It was boss
2 Likes
It’s getting with it. Looking from Miami Peak you can see quite a bit of fire activity as well as spots…
7 Likes
I could see it from outside of coalinga.
6 Likes
Deadwood had a good view.
https://www.alertwildfire.org/region/sierra/?camera=Axis-Deadwood2
2 Likes
…thought you lived in Twain Hart…beautiful small community…favorite Vet there…thanks for all your updates
3 Likes
Caught a fire whirl on the deadwood camera. I bet that was interesting.
https://youtu.be/zTJEl9iqmz4
4 Likes
6 Likes
Great educational Post! Well worth the length and well written. I think the phrase "Honor the potential" can not be stressed enough. I wasn’t around for the Harlow, but it was a top topic in FB Classes through the 80ies.
13 Likes
Additional mid level moisture moving in from the south east today will increase the chances of pyrocu development. Important to watch the column today and not focus on the fire front with the spotting that’s going on.
9 Likes
Can we say, today it is important to watch the column, the fire front, and the spotting? Keep your head on a swivel please!
21 Likes
Excellent commentary and very much appreciated from me.
6 Likes
Extended Frequencies
Air Tactics FM 169.200
A/G 159.345 (tac 18, tone 192.8)
Rotor Vic 119.075 (and TFR)
Addl ground tacs ordered CDF Tacs 26, 27, 28, VFires 24, 25, 26
@apx8000 @trishaswcfirewx
3 Likes
IMT-Geek, the pattern you are describing extends further than the Madera/Mariposa area. If you look at the 2015 Butte Fire in Amador and Calaveras Counties you will see the same footprint. Several Fresno County Fires have burned in a similar pattern. I personally refer to this as the “right turn”, because local factors, such as river drainages and diurnal winds, would lead one to believe the fire should be spreading up canyon more to the north and east; instead the fire heads southeast, thus the right turn.
Several fires, such as the Rim and and Creek encountered a reduced fuel loading, usually due to another recent fire (the 1987 Complex and the Aspen Fires for those cited) and burned more to the east. This seems to be the case for the Washburn Fire which was up against the Mariposa Grove fuel treatment areas.
I don’t know what causes this phenomenon, I suspect it has to do with the upper level winds. I first made note of it with the Stumpfield Fire in the late 1990’s - it wanted to run toward Miami Mtn. instead of northeast where I would think the up canyon winds would have moved it. In those days though, we were pretty successful in catching fires in the first or second burn period and you needed to dig deep into fire history to see the pattern. With the megafires we been having in the last decade, examples are becoming much too frequent.
13 Likes
I would agree. This fire is ripe for rapid column development today that will drive burning conditions. The fuel bed and ERC will support significant heat release and when combined with the mid level moisture there will most likely be another plume dominated day. Once the diurnal flow sets up, the column will bend over and be the driver of the fire. This should support long range spotting. The fuel bed will be receptive to any spots so any control lines will be challenging to hold. This will most likely lead to extreme fire behavior today…
9 Likes
Ty! We are working on the Central Sierra Fire Tactical Feed again to make it work for this fire.
6 Likes
Folks are forgetting about the Timberlodge fire in August 2nd, 1962 that had 4 FF deaths. this specific ground has a fire history.
8 Likes
Completely agree! Yesterday I noted that the address given to evacuate some folks was just about a half mile from the burnover you speak of. Your point is well taken and should be considered. I tend to focus on the Harlow fire not just because of its rate of spread, but it is one of the very few large fires experienced in the “Oakhurst proper” area… and because my house is sitting inside what was the perimeter of that the fire. I’ll look at its perimeter too.
6 Likes