Yesterday, 71 new fires were reported nationwide, including five new large incidents. Firefighters are currently working to contain 57 uncontained large fires across the country. National Preparedness Level is at 3 (PL 3), with more than 13,100 personnel assigned to incidents nationwide.
So far this year, 54,407 fires have burned more than 8.4 million acres across the United States, 123% of the 10-year average number of fires and 149% of the 10-year average acres burned for this date.
As a wildfire is contained and the firefighters’ work is wrapping up, the work of another group of experts is often just beginning. After a wildfire, denuded landscapes are at risk for erosion of topsoil, excessive dirt deposits into rivers and streams, or even slides that could put roads or other infrastructure at risk. The process of burned area emergency response (BAER) involves land management specialists and sometimes volunteers that begin the process of restabilizing burned landscapes through seeding and planting annuals, trees and native species that help retain soil and fight invasive weeds, among other techniques.
Weather
Dry and breezy west to northwesterly winds will bring moderate significant fire potential to parts of the northern and central Rockies and adjacent High Plains, with wind gusts of 40-50mph amid minimum of RH 8-25%. Stronger gusts are expected across the high peaks. Locally dry and breezy northwesterly winds will bring moderate potential to parts of the north California coast and Sacramento Valley, with gusts of 20-30mph amid RH of 10-20%. Through the southern and central Plains into the Mississippi Valley, much above usual temperatures continue with temperatures reaching near 100 °F, bringing moderate significant fire potential to much of the southern Plains and lower Mississippi Valley. However, across the western half of Texas, locally breezy southerly winds with gusts of 25-35mph amid RH of 20-30% will bring high-risk conditions to the area. Through the north Plains into the Mid-west, cool but breezy winds are expected with widespread gusts of 40- 50mph. Across the remainder of the country, significant fire potential is little to low with mostly below usual temperatures across much of the north and west of the country. Mixed wet/dry thunderstorms are possible across the southern Plains as well as the Four Corners area. Thunderstorms with widespread rainfall is expected across the central Plains, extending into the Mid-West and Great Lakes area.
