Wounded Planet Can’t/ Won’t Take any Prisoners

Wildfires destroy dozens of buildings, force hundreds of evacuations in Wyoming, Idaho

Ferocious blazes, fueled by unseasonably warm temperatures and driven by strong winds, have destroyed dozens of homes and outbuilding in the US states of Wyoming and Idaho, forcing hundreds of residents to flee their homes.

Drought, unusually warm temperatures and strong winds continue to prolong the fire season in the US West.

One of the blazes that started near Wyoming’s second largest city of Casper Saturday night had consumed a bout 10,000 acres of grassland and buildings by late Monday, said a report.

At least 12 families have lost their homes, and hundreds of others have been forced to abandon their properties due to the Cole Creek Fire that started at a landfill in Evansville on Saturday.

Walker Fire burning near Idaho City

In Idaho, the Walker Fire had burned an estimated 3,400 acres, destroying several structures and forcing up to a hundreds people from their homes, according to local reports.

“The northwest flank of the fire saw the most significant growth today, growing toward Rattlesnake Creek and into Wild Horse Creek. It burned further into heavy timber, causing columns of smoke visible from miles away,” said Idaho Fire Info.

U.S. Wildfires: Year-to-date statistics

• Dates: 2015 (1/1/15 – 10/8/15)
• No. of Fires: 51,110
• Acres Burned: 11,245,536

Annual Average prior 10 years (2005-2014)

• No. of Fires: 60,506
• Acres Burned: 6,371,381

Large Wildfires Burn 2 Million Acres in Western U.S.

Dozens of active wildfires burn across 8 states

Some 65 large fires have burned nearly 2 million acres across Western United States, with three new large fires sparked on Tuesday, reported NIFC.

States currently reporting large fires include Alaska (1), Arizona (1), California (8), Idaho (16), Montana (14), Oregon (8), Texas (1) and Washington (16).

The deadly Okanogan Complex fire, raging across north-central Washington, had burned at least 305,000 acres, destroying hundreds of homes and outbuilding as of August 30. The fire has since been subdivided into its component blazes.  The fire killed three fire crews and injured four others last month.

Okanogan was one 16 active wildfire/fire complexes in Washington state that have consumed more than 921,249 acres as of September 1, said NIFC.

Fire Stats (9/1/15)
Acres from active fires: 1,990,649
Number of new large fires: 3
Number of active large fires: 65

Year-to-date statistics
2015 (1/1/15 – 9/1/15)     Fires: 43,819 –  Acres: 8,202,557 or 33,195 km² [NEW Record]

Annual average prior 10 years
2005-2014     Fires: 53,432 – Acres: 5,569,996

Latest Fire Management Assistance Declarations

• Idaho Tepee Springs Fire (FM-5110)
• Washington Goodell Fire (FM-5109)
• Washington Renner Fire (FM-5108)

Major Wildfires Burn 2 Million Acres in 7 U.S. States

70 Large fires or complexes char nearly 8,000 km² across 7 U.S. states

Currently, 70 large wildfires or complexes have burned nearly 2 million acres (~ 8,000 km²) across seven U.S. states, NIFC reported.

The fires are burning in Alaska (1), California (10), Idaho (17), Montana (16), Oregon (10), Texas (4) and Washington (12).

Two hundred soldiers based out of Fort Lewis, Washington have been deployed in Washington state to assist the civilian fie crews,

Dozens of crews and fire management personnel from Canada, Australia and elsewhere have also been deployed.

Preparedness: Level 5

[Geographic Areas are experiencing major incidents which have the potential to exhaust all agency fire resources. Eighty percent (80%) of Type 1 and Type 2 Incident Management Teams and crews are committed, as well as the majority of other National Resources.]

Acres from active fires: 1,954,138
Number of new large fires: 9
Number of active large fires: 70 (individual fires in complexes not included)

Year-to-date statistics 2015 (1/1/15 – 8/29/15)
Fires: 43,396 – Acres: 7,825,559 (an area nearly the size of state of Maryland)

Annual average prior 10 years (2005-2014)
Fires: 52,884 – Acres: 5,467,292

Warnings

Red Flag Warnings, Air Quality Alerts or Dense Smoke Advisories due to wildfires are currently in effect across vast swathes of Oregon, Washington, Idaho, Montana and Wyoming.

‘Montana is facing extreme fire conditions’

State of Emergency Declared in Big Sky Country

“Firefighting resources in the state, geographic region, and across Western United States have reached critical shortage levels,” said Montana Governor.

Governor Bullock has issued an executive order declaring a fire emergency in the state of Montana, proclaiming that “Montana is facing extreme fire conditions.”

“Montana is facing extreme fire conditions. This declaration will provide additional resources to the brave men and women fighting these fires,” Bullock said. “As firefighters continue to battle blazes across the state, I encourage Montanans to be aware of fires in their area, obey any evacuation orders that may be issued, and ensure they’re not taking actions that might spark new fires.”

Wildfires are actively burning and extreme fire danger exists across the state of Montana, including the counties of Lincoln, Flathead, Lake, Sanders, Mineral, Missoula, Ravalli, Granite, POwell, Butte-Silver Bow, Anaconda-Deer Lodge, Beaverhead, Madison, Gallatin, Park, Broadwater, Jefferson, Meagher, Lewis and Clark, Teton, Pondera, Glacier, Cascade, Choteau, Judith Basin, Fergus, Petroleum, Wheatland, Golden Valley, Musselshell, Sweet Grass, Stillwater, Carbon, Yellowstone, Big Horn, Treasure, Rosebud, Custer, Powder River, Carter, Fallon and Garfield (42 of the state’s 56 counties), according to the governor’s executive order.

The fires have led to evacuations and road and campground closures.

“Firefighting resources in the state, geographic region, and across Western United States have reached critical shortage levels,” said the governor, “these critical shortages have already necessitated the deployment of international firefighting resources to the State of Montana to assist in fire suppression.”

Bullock has also deployed the Montana National Guard to assists in the emergency.

The fires include the following+

The Moose Meadows Fire (southwest of Philipsburg): 900ha  (~ 2,200 acres)
The Firestone Flats Fire (ENE of Arlee)+ 700ha
Gold Pan Fire Complex (SW of Sula on the Montana-Idaho border): 5,600ha
The Red Shale Fire (Bob Marshall Wilderness): 3,200ha

More information is listed at http://inciweb.nwcg.gov/state/27/0/

Meanwhile, residents of Greer, Idaho, are on standby to evacuate, said the sheriff’s office.

Hundreds of wildfires, mostly sparked by lightning storms, are currently burning hundreds of thousands of hectares (acres) across the Western United States, Alaska, and Hawaii.

Related Links

• Fierce Wildfires Destroy Dozens of Idaho Homes August 16, 2015

Severe Flooding Plagues Parts of Houston

Torrential Rains Down Power Lines, Flood Houston Streets

Extreme rains and thunderstorms hit Harris County, Texas, Saturday night, prompting officials to warn people to stay off the roads.

• A weather system moved across southeast Texas over the weekend dumping up to 6 inches of rain over much of Harris County in three hours.

• Local media reported golf ball-sized hail in parts of the Houston metro area.

• “County officials said at least three bayous and creeks are close to capacity, potentially causing flooding in surrounding streets and low-lying areas. South Mayde Creek at Greenhouse near Katy and Brays Bayou near Lawndale and Gessner were both at capacity. Keegans Bayou near Sugar Land was also rising,” said a report.

• Storm cut power to at least 50,000 customers in the area, CenterPoint Energy reported.

“Showers, thunderstorms and flash flooding risks will continue Saturday night from the Tennessee Valley into South Texas. Some storms may become severe during the early overnight hours but the severe risk should diminish throughout the night.” NWS reported.

“Showers and thunderstorms will continue Saturday night. Some storms will still have the potential to become severe with tornadoes, damaging winds and large hail all possible. The severe threat will diminish throughout the night. Flash flooding will also be a concern with stronger storms.”

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Explosion at Marathon Detroit Refinery

An explosion at Marathon Detroit Refinery prompted the authorities to partially evacuate the nearby city of Melvindale due to air quality concerns.

Explosion in a storage fuel tank at Marathon Detroit Refinery spewed a large plume of black smoke.

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Thousands fighting SW China forest fire

Thousands of fire crews have been deployed to contain a forest fire that has  raged for a sixth day in southwest China’s Yunnan Province.

• The blaze broke out on Tuesday and has since consumed hundreds of hectares of forests in Lufeng County, Chuxiong Yi Autonomous Prefecture, Xinhua reported.
  

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Bangladesh: Dhaka building collapse update

• Confirmed Fatalities: 367
• Still Missing: As many as 600
• Rescued: 2,343
• Injured: More than 1,000, many received serious injuries

U.S. Wildfires

• Warm days mean early wildfire season in Oregon
• Wildfires reported across Maine 
• Strong winds give new life to wildfire near Livingston, Montana

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DISASTER CALENDAR – April 28, 2013 — 
SYMBOLIC COUNTDOWN: 1,049 Days Left 

Mass die-offs resulting from human impact and the planetary response to the anthropogenic assault could occur by early 2016.

• SYMBOLIC COUNTDOWN: 1,049 Days Left to ‘Worst Day’ in the brief Human  History
• The countdown began on May 15, 2011 …

GLOBAL WARNINGS

• WARNING: Human impact 2.85 x Earth’s diminishing carrying capacity
• WARNING: RAPID PLANETARY DECLINE IN PROGRESS!
• Europe: The First Phase of Collapse Has Started 
• United States: The First Phase of Collapse Has Begun

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

Large Wildfires Across West 7 Times More Common Than 40 Yrs Ago

DISASTER CALENDAR SYMBOLIC COUNTDOWN: 1,274 Days Left

[September 19, 2012] Mass die-offs resulting from human impact and the planetary response to the anthropogenic assault could occur by early 2016. 

• SYMBOLIC COUNTDOWN: 1,274 Days Left to the ‘Worst Day’ in Human History

• Symbolic countdown to the ‘worst day’ in human history began on May 15, 2011...

.

Global Disasters/ Significant Events

Average temperatures in U.S. West up 3°F as fire season grows 75 days

Western wildfires exceeding 10,000 acres have grown in frequency seven times compared with the 1970s, according to a new report, The Age of Western Wildfires.

Years of fire suppression “may have left the forests of the West particularly vulnerable to big fires,” however, “rising spring and summer temperatures, along with shrinking winter snowpack, have increased the risk of wildfires in most parts of the West,” the report said.

The report highlights based on analysis of 42 years of U.S. Forest Service records for 11 Western states show, compared to the average year in the 1970’s, in the past decade there were:

• 7 times more fires greater than 10,000 acres each year
• About 5 times more fires larger than 25,000 acres each year
• Twice as many fires larger than 1,000 acres each year, with an average of more than 100 per year between 2002 and 2011, compared with less than 50 during the 1970’s
• The burn season is 75 days longer than 40 years ago.
• Wildfires burn twice as much land area compared with 40 years ago.
• Annual average number of fires larger than 1,000 acres has almost quadrupled in Arizona and Idaho, and has doubled in California, Colorado, Montana, New Mexico, Nevada, Oregon, Utah and Wyoming.
• Full Report (PDF)

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

GLOBAL WARNING

• WARNING: Human impact 2.85 x Earth’s diminishing carrying capacity
• WARNING: RAPID DECLINE IN PROGRESS!

Wildfires Burning Another Million Acres Across 7 States

Major wildfires raging in California, Colorado, Idaho, Montana, Nebraska and Wyoming

Active wildfires are consuming more than a million acres across the West and Midwest, forcing thousands to evacuate.

• Red Flag Warnings are in effect in parts of the Dakotas, Idaho, Montana, Nebraska, and Wyoming.

• Oregon. USDA has designated seven counties in Oregon as primary and contiguous disaster areas due to damages and losses caused by wildfires that began July 8 and continue. The disaster declaration extends to counties in the adjacent states:
  • Idaho.  Four counties.
  • Nevada. Two counties.

U.S. Weather Outlook

• ‘High temperatures in the upper 90s to around 100 degrees with heat index values approaching 110 degrees are expected from the Plains of southeast Kansas and eastern Oklahoma into the Lower Mississippi River Valley on Monday afternoon.’  NWS forecast.
  • ‘Tropical moisture associated with the remnants of Isaac interacting with a frontal system will bring a flash flooding threat to the East Coast on Tuesday. Showers and thunderstorms will be capable of producing heavy rainfall that could lead to incidents of flash flooding.’

Other Global Disasters/ Significant Events

• United States.  Hurricane ISAAC caused “enormous devastation” to the Gulf  Coast, especially the state of Louisiana, officials said.
  • The storm killed at least seven people—5 in New Orleans and 2 in Mississippi.
  • Thousands  of evacuees are still in shelters, or with friends and relatives.
  • ISAAC knocked out power to about a million people in 5 states—Alabama, Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi and Texas.

• Korean Peninsula.   Death toll from Typhoon BOLAVEN has climbed to about 100 across the Korean Peninsula, with many more injured. Dozens of others are reported as missing.
  • The storm destroyed or damaged thousands of homes, and more than 50,000 hectares of farmland, leaving at least 20,000 people homeless, reports said.

• India.  Rainfall from the annual monsoon season is down an average of 12 percent across India, as the country enters its fourth drought in just over a decade.
  • Some villages in the worst hit drought areas are reportedly on the brink of disaster, reports said.

Related Links

• U.S. Disaster Impact Leaps 24 Folds Posted August 1, 2012
• Disaster Declared for 142 U.S. Counties Posted August 23, 2012

Drought – Recent Links

• U.S. Disaster Areas Expand as Drought Deepens Posted August 1, 2012
• Extreme and Exceptional Drought Spread Across Midwest, South Posted August 2, 2012
• Wildfires Destroy Oklahoma Town Posted August 5, 2012

• Watching Events Unfold, Frame by Frame, Exactly as Forecast Posted July 20, 2012
• Deadly Heat Continues to Devour U.S. Crops Posted July 19, 2012

• Drought Continues to Plague Two-Thirds of Continental U.S. Posted July 17, 2012
• Largest Ever U.S. Disaster Continues Unfolding July 14, 2012
• Drought 2012 Posted on January 8, 2012
• Drought and deluge 

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

Global Warning

• WARNING: Human impact 2.85 x Earth’s diminishing carrying capacity
• WARNING: RAPID DECLINE IN PROGRESS!

Drought Disaster Declared in Montana

Stillwater and Yellowstone counties, Montana, declare drought disasters

Drought conditions created by unseasonably warm temperatures and below average precipitation has stunted crop growth to about 50 percent of normal.

Livestock feed on pasture is reduced by about 50 percent, while dry land hay production has suffered losses of about 85 percent, said an agricultural agent at Yellowstone County.

Total Weekly Precipitation (in)

Worst Drought Conditions Ever Reported

“I’ve never seen anything take hold quite this quickly. We are in mid-September conditions right now,” said Dave Kelsey who’s been farming and ranching in Yellowstone and Stillwater counties for 35 years.

Shrinking Crops

“Dryland hay production is estimated to be 15 percent of normal, and most of the dryland spring wheat is ‘not expected to make a harvestable grain crop,’ Stillwater’s resolution read. ‘Livestock pasture and range conditions are extremely poor due to lack of precipitation, excessive winds and grasshoppers.’” Said a report.

• Agriculture is Montana’s no. 1 industry.

Montana Wildfires

A dozen large wildfires in Montana have destroyed more than 100 structures and forced at least 1,000 people to flee their homes amid dry conditions in recent days. The fires include

• Ash Creek Complexhas consumed about 250,000 acres
• Pony Fire: 5,000 acres
• Horse Creek Fire:  8,000 acres
• Dahl Fire: 22,000 acres
• Bear Trap 2:  15,000 acres

Other Global Disasters/ Significant Events

• Kansas.  Governor Brownback has updated the Drought Declaration for Kansas counties, amid  worsening drought conditions throughout the Wheat State.
  • The updated drought declaration covers all of the state’s 105 counties. A drought  emergency is in effect for 36 counties, while 55 counties are in a warning status and the remaining 14 in watch status.“Dry, windy and above normal temperatures in Kansas have led to a Drought Emergency declaration for 36 counties,”  said Brownback. “Below normal precipitation patterns are not only depleting available soil moisture, but these types of conditions have resulted in numerous fires as well.”
  • Norton, Kansas, was the hottest location in the U.S. with 118 degrees (47.8ºC) last week, NCDC reported.  Some 22 other locations across the state topped 110 degrees on Thursday June 28.
  • Executive Order 12-08 – Governor Updates Drought Order for Kansas Counties

Kansas Drought Map (June 26, 2012)

Drought has returned to Kansas with 100.00% of the state reporting abnormally dry or drought conditions (D0 – D3) as of June 26, 2012.

• Florida. Six more counties have been added to the Presidential Major Disaster Declaration for Florida, state officials said. They are Clay, Franklin, Hernando, Highlands Pinellas and Suwanee counties.
  • On Tuesday, the Disaster President declared major disaster areas in Baker, Bradford, Columbia, Pasco and Wakulla counties due to the damage and losses caused by tropical storm DEBBY.
  • DEBBY landed on June 27 in Steinhatchee, Fla, dumping more than a foot of rain in some areas and causing major flooding across the state.

• Eastern U.S. A massive heat wave continues to affect the eastern two thirds of the U.S., breaking high temperature records from the Midwest to the East Coast, said NWS.

US Weather Hazards Map, July 5, 2012.  Excessive Heat Warnings and
Heat Advisories were in effect throughout or in parts of at least 26 states, as of posting.

Mystery Illness Killing Cambodian Kids

See Global Alert in the next post.

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

Storms and floods Cause Chaos in the UK‎

Fierce storms, lightning, ‘giant’ hail stones, torrential rains, and flash floods in parts of the UK  prompt evacuations and power cuts

Flash floods have inundated thousands of homes and businesses and forced evacuations in Northern England, the Midlands, Scotland and Northern Ireland.

Lightning storms have cut power to tens of thousands of people in the North East, derailed a train and closed the railway between Scotland and England.

Torrential downpours and flash floods have caused major travel disruption across a wide region.

“There was also widespread disruption on rail services and roads, with many routes under several inches of water. A number were closed,” said a report.

“Flooding and landslips are causing heavy delays on routes between Northern England and Scotland, with very limited travel options,” the railway operators reported.

Since the begging of June, heavy rain and flash floods have brought havoc to communities in west Wales, and across northern England flooding thousands of homes and businesses.

Extreme rain events have dumped more than a month’s rain in less than 24 hours in some places.

There are also reports of damage from squalls and tornadoes in the region.

Record Number of Lightning Strikes

More than 110,000 lightning bolts struck the UK, with more than 200 strikes recorded every minute during peak activity, the UK Met Office reported.

“Experts said this was 40 times higher than an average lightning storm and was the equivalent of four months’ worth of strikes in one day,” said a report.

Other Global Disasters/ Significant Events

United States.

• The record-setting heat wave continues to expand. “Excessive Heat Warnings and Heat Advisories will be in effect throughout the Plains, the Midwest, the Southeast and the Mid-Atlantic. Critical fire weather conditions will continue for the central Great Basin and the Plains with several large wildfires burning in Colorado, Utah, Montana, Idaho, Wyoming and New Mexico,” NWS reported.

US Weather Hazards Map, June 30, 2012

• Record high temperatures are expected to continue, while excessive heat also continues to worsen the air quality in various areas. “One of the worst areas is the lower end of Lake Michigan from the Wisconsin-Illinois state line to Montague, Mich,” NWS said.

NESDIS Map of Analyzed Fires from Satellite Data

Current Hazard Mapping System Fire and Smoke Analysis – NOAA/NESDIS – June 29, 2012 – Time: See inset.

• “Excessive Heat Warnings cover the eastern half of Kansas, the western fourth of Missouri and parts of southwest Missouri, southern Illinois, southwest Indiana and western Kentucky. Heat Advisories cover parts of 16 states, including:  Nebraska, Kansas, Oklahoma, Texas, Iowa, Missouri, Arkansas, Louisiana, Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Ohio, Kentucky, Tennessee, Mississippi, Alabama, Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina and Washington, D.C. An Excessive Heat Watch is in effect today for most of the Atlantic Coast,” NWS reported.

U.S. Wildfires

• Waldo Canyon Fire in Pike and San Isabel National Forests, El Paso County, CO. State of Disaster has been declared by the President. Size revised down to 17,073 acres; the deadly fire has caused at least two fatalities, destroyed at least 346 homes and damaged two dozens more. The blaze is reportedly 25% contained.

• Pine Ridge Fire. The town of De Beque remains under evacuation as the explosive blaze grows to 12,047 acres with an estimated 10% contained. Lightning ignited the blaze on Wednesday June 27th, 2012. Fire conditions are said to be extreme with high temperatures, high winds, low humidities, and extremely dry fuels.

• Wyoming.  Arapaho Fire in Medicine Bow National Forest & Thunder Basin National grassland is one of three fires believed to have been ignited by lightning in the Laramie Peak area.
  • “Due to the fast-moving nature of this fire, evacuations were initiated in the Cottonwood Park, Friend Park, North Laramie Trailhead and Harris Park areas. At this time it is unknown if structures were burned. Residents in and south of Esterbrook were notified of possible evacuations, but have not been evacuated at this time,” USFS reported.
  • The 2-day old blaze has consumed an estimated 5,000 acres and is said to have extreme growth potential, with plume dominated behavior, rapid rate of spread (1 – 1.5 miles/hour), and long range spotting.

Arapaho Fire Map.  Medicine Bow National Forest & Thunder Basin National Grassland, Wyoming.  “The fire has been creating its own weather.”

• Utah.Clay Springs Fire, Fishlake National Forest, Clay Springs, East of Oak City, Utah.
  • A super explosive blaze has consumed 68,309 acres in two days.
  • Fire Behavior: Today the fire made extreme runs with spotting to 1/2 a mile and growing from 50000 acres to 68000 acres, with potential for similar rates of spread tonight. … running crown fire and intense ground fire with nearly complete combustion occurring in all fuel types. Extreme resistance to control and high probability of ignition …
  • Significant Events: Fire spread down Wide Canyon to the east as well as running down the back of Canyon Mountains towards I-15 and the towns of Scipio and Mills.
  • Current Weather:  SW winds of 17-25 mph; 98 degrees heat; 11% humidity.

• Utah.  Salt Lake County Mayor Peter Corroon has declared a state of emergency due to the Rose Crest Fire in Herriman. The blaze has destroyed or damaged 5 houses and forced mandatory evacuation of some 948 houses in an area, a report said.
  • The fire started mid afternoon when “a car with a hot exhaust parked on top of some dry weeds” and and set them on fire. The temperature in Herriman was 92 degrees and the relative humidity just 11 percent when the blaze ignited.

• List of Impacted Properties
• Map of Impacted Properties
• Complete listing of impacted streets

Dozens of active wildfires across the country are burning about 1 million acres in a dozen states. For details of some of the other fires see

• Explosive Wildfires Continue Erupting Across the U.S.
• Destructive Wildfire Activity Intensifies in Colorado
• U.S. Overwhelmed by Excessive Heat, Fire, Flooding, Extreme Weather Events
• Fire, Flood and Red Flag Warnings, Storm Emergency Force Evacuations
• Thousands Evacuated as Utah Wildfire Explodes

Global Disasters: Links, Forecasts and Background

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

• Mega Disasters
• 2010 Disasters [Links to 2010 Disaster Calendar]
• 2011 Disaster Calendar
• 2012 Disaster Calendar
• Mass Die-offs

Wildfire Weather

Two dozen large wildfires burning in Mongolia’s forests and steppes

At least 130 large wildfires have consumed thousands of acres of Mongolian forests and steppes so far this year.

Fire weather conditions throughout the vast and sparsely populated country have been worsened by a severe drought this spring.

In April, the blazes spread across the Chinese border and into China’s Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, prompting the authorities to mobilize thousands of “Chinese forest policemen” to fight the fires, a report said.

The Mongolian government said should the situation further worsen the  country would ask China and Russia to help fight the the fires.

Other Wildfires

Enhanced fire weather conditions prevail in the Desert Southwest and the Central Plains: NWS

Other Global Disasters, Significant Events

• South Carolina, USA.  Another victim of necrotizing fasciitis bacteria has been identified as Barry Ginn, a Hilton Head Island resident.
  • In February, Ginn had severe pain in his shoulder and a fever, which was later diagnosed as the “flesh-eating disease.”  Three doctors removed most of his upper shoulder and a large portion of his upper arm during nine surgeries over four days, said a report.

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

Wildfires Wreaking Havoc Across the U.S.

12 Large Fires Burning Across the Country

Active fires have consumed more than 155,000 acres, with 6 new fires reported.

States currently reporting large fires:

• Arizona (1)
• Arkansas (2)
• Colorado (1)
• Hawaii (1)
• Kansas (1)
• Missouri (1)
• Oklahoma (3)
• Texas (2)

“The Rocky Mountain, Southern and Southwest areas are at a preparedness level 2, meaning that these areas have high fire danger and multiple large fires.” Said National Interagency Fire Center.

Oklahoma

Wildfires forced Oklahomans from their homes in two northeastern towns on Wednesday evening as fire threatened dozens of homes near the town of Prue, Osage County, and  scores of homes in the Oak Park area of Bartlesville, Washington County, officials said.

Big Island Hawaii

A large wildfire set off by the eruption of the Kilauea volcano on Hawaii’s Big Island earlier this month has consumed about 2,000 acres of national park land. The fire is burning on the volcano’s east rift in the Hawaii Volcanoes National Park about 12km SE of the Kilauea Visitor Center.

The spreading wildfire was started by lava splatters at the volcano’s Kamoamoa fissure, which erupted on March 5, and is currently being fanned by strong trade winds, said a spokesman for the National Park Service. Photo Credit: Suzanne Snow.

Current Wildfires
Arizona	Fires: 1	Acres: 4,000	* New fires: 0	Fires contained: 0
Duke (Coronado National Forest): 4,000 acres at 15 percent contained. This fire is 11 miles northeast of Nogales. Structures are threatened and roads are closed.
Arkansas	Fires: 2	Acres: 832	* New fires: 0	Fires contained: 3
Queen Simmons (Arkansas Forestry Commission): 632 acres at 90 percent contained. This fire is ten miles northwest of Clinton.
Long (Arkansas Forestry Commission): 200 acres at 98 percent contained. This fire is six miles south of Canaan.
Colorado	Fires: 1	Acres: 1,162	* New fires: 0	Fires contained: 0
Indian Gulch (Jefferson County): 1,162 acres at 25 percent contained. This fire is one mile west of Golden. Muir’s IMT 1 is assigned to the incident. Residences are threanted and evacuations are in place. Information: Visit the Rocky Mountain Coordination Center.
Hawaii	Fires: 1	Acres: 2,010	* New fires: 0	Fires contained: 0
Napau (Hawaii Volcanoes National Park): 2,010 acres. This fire is nine miles west of Kalapana.
Kansas	Fires: 1	Acres: 144,000	* New fires: 1	Fires contained: 0
* Stanton County (Kansas Counties): 144,000 acres at 70 percent contained. This fire is 30 miles south of Johnson City.
Kentucky	Fires: 0	Acres: 0	* New fires: 1	Fires contained: 1
Missouri	Fires: 1	Acres: 100	* New fires: 0	Fires contained: 0
Crane Cemetary (Mark Twain National Forest): 100 acres at 40 percent contained. This fire is six miles north of Houston.
Oklahoma	Fires: 3	Acres: 1,770	* New fires: 1	Fires contained: 2
Bread Town (Oklahoma Department of Forestry): 880 acres at 75 percent contained. This fire is three miles northeast of Stringtown.
Rocky (Oklahoma Department of Forestry): 530 acres at 70 percent contained. This fire is four miles northeast of Marble City.
Trall Hollow (Oklahoma Department of Forestry): 360 acres at 85 percent contained. This fire is one mile southeast of Bell.
Texas	Fires: 2	Acres: 1,400	* New fires: 3	Fires contained: 1
* Ralph Keller Ranch (Texas Forest Service): 1,000 acres at zero percent contained. This fire started on private land 14 miles northeast of Marathon. Residences are threatened.
* Koch (Texas Forest Service): 400 acres at zero percent contained. This fire started on private land nine miles south of Andrew

Source: National Interagency Fire Center

Year-to-date statistics
Period: 2011 (1/1/11 – 3/23/11)
Acres: 588,237

9-year Average
Acres: 396,282

Related Links

• Activity at Kilauea – Satellite Images
• US Wildfires: 50-percent more fires than the 10 year average

• U-S Attacked by Continued Severe Weather
• Climate Forcing: Positive Feedback Mega Loop
• Global Climate Extremes INTENSIFYING

• 2011 Disaster Calendar
• 2011-2012 MegaDisasters
• Earth: Wounded and Feverish

• 2011 Disaster Calendar
• FEWW DISASTER FORECAST 2011
• 2011 Much More Disastrous
• 2011 SIX TIMES MORE DISASTROUS THAN 2010
• Megadisasters Loom
• The First Wave of World’s Collapsing Cities