WEATHER STILL A FACTOR IN WILDFIRES

September 4, 2001 — While most fire activity is winding down in the Pacific Northwest, gusty winds will continue to be a problem for firefighters working in the areas with the most serious fire activity in the next few days, according to NOAA's National Weather Service. (Click NOAA satellite image for larger view of fires in Montana taken Sept. 4, 2001.)

"The critical problem will be increasing winds ahead of a front in Montana and the Great Basin states on Wednesday," said Scott Birch, NOAA's National Weather Service Western Region.

Isolated dry thunderstorms will be possible ahead of the cold front Wednesday afternoon and may result in new fire starts across the northern Rockies. However, the cold front will combine with moisture from the remnants of hurricane Flossie and bring an increasing chance for wetting rains later Wednesday evening, especially across Montana, Idaho and Wyoming.

In addition, forecasters with NOAA' Storm Prediction Center have identified a critical fire weather area extending from eastern California eastward across much of Nevada into western Utah. Rain is expected to be sparse in these areas, and the wildfire threat will remain high due to the strong gusty winds and very low afternoon relative humidities. SPC forecasters also expect strong gusty winds may cause a fire weather problem across portions of Montana, Wyoming, South Dakota and Nebraska Wednesday afternoon.

An Incident Meteorologist from the National Weather Service will be sent to a new fire of concern in the Lewis and Clark National Forest, five miles southeast of Showdown Ski Area, Mont., Birch said. Currently, eight IMETS and one trainee are deployed at fires in Montana, Wyoming, Washington, California and Oregon.

Relevant Web Sites
Updated forecast information is available on the home pages of local National Weather Service offices. These pages are organized by geographic regions of the country.

NOAA's Fire Weather Information Center

For additional information on the NOAA's Fire Weather Program, please visit NOAA's National Fire Forecasts, Offices and Outlooks, Boise, Idaho.

NOAA's Western U.S. Wildfires Summary — Includes maps

Latest NOAA Satellite Images of Fires

NOAA's NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE FORECASTERS PROVIDE CRITICAL SUPPORT TO WILDFIRE MANAGEMENT

All About Wild Fires

NOAA's Fire Weather Program (Describes wild fire weather terms)

Fire Weather Forecasts from NOAA's Storm Prediction Center in Norman, Oklahoma

National Interagency Fire Center — Includes latest news and glossary of wildfire terms

Media Contact:
Keli Tarp, NOAA's Storm Prediction Center, (405) 366-0451

 

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