Colorado Blaze Devours 42,000 Acres in 60 Hrs

High Park Fire in Larimer County, CO, consumes 42,000 acres in 2½ Days

The High Park Fire in Larimer County about 15 miles west of Fort Collins was sparked by lightning on Saturday June 11 and has already consumed an estimated 42,000 acres (~ 65 sq miles, 170 km²), destroying at least 120 structures. 

Flame lengths of 300 feet have been reported, with the fire moving at up to 40 feet per minute at times, Inciweb reported. The blaze is currently zero percent contained and the activity is expected to increase due to the “very, very dry fuels,” wind and fire weather conditions.

“The hope for containment today is tenuous — totally dependent on the weather,” said the incident commander. “We may be at zero percent tonight.”

Thousands of people have abandoned their homes amid demands by Colorado’s congressional delegation that the U.S. Forest Service commits more resources to the fire.

The blaze has claimed at least one life, as of posting.

Panorama of High Park fire from the 3rd floor of Rigden Farm Senior Living Complex, Southeast Fort Collins, 6:15 p.m. June 10, 2012.  Photo courtesy of Jane Thomson

Inciweb said,

Pre-evacuation planning is underway with Glacier View Fire but no pre-evacuation orders have been sent.

Fire movement toward the northwest portion of Horsetooth Reservoir has subsided, however fire activity has the potential to increase in the afternoon.

The evacuation center is located at the McKee Building at The Ranch.

Evacuation orders remain in place for the following areas:

-South of County Road 38E from Gindler Ranch Road west to Milner Ranch Road (325 notifications).

-County Road 38E is now closed from Masonville to Harmony Road at the junction of Taft Hill Road.

-Crystal Mountain area including Crystal Mountain Road and the Upper Buckhorn (24 notifications).

-Bonner Peak Subdivision (183 notifications)

-Buckhorn Rd from CR27 to Pennock Pass and residents to the south approximately 3/4-1 mile. (69 notifications).

-North of CR38E, from Horsetooth Reservoir to Redstone Canyon to Lory State Park. (326 notifications)

-Stove Prairie Road north along County Road 27 to Highway 14, east along Highway 14 to approximately mile marker 111, southeast to Rist Canyon Fire Station 1, then back west to to include Wilderness Ridge Way, Rist Creek Road, Spring Valley Road and County Road 41 and all of the roads that run off of it. All of Rist Canyon (west of 27E) and all roads off of it, including Whale Rock Road and Davis Ranch Road. South 3 additional miles on County Road 44H to just north of Stringtown Gulch Road.

-Poudre Park (along Highway 14) area from mile marker 111 to mile marker 118.

-Highway 14 from Ted’s Place to Stove Prairie is closed, as well as Stove Prairie Road and Rist Canyon.

-Sunday include all residents from County Road 27E to Bellvue and for the area south and west of Bellvue, including Lory State Park and Red Stone Canyon, and Buckhorn Road from Masonville up to Stove Prairie School. Evacuation ordered for CR 29C and McMurry Ranch Road (33 notifications).

Approximately 2,600 notifications (contacts, not residents) have been sent for evacuations on this fire.

An undetermined number of structures have been damaged or destroyed in Rist Canyon, Paradise Park, Stove Prairie, Poudre Park, Old Flowers, Stratton Park, Kings Canyon and Cloudy Pass. There could be structure damage in other locations, including Soldier Canyon and Mill Canyon. No details about the structures are available. Firefighters will continue to evaluate the area as it is safe to do so.

Evacuations have happened quickly.

Other Global Disasters, Significant Events

• The U.S. Gulf Coast.Parts of Alabama and Florida received up to 2 feet of rain between midnight Saturday and 8:00am Monday, which caused severe flooding and extensive damage.
  • Numerous communities from Louisiana to the Florida Panhandle have already been inundated, with the worst of flooding yet to follow as runoff continues and rivers begin rising.
  • Additional rainfall is expected in the area again today.

• China.

Mustard Gas-like smog  envelops Wuhan, capital of central China’s Hubei Province, June 11, 2012. (Xinhua/Xiao Yijiu)

A flooded village in Huitong County, central China’s Hunan Province. Torrential rains pummeled southern China. As of noon Monday, 112,000 people had been affected and 26,000 people evacuated in Huitong county, which borders Guizhou province. The county is believed to have suffered direct economic losses of 230 million yuan. (Xinhua/Zhao Haibo. 

Related Links

• Disaster Declared as Little Bear Fire Grows
• Thousands Evacuated as U.S. Wildfires Grow

Global Disasters: Links, Forecasts and Background

• The First Wave of World’s Collapsing Cities
• Back to the Primordial Future
• The Fate of Energy Dinosaurs
• Mass Die-offs

• 2010 Disasters [Links to 2010 Disaster Calendar]
• Mega Disasters
• 2011 Disaster Calendar
• 2012 Disaster Calendar

Thousands Evacuated as U.S. Wildfires Grow

Wildfires in New Mexico, Colorado, Wyoming and California force thousands to evacuate, consume hundreds of structures

New Mexico. The Little Bear Fire located in Smokey Bear Ranger District, Lincoln National Forest, and the White Mountain Wilderness, has now grown to more than 26,000 acres (~ 41 sq miles; 105km²), destroying or damaging dozens of structures.

Evacuations: All campgrounds west of Bonito Lake; subdivisions of Villa Madonna, Enchanted Forest, Nogal Canyon (Forest Road 400, campground and summer homes), Angus, Sierra Vista, Sontara (1,2 and 3), Rancho Ruidoso, Copper Canyon, and Loma Grande; Eagle Lakes Campground, Eagle Creek summer homes, Ski Run Road (State Highway 532) at mile marker 3, State Highway 48 to Capitan, and State Highway 37 to Highway 380 and Ski Apache.

Shelters: First Baptist Church on Country Club Road, Church of Christ on Sudderth Road in Ruidoso, and Trinity Baptist Church in Capitan. Pets and livestock may be taken to J&J Country Church in Ruidoso, or the fairgrounds in Capitan.

The blaze is 0% contained, and is aided by air temps of 82ºF, relative humidity of less than 6 percent, and westerly winds of 20mph.

Colorado. The High Park Fire, located approximately 15 miles west of Fort Collins, was sparked Saturday June 9th  and has consumed  more than 20,000 acres (~ 31 sq miles; 81km²); the blaze continues to grow rapidly.

• The blaze has a HIGH growth potential among areas of rough terrain and beetle killed trees.
• The fire has damaged or destroyed at least 2 dozens structure, threatening many more.
• New evacuation order for the area south of County Road 38E from Gindler Ranch Road west to Milner Ranch Road (325 notifications). This area is located south and west of the Horsetooth Reservoir inlet. The High Park Fire is moving rapidly in this direction, Inciweb reported.
• Other evacuation orders include:
  • Crystal Mountain area including Crystal Mountain Road and the Upper Buckhorn. The burning pattern of High Park Fire could potentially cut off exit routes for residents in this area and they should leave now (24 notifications).
    
  • Any residents who have not already left the Crystal Mountain Area must now evacuate to the west on Buckhorn Road. County Road 27 is no longer passable so evacuation to the east is impossible.
  • Evacuation orders have also been issued for the Bonner Peak Subdivision (183 notifications), Buckhorn Rd from CR27 to Pennock Pass and residents to the south approximately 3/4-1 mile. (69 notifications). Evacuation order issued for the area North of CR38E, from Horsetooth Reservoir to Redstone Canyon to Lory State Park. (326 notifications)
  • Evacuations have been ordered for Stove Prairie Road north along County Road 27 to Highway 14, east along Highway 14 to approximately mile marker 111, southeast to Rist Canyon Fire Station 1, then back west to to include Wilderness Ridge Way, Rist Creek Road, Spring Valley Road and County Road 41 and all of the roads that run off of it.
  • All of Rist Canyon (west of 27E) and all roads off of it, including Whale Rock Road and Davis Ranch Road. South 3 additional miles on County Road 44H to just north of Stringtown Gulch Road.
  • At 11:10 P.M. an evacuation alert has been sent to the Poudre Park (along Highway 14) area from mile marker 111 to mile marker 118.
  • Additionally Highway 14 from Ted’s Place to Stove Prairie is closed, as well as Stove Prairie Road and Rist Canyon. Additional evacuations as of approximately 5 a.m. Sunday include all residents from County Road 27E to Bellvue and for the area south and west of Bellvue, including Lory State Park and Red Stone Canyon, and Buckhorn Road from Masonville up to Stove Prairie School.
  • Evacuation ordered for CR 29C and McMurry Ranch Road (33 notifications). Approximately 2,200 notifications (contacts, not residents) have been sent for evacuations on this fire.

Gila National Forest wildfire

New Mexico’s Gov. Martinez has already declared state of emergency in Catron County, where the largest wildfire in state’s history,  Gila National Forest wildfire (Whitewater Baldy Complex fire), has consumed about 280,000 acres, with 37% contained.

The fire is currently aided by air temps of 86ºF, relative humidity of less than 7 percent.

See also: Disaster Declared as Little Bear Fire Grows

Wyoming. A wildfire in Wyoming’s Guernsey State Park has consumed ABOUT 4,000 acres and forced the evacuation of up to 1,000 campers and visitors, AP reported.

Other Major Fires include

• Arizona. Gladiator – 16,240 acres – Prescott National Forest – 45% contained.

• California.  George Bush Fire – 1,707 acres – George Bush Tree/Golden Trout Wilderness – Sequoia National Forest – 85% contained.

• Colorado. Little Sand – 8,238 acres – San Juan National Forest – 13 miles NW of Pagosa Springs – 30% contained.

• Utah. Box Creek Fire – 5 miles west of Greenwich – 2,018 acres – 75% contained.

• Utah. Lost Lake Fires – 2,076 acres – Fishlake National Forest – 55% contained.

• Wyoming.  Cow Camp Fire – 8,493 acres – Medicine Bow – Routt National Forest – 20 Miles NE of Wheatland –  70% contained.

Other Global Disasters, Significant Events

• China.  Extreme rain events in southern China have left large parts of Jiangxi, Hunan and Guizhou provinces submerged affecting millions of people.
  • Thousands of homes have been damaged or destroyed.
  • Tens of thousands of people have been evacuated.
  • Tens of thousands of hectares of crop have been destroyed.
  • Flooding in Hunan province triggered massive landslides blocking major railroads, including Hukun Railway, which connects Shanghai and Kunming, capital of southwest China’s Yunnan Province, a report said.
  • The authorities reported about a dozen dead or missing.

• Hindu Kush, Afghanistan.Two earthquakes measuring 5.4 and 5.7Mw struck Hindu Kush region of Afghanistan, about 175km north of Kabul.
  •  The quakes destroyed dozens of homes in Dara Azara, a remote village in the Baghlan province, burying about 100 people in the rubble, reports said.

Up-to-date weekly average CO₂ at Mauna Loa (ESRL/Global Monitoring Division)

• Week of June 3, 2012:     395.38 ppm
• Weekly value from 1 year ago:     393.69 ppm
• Weekly value from 10 years ago:     375.82 ppm

The graph, updated weekly, shows as individual points daily mean CO₂ up to and including the week (Sunday through Saturday) previous to today. The daily means are based on hours during which CO₂ was likely representative of “background” conditions, defined as times when the measurement is representative of air at mid-altitudes over the Pacific Ocean. That air has had several days time or more to mix, smoothing out most of the CO₂ variability encountered elsewhere, making the measurements representative of CO₂ over hundreds of km or more. The selection process is designed to filter out any influence of nearby emissions, or removals, of CO₂ such as caused by the vegetation on the island of Hawaii, and likewise emissions from the volcanic crater of Mauna Loa. The weekly mean (red bar) is simply the average of all days in the week for which a background value could be defined. The average standard deviation of day to day variability, calculated as the difference from the appropriate weekly mean, equals 0.38 ppm for the entire record. As a visual aid, the blue lines present monthly means of background data as they are presented under Recent Monthly CO₂ at Mauna Loa. PDF Version. ESRL/Mauna Loa Global Monitoring Division.

Global Disasters: Links, Forecasts and Background

• The First Wave of World’s Collapsing Cities
• Back to the Primordial Future
• The Fate of Energy Dinosaurs
• Mass Die-offs

• 2010 Disasters [Links to 2010 Disaster Calendar]
• Mega Disasters
• 2011 Disaster Calendar
• 2012 Disaster Calendar

Disaster Declared as Little Bear Fire Grows

Western wildfires consume dozens of structures, force hundreds to evacuate

A lightning-sparked blaze, the Little Bear Fire, located in White Mountain Wilderness above Bonito Lake in Lincoln County, has so far consumed dozens of structures as it ballooned to more than 10,000 acres almost overnight.

The fire, which started on June 4, is yet to be mapped by GPS for a more accurate estimate of size, the authorities said, as Lincoln County commissioners declared the fast-growing blaze a disaster.

As many as several hundred people have been evacuated from various areas including summer homes and campgrounds close to the fire, and shelters have been set up in Ruidoso and Capitan.

Meantime, the National Weather Service (NWS) has issued red flag warning for parts of 10 states.

U.S. Weather Hazards Map.  Portal

Gila National Forest wildfire

New Mexico’s Gov. Martinez has already declared state of emergency in Catron County, where the largest wildfire in state’s history,  Gila National Forest wildfire (Whitewater Baldy Complex fire), has consumed about 280,000 acres, with less than a third contained.

NM fires are currently aided by air temps of 82ºF and humidity of less than 4 percent.

 Latest available map for Gila National Forest wildfire (Whitewater-Baldy Complex fire). Source: US Forest Service Gila National Forest

[Manmade Volcano] Gila forest, south side of Big Dry.  Photo taken by JoDee Goatz. Credit USFS Gila National Forest

Colorado. The High Park Fire, a fast-moving wildfire which has exploded to more than 8,000 acres since Saturday, is located 15 miles west of Fort Collins. “The fire has crossed County Road 27 south of the Stove Prairie School. High winds are fueling this fire and causing evacuations.” Inciweb reported.

“Evacuations have been ordered for Stove Prairie Road north along County Road 27 to Highway 14, east along Highway 14 to approximately mile marker 111, southeast to Rist Canyon Fire Station 1, then back west to to include Wilderness Ridge Way, Rist Creek Road, Spring Valley Road and County Road 41 and all of the roads that run off of it. Additionally, all of Rist Canyon (west of 27E) and all roads off of it, including Whale Rock Road and Davis Ranch Road. South 3 additional miles on County Road 44H to just north of Stringtown Gulch Road. (Over 800 notifications (contacts, not residents) sent.) A pre-evacuation alert was issued for the Buckhorn Road between mile markers 25 and 27. (5 notifications) At 11:10 P.M. an evacuation alert has been sent to the Poudre Park (along Highway 14) area from mile marker 111 to mile marker 118 (Kings Canyon/Boyd Gulch area). (31 notifications).Additionally Highway 14 from Ted’s Place to Stove Prairie is closed, as well as Stove Prairie Road and Rist Canyon. Ten structures are confirmed lost or damaged and others are threatened.” The report said.

Other Global Disasters, Significant Events

• Florida, USA.  Escambia County in Florida’s panhandle has declared a state of emergency amid an extreme rain event which triggered severe flooding, with the damage so far estimated at $20million, authorities said.
  • A storm moving across the Gulf Coast pummeled parts of Alabama and Florida.
  • Pensacola received up to 18 inches of rain by Saturday, reports said.
  • “Emergency shelters were opened at a few local schools for people who were urged to evacuate from low-lying areas, the newspaper reported. Thousands were without power. Neighboring Santa Rosa County had about 40 homes flooded.” AP reported.
  • “Mobile, Alabama, saw 15 inches (38 cm) of rain that stranded people in cars and caused a dam to break on a private lake, officials said,” Reuters reported.
  • NWS has forecast “a prolonged period of heavy rainfall” and possibility of  flooding “across portions of the Central Gulf Coast from Louisiana to the Florida Panhandle.”

• NY, USA.  Mega brigades of armyworms have destroyed acres of feed in a Buffalo farm and elsewhere in New York and Pennsylvania.
  • “A storm system, about a month ago, brought adult Armyworm moths to Western, New York (from the south),” said Walter Nelson, Program Leader Agriculture & Horticulture at Cornell Cooperative Extension Monroe County.
  • The worms have also been reported in across upstate, in Livingston, Monroe and Orleans counties, as well as in Clarence, Evans, Genesee, Marilla, Newstead  and Wyoming counties.
  • Armyworms invade Pennsylvania lawns!
  • See video.

• Greece. Magnitude 6.1 quake centered at 28.94°E 36.35°N and depth of 10km struck Dodecanese Islands, Greece at 12:44:14.6 UTC (2012-06-10), GEOFON Program reported.
  • The quake struck about 60 km E of Rodos, Dodecanese Islands, Greece and 100km SSE of Mugla, Turkey.
  • The quake may have caused at least moderate damage and casualties; however, there were  and NO reports available as of posting.

Earthquake Map – Dodecanese Islands, Greece.

• Burma.  Burma’s president has declared a state of emergency in the western state of Rakhine, after a week of sectarian violence in the region, which has left at least 17 people dead and hundreds of properties destroyed or damaged, reports said.

Global Disasters: Links, Forecasts and Background

• The First Wave of World’s Collapsing Cities
• Back to the Primordial Future
• The Fate of Energy Dinosaurs
• Mass Die-offs

• 2010 Disasters [Links to 2010 Disaster Calendar]
• Mega Disasters
• 2011 Disaster Calendar
• 2012 Disaster Calendar

Hottest U.S. Spring on Record

U.S. experiencing record-breaking  temperatures: Report

Spring 2012 was the hottest spring on record. United States has also recorded both warmest year-to-date and twelve-month periods for lower 48, and 2nd warmest May: NOAA

March-May nationally-averaged temperature rose 5.2°F above the 1901-2000 long-term average of 57.1°F, breaking the record for warmest spring set in 1910 by 2.0°F, reported NOAA.

The 11 warmest 12-months periods ever recorded in the U.S.

The June 2011-May 2012 period was the warmest 12-month period of any 12 months on record for the contiguous United States.

These are the warmest 12-month periods on record for the contiguous United States. [All of these periods have occurred since June 1999. ] During the June 2011-May 2012 period, each of the 12 months ranked among the warmest third of their historical distribution for the first time in the 1895-present record. The odds of this occurring randomly is 1 in 531,441.  Source: NCDC/NOAA. Temp Departures Table.

The warmest year-to-date

“The January-May months were the warmest such period on record for the contiguous United States, with an average temperature of 49.2°F, 5.0°F above the long-term average. Twenty-nine states, all east of the Rockies, were record warm for the five-month period and an additional 14 states had temperatures for the period among their ten warmest.”

• Click for similar supplemental information for about 150 U.S. cities

The second warmest May on record

May 2012 the second warmest May on record with the average temperature for the contiguous U.S. reaching 64.3°F, 3.3°F above the long-term average.

“The month’s high temperatures also contributed to the warmest spring, warmest year-to-date, and warmest 12-month period the nation has experienced since recordkeeping began in 1895.”

Other significant climatic events during 2012 spring include

• 31 states east of Rockies experienced record warm.
• Gila National Forest Wildfire (Whitewater-Baldy Complex fire), aided by the ongoing drought and windy conditions, grew to 210,000 acres by the end of May, surpassing 2011’s Las Conchas Fire as the largest NM wildfire on record. [Currently reported at about 2670,000 and growing.]
• NW OR received record precipitation at 10.83 inches,  more than 69% above average.
• 3rd smallest snow cover extent across contiguous U.S.

Global Disasters: Links, Forecasts and Background

• The First Wave of World’s Collapsing Cities
• Back to the Primordial Future
• The Fate of Energy Dinosaurs
• Mass Die-offs

• 2010 Disasters [Links to 2010 Disaster Calendar]
• Mega Disasters
• 2011 Disaster Calendar
• 2012 Disaster Calendar

Plane Crash Kills Many in Nigeria

Airliner crashes into building killing 193

A Dana Air passenger plane, a McDonnell Douglas MD-83, crashed into a two-story building in poor, densely populated residential area of Lagos, killing all 153 people on board, and at least 40 people on the ground.

“Among the dead was the spokesman for the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation, Levi Ajuonuma, according to a passenger list released by the airline. Ajuonuma was also de facto spokesman for the oil minister in OPEC member Nigeria, Africa’s biggest crude producer,” Reuters reported.

At least four Chinese citizens were among the victims, the official Chinese news agency Xinhua reported.

The crash occurred  less than a day after a Nigerian Allied Cargo plane crash-landed in Ghana, killing at least 10 people on board.

Goodluck Jonathan, the Nigerian President, has  declared 3 days of national mourning.

• See also:  Airlines & Aviation Industry, Airline Safety, Air Travel …

Other Global Disasters, Significant Events

• NM, USA.  Gila National Forest Wildfire (Whitewater-Baldy Complex fire), the largest in New Mexico history, has grown to at least 250,000 acres, as of posting.
  • The fire was sparked by lightening on Wednesday May 16th, 2012.
  • The blaze is uncontrolled, though it is about 17 percent contained.

Whitewater Baldy Complex fire, Gila National Forest, NM.  June 3 Fire Progression Map – Source: Southern Area Incident Management Team

Gila National Forest Wildfire, June 2, 2012.

Photos by Kari Greer/ Credit: US Forest Service, Gila National Forest

Global Disasters: Links, Forecasts and Background

• The First Wave of World’s Collapsing Cities
• Back to the Primordial Future
• The Fate of Energy Dinosaurs
• Mass Die-offs

• 2010 Disasters [Links to 2010 Disaster Calendar]
• Mega Disasters
• 2011 Disaster Calendar
• 2012 Disaster Calendar

Gila National Forest Wildfire Largest in New Mexico History

Massive NM wildfire consumes 200,000 acres and growing

New Mexico, USA. Gila National Forest wildfire is now the largest in New Mexico history and spreading, having so far consumed about 200,000 acres, or more than 800km² [official estimate is 190,262 acres, as of May 30, 2012 @ 23:06hrs, with only 5 percent contained.]

Latest Progression Map of Whitewater Baldy Complex Wildfire, NM.   Source: Southern Area Incident Management Team

• The fire known as Whitewater-Baldy Complex Fire, sparked by lightning on May 16th, is spreading in all directions through New Mexico’s ponderosa pine-covered hills and brush-covered steep canyons, spurred by winds and dry conditions (humidity is less than 5%; temperature is 73ºF).
• The fire, located 15 Miles East of Glenwood, New Mexico, has destroyed dozens of cabins and outbuildings.
• Some 1,200 fire crews are tackling the blaze.
• Last June, the Los Conchas wildfire burned about 157,000 acres  near Los Alamos National Laboratory, threatening stored nuclear material.
• See also:  State Of Disaster Declared in Michigan Counties Posted on May 26, 2012

Other Global Disasters, Significant Events

• New South Wales (NSW), Australia. Floods across NSW, Australia has forced authorities to declare disaster in 64 areas.
  • Storms, extreme rain events and record flooding  in across Australian state of New South Wales (NSW) in February and March has forced the government to declare Natural Disasters in 64 areas, with Wakool Shire being the latest addition to the list.
  • Wakool Shire has been included in the list of areas declared Natural Disasters as a result of the floods across NSW earlier this year, the NSW Minister for Police and Emergency Services announced.
  • “Around 400 people across the state were rescued in the recent floods which affected around 70 per cent of NSW – an area equivalent to the size of Spain.”
  • Floods have caused widespread disruptions isolating about 31,000 people and forcing the evacuation of 28,000 others.

• See also:  Back-to-Back Disasters in Australia

Global Disasters: Links, Forecasts and Background

• The First Wave of World’s Collapsing Cities
• Back to the Primordial Future
• The Fate of Energy Dinosaurs
• Mass Die-offs

• 2010 Disasters [Links to 2010 Disaster Calendar]
• Mega Disasters
• 2011 Disaster Calendar
• 2012 Disaster Calendar