The
names roll off the tongue the 2000s have been rough years for fire in
Colorado: Hayman Fire, Four Mile Fire, High Park Fire, Missionary Ridge Fire, Waldo Canyon Fire. These are but a few of the fires we have seen
in the past 10 to 15 years. Drought and pine beetle damage increase of
habitation in the urban interface years of tight fire management have
all contributed to the increase of high impact fires.
To
assist in your preparation for fire potential the National Weather
Service provides a variety of fire weather forecast products. Twice a
day in Colorado Fire weather planning forecasts are made from each
weather service office serving the state. A fire weather watch may be
issued if in the next 12 to 48 hours the forecast includes gusty winds
of 25 mph or greater relative humidity of less than 15% for at
least three hours, dry thunderstorms, or a combination of weather and
fuel conditions that may make large wildfires possible. A red flag
warning will be issued if these same critical fire conditions are
forecast within the next 24 hours. Both fire weather watches and red
flag warnings are issued in coordination with land management agencies.
The
fire weather spot program supports land management agencies for both
prescribed burns and for wildfires. A fire weather spot forecast is a
detailed forecast for an individual fire.
For
national Type II or Type I fires the national weather service will
detail an IMET (Incident Meteorologist) to a fire team to provide onsite
weather support and detailed fire forecasts.
If
you live in the urban interface there are a number of actions you can
take to reduce your personal fire threat including reducing vegetation
near the home and putting a fire resistant roof on your home. More
information is available from your local fire department.
When
a fire occurs, there may be years of increased flood threat on the burn
scar, as a healthy forest can handle an inch to inch and a half of rain
with no flood risk. Once the litter and vegetation is removed by
fire…as little as a half inch of rain in a short period can cause
serious and possibly life threatening flooding.
Colorado Wildfire and Flood Safety Awareness Week continues through this Saturday.
This article was provided by the Colorado National Weather Service.
