Current hours for the National Fire Information
Center are (MDT) 7:30 am - 4:30 pm
Monday - Friday
208-387-5050

This report is updated on Monday and Friday.
For another source of daily national wildland fire
information, see the
National Interagency Coordination Center.

National Preparedness Level 2
(On a scale from 1 to 5)

Wildland Fire Update
 October 15, 2004

Despite going into the season on the heels of continuing drought and severe conditions, the 2004 fire season materialized as a below-average year across most of the nation. Alaska, the lone exception, experienced its worst fire season on record. Alaska accounted for 667 fires and 6,377,346 acres burned to date. The lower 48 states resulted in 1,324,810 acres burned, or only slightly more than 36 percent of the average acres burned. Fewer dry lightning storms and high initial attack success rates contributed to the fire season being less severe than anticipated across much of the nation.

Although the fire season to date was less severe, there is a continuing potential for fire activity in California through the late fall.

While the fire season has diminished in much of the country, hurricane activity heightened in the southeastern states. This activity involved many Incident Management Teams, Area Command Teams, and other resources used in emergency response operations. Crews, aviation assets, caterers and showers, miscellaneous overhead, buying teams, and more were mobilized in the response and recovery efforts.

As of October 12, 2004, 474 large fires were contained in the 2004 wildland fire season. The National Preparedness has dropped to level one. A Type 2 Incident Management Team continues to help with the Hurricane Frances and Ivan response by managing a base camp at the Saufley Field Naval Air Station in Pensacola, Florida.

Daily Statistics 10/15/04 Year-to-date Statistics 1/2/04 - 10/15/04
Number of new large fires
0
Year-to-date large fires contained
474
Number of active large fires
3
Fires contained on 10/14/04
   
0
   
Acres from active fires
56,138
Number of Wildland Fire Use (WFU) fires
1
Acres from WFU fires
115

States currently reporting active large fires
(includes WFU):

Arizona (1)
California (3)
Year-to-date Statistics
2004 (1/1/04 - 10/15/04)

Fires: 62,347

 Acres: 7,833,175
2003 (1/1/03 - 10/15/03) Fires: 50,874 Acres: 3,185,469

2002 (1/1/02 - 10/15/02)

 Fires: 68,505
 Acres: 6,715,713
2001 (1/1/01 - 10/15/01) Fires: 64,491 Acres: 3,282,174
2000 (1/1/00 - 10/15/00) Fires: 83,311 Acres: 6,912,243
10-Year Average
1995 - 2004 Fires: 70,777 Acres: 4,177,864


State-by-State Summaries

Arizona Number of fires: 0 Acres: 0 New fires: 0 Fires contained: 0
Wildland Fire Use Number of fires: 1 Acres: 115 New fires: 0 Fires contained: 0
Gramma (Grand Canyon National Park): 115 acres. This Wildland Fire Use Incident is being managed to accomplish resource objectives. The incident is located 20 miles west of the developed area on the north rim of the canyon. This will be the last narrative report unless significant activity occurs. No new information was reported.
California Number of fires: 3 Acres: 56,138 New fires: 0 Fires contained: 0

Power (Eldorado National Forest): 12,000 acres at 35 percent contained. The fire is located 28 miles southeast of Pollock Pines. Strong winds caused crown runs and long range spotting. Highway 88 was closed due to poor visibility.

Introduction: Call (530) 622-5061 or visit the Eldorado National Forest incident website.

Rumsey (Eldorado National Forest): 39,138 acres at 71 percent contained. The fire is 18 miles south of Williams. Fire activity moderated due to an inversion over the fire.

Introduction: Call (530) 622-5061 or visit the Eldorado National Forest incident website.

Freds (Eldorado National Forest): 5,000 acres at an unknown percent contained. The fire is ten miles east of Kyburz. Fire behavior included crowning, torching, and long range spotting up to one mile ahead of the fire. The Kyburz and Silverfork communities were evacuated. Highway 50 remains closed in both directions.

Introduction: Call (530) 622-5061 or visit the Eldorado National Forest incident website.

For More Information

Additional wildland fire-related information is available from the following sites: 

This site was created by the National Interagency Fire Center

External Affairs Office
3833 S. Development Ave.
Boise, Idaho  83705
208-387-5457 (phone)
208-387-5386 (fax)

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