us/fire/safety/10_18/10_18.html)

The original ten Standard Firefighting Orders were developed in 1957 by a task force commissioned by the USDA-Forest Service Chief Richard E. McArdle. The task force reviewed the records of 16 tragedy fires that occurred from 1937 to 1956. The Standard Firefighting Orders were based in part on the successful "General Orders" used by the United States Armed Forces. The Standard Firefighting Orders are organized in a deliberate and sequential way to be implemented systematically and applied to all fire situations.

Shortly after the Standard Firefighting Orders were incorporated into firefighter training, the 18 Situations That Shout Watch Out were developed. These 18 situations are more specific and cautionary than the Standard Fire Orders and described situations that expand the 10 points of the Fire Orders. If firefighters follow the Standard Firefighting Orders and are alerted to the 18 Watch Out Situations, much of the risk of firefighting can be reduced.

The 10 Standard Fire Orders
1. Keep informed on fire weather conditions and forecasts.
2. Know what your fire is doing at all times.
3. Base all actions on current and expected behavior of the fire.
4. Identify escape routes and safety zones and make them known.
5. Post lookouts when there is possible danger.
6. Be alert. Keep calm. Think clearly. Act decisively.
7. Maintain prompt communications with your forces, your supervisor, and adjoining forces.
8. Give clear instructions and insure they are understood.
9. Maintain control of your forces at all times.
10. Fight fire aggressively, having provided for safety first.


The 18 Watch Out Situations
1. Fire not scouted and sized up.
2. In country not seen in daylight.
3. Safety zones and escape routes not identified.
4. Unfamiliar with weather and local factors influencing fire behavior.
5. Uninformed on strategy, tactics, and hazards.
6. Instructions and assignments not clear.
7. No communication link with crewmembers/supervisors.
8. Constructing line without safe anchor point.
9. Building fireline downhill with fire below.
10. Attempting frontal assault on fire.
11. Unburned fuel between you and the fire.
12. Cannot see main fire, not in contact with anyone who can.
13. On a hillside where rolling material can ignite fuel below.
14. Weather is getting hotter and drier.
15. Wind increases and/or changes direction.
16. Getting frequent spot fires across line.
17. Terrain and fuels make escape to safety zones difficult.
18. Taking a nap near the fire line.

source: http://www.fs.fed.us/fire/safety/10_18/10_18.html, accessed on October 14, 2014. Updated 10 and 18 above to reflect minor changes in wording made since November 2008.

early wet snow

Yes, your eyes are working. :-) We had a very sloppy day with some wet snow in my area. I had to drive to a mall about 25 miles away to pick up my computer from the Apple Store and it was a messy drive to the mall with a heavy wet snow falling for most of the trip. By the time I left the wet snow was beginning to taper off. I saw two trucks from my local roads department sanding the roads.

I would say that we had a coating of wet snow on our lawn and by the time I got home from the mall, a very light slushy accumulation on the roads.

Go here for some pictures.

I copied this public information statement with a 7:45 PM time stamp on Oct. 28 from my local noaa webpage. If you need help locating this public information statements on this noaa webpage, click on the text products icon and then go to public information statements. The current statement will be displayed and you can easily select prior statements.

PUBLIC INFORMATION STATEMENT
SPOTTER REPORTS
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MOUNT HOLLY NJ
745 PM EDT TUE OCT 28 2008

THE FOLLOWING ARE UNOFFICIAL OBSERVATIONS TAKEN DURING THE PAST 24 HOURS
FOR THE STORM THAT HAS BEEN AFFECTING OUR REGION. APPRECIATION IS EXTENDED
TO HIGHWAY DEPARTMENTS...COOPERATIVE OBSERVERS...SKYWARN SPOTTERS
AND MEDIA FOR THESE REPORTS. THIS SUMMARY IS ALSO AVAILABLE ON OUR
HOME PAGE AT WEATHER.GOV/PHI

********************STORM TOTAL SNOWFALL********************

LOCATION STORM TOTAL TIME/DATE COMMENTS
SNOWFALL OF
(INCHES) MEASUREMENT


NEW JERSEY

...ATLANTIC COUNTY...
POMONA T 250 PM 10/28 ACY INTL AIPRORT

...BURLINGTON COUNTY...
MOUNT HOLLY 0.1 245 PM 10/28 NWS OFFICE
CROSSWICKS T 1048 AM 10/28
MOUNT LAUREL T 420 PM 10/28

...HUNTERDON COUNTY...
LEBANON 12.0 500 PM 10/28 950 FT
CHERRYVILLE 5.0 400 PM 10/28
HIGH BRIDGE 2.4 130 PM 10/28
CLINTON 1.7 300 PM 10/28
FLEMINGTON T 825 AM 10/28
FLEMINGTON T 420 PM 10/28

...MERCER COUNTY...
HOPEWELL 2.5 425 PM 10/28
EAST WINDSOR T 1030 AM 10/28
EWING T 915 AM 10/28
HAMILTON SQUARE T 1032 AM 10/28
MERCERVILLE T 1052 AM 10/28
PRINCETON T 900 AM 10/28

...MIDDLESEX COUNTY...
NEW BRUNSWICK 1.5 130 PM 10/28
EDISON 1.0 1130 AM 10/28

...MORRIS COUNTY...
MOUNT OLIVE 11.5 520 PM 10/28 AT 1000 FEET
LONG VALLEY 8.0 420 PM 10/28 AT 1200 FEET
FLANDERS 5.5 730 PM 10/28
LAKE HOPATCONG 3.0 730 PM 10/28
MOUNT OLIVE 3.0 130 PM 10/28
BUTLER T 730 PM 10/28

...OCEAN COUNTY...
TOMS RIVER T 100 PM 10/28

...SOMERSET COUNTY...
HILLSBOROUGH 1.2 130 PM 10/28
PEAPACK 1.0 1117 AM 10/28
BRIDGEWATER 0.3 130 PM 10/28
BEDMINSTER T 1045 AM 10/28

...SUSSEX COUNTY...
HIGH POINT STATE 14.0 400 PM 10/28
WANTAGE 4.5 420 PM 10/28 AT 1020 FEET
BARRY LAKES 3.0 725 PM 10/28
NEWTON 2.5 730 PM 10/28
SPARTA 2.0 725 PM 10/28 UP TO 5 HIGHER TRRN
LAFAYETTE 0.5 130 PM 10/28

...WARREN COUNTY...
HACKETTSTOWN 4.8 420 PM 10/28
HACKETTSTOWN 4.0 645 PM 10/28
ALLAMUCHY 3.0 1105 AM 10/28
BLAIRSTOWN 0.5 730 PM 10/28
STEWARTSVILLE T 420 PM 10/28

PENNSYLVANIA

...BUCKS COUNTY...
JAMISON 3.0 230 PM 10/28
CHALFONT 2.0 400 PM 10/28
FAIRLESS HILLS 1.5 736 PM 10/28
FURLONG 1.2 230 PM 10/28
DOYLESTOWN 1.0 130 PM 10/28
LANGHORNE 0.8 230 PM 10/28
BENSALEM 0.5 230 PM 10/28
LEVITTOWN T 1040 AM 10/28
SPRINGTOWN T 720 AM 10/28

...CARBON COUNTY...
ALBRIGHTSVILLE 6.0 1115 AM 10/28 ELEV. AROUND 1700 FEET
JIM THORPE T 700 AM 10/28
PALMERTON T 700 AM 10/28

...MONROE COUNTY...
TOBYHANNA 16.0 700 PM 10/28 POWER OUTAGES
POCONO SUMMIT 4.5 1100 AM 10/28

...MONTGOMERY COUNTY...
MONTGOMERYVILLE 2.0 420 PM 10/28
SOUDERTON 1.5 1140 AM 10/28
WILLOW GROVE T 700 AM 10/28

...PHILADELPHIA COUNTY...
PHILADELPHIA T 1124 AM 10/28 NE

***********************PEAK WIND GUST***********************

LOCATION PEAK WIND TIME/DATE COMMENTS
GUST OF
(MPH) MEASUREMENT


DELAWARE

...KENT COUNTY...
DOVER AFB 47 513 PM 10/28

...NEW CASTLE COUNTY...
WILMINGTON 47 510 PM 10/28
NEW CASTLE 45 457 PM 10/28

...SUSSEX COUNTY...
LEWES BEACH 47 900 AM 10/28 BREAKWATER HARBOR

MARYLAND

...CAROLINE COUNTY...
RIDGELY 44 100 PM 10/28

...KENT COUNTY...
TOLCHESTER BEACH 44 1100 AM 10/28

...TALBOT COUNTY...
EASTON 39 1053 AM 10/28

NEW JERSEY

...ATLANTIC COUNTY...
ATLANTIC CITY 50 416 PM 10/28 INTL AIRPORT
ATLANTIC CITY 44 400 PM 10/28 MARINA

...BURLINGTON COUNTY...
MOUNT HOLLY 38 339 PM 10/28

...CAPE MAY COUNTY...
CAPE MAY 66 258 PM 10/28
CAPE MAY 59 730 PM 10/28 FERRY
WILDWOOD 50 255 PM 10/28

...CUMBERLAND COUNTY...
NEWPORT 48 700 PM 10/28
MILLVILLE 47 220 PM 10/28

...MERCER COUNTY...
TRENTON 36 1229 PM 10/28

...MONMOUTH COUNTY...
KEANSBURG 47 1100 AM 10/28
BELMAR 39 235 PM 10/28

...OCEAN COUNTY...
BARNEGAT LIGHT 50 400 PM 10/28
TOMS RIVER 36 435 PM 10/28

...SUSSEX COUNTY...
HIGH POINT STATE 52 250 PM 10/28

PENNSYLVANIA

...BERKS COUNTY...
READING 54 430 PM 10/28

...BUCKS COUNTY...
DOYLESTOWN 37 531 PM 10/28

...CHESTER COUNTY...
COATESVILLE 51 240 PM 10/28

...LEHIGH COUNTY...
ALLENTOWN 43 537 PM 10/28

...MONROE COUNTY...
MT. POCONO 43 445 PM 10/28

...MONTGOMERY COUNTY...
PHILLY WINGS F 44 520 PM 10/28
POTTSTOWN 38 202 PM 10/28
WILLOW GROVE NAS 38 534 PM 10/28

...PHILADELPHIA COUNTY...
PHILADELPHIA/NE 43 531 PM 10/28 NE AIRPORT
PHILADELPHIA 40 551 PM 10/28 INTL AIRPORT

final update on Sauders Ditch Fire

Sorry for the delay in posting this update. The forum thread about this fire on wildland fire reported yesterday morning (27 October) that the fire is 100% contained after the area received .58 inches of rain over the weekend with some smoke. Mop up continues. Acreage burned is 1,950.

And see this newspaper article.

I expect that the received more rain today, not as much as I did, but perhaps they received enough rain to help the remaining firecrews who are mopping up.

Sauders Ditch Fire - 70% contained

I have been relying on reports posted to wildland fire as my primary source for my posts about this fire. According to this mornings report (8:30 AM EDT on 10/24/08), 1,950 acres have burned and the fire is 70% contained. The main problem has been heavy smoke conditions made worse by inversion. Heavy smoke lead to the closure of U.S. Route 206 at 10:30 PM last night. Schools in nearby Hammonton Township are closed today as well.

Officials expect to reopen the highway once the inversion lifts this morning. Weather reports calls for winds from the east which are expected to clear the smoke for the highway and from the nearby town of Hammonton, NJ.

Sauders Ditch Fire update

According to a Star Ledger report around mid-day, the fire is at 50 percent containment and is not expected to spread outside of the remote area where it is burning unless there is "sudden increase in winds."

Route 206 in the area of the fire may be reopened today.

Sauders Ditch Fire (Pine Barrens, NJ)

The fire that I wrote about last night, aka the Sauders Ditch Fire, continues to burn tonight according to reports on wildlandfire.com. The fire jumped U.S. Route 206 last night, and the areas of greatest concern are to the east of the highway. Winds are an issue.

The report (written about noon today) reports that air support in the form of two helicopters and a fixed wing aircraft were scheduled to be deployed around mid day for water drops.

The Star Ledger reports that the fire has charred 1,800 acres and is 40 percent contained. Residents in four houses who evacuated yesterday were allowed to return today. Rain is not expected until this weekend so the fire may not be controlled until then or later, depending on the rainfall.

If I understand what I have been reading on wildlandfire about this fire, the fire started on the west side of U.S. 206 in the Atsion area before jumping the highway to the east side. The graphic is from google earth with a (kml) file from the modis active fire mapping program of the U.S. Forest Service. I can't speak for how up to date this information is as the modis files shows no fires east of U.S. 206 yet the latest reports that I saw all speak of fires to the east of the highway. At the very least this gives you an idea of the locale of the Sauders Ditch fire.