Nice photo set at Newsday.
I wonder if Hurricane Irene last year was a factor, or if this was just the Pine Barrens being the Pine Barrens.
Here’s my favorites:
Nice short engine:
That job…just sucks.
To paraphrase Jaws, I think you’re gonna need a bigger line.
The drought is getting pretty significant here:
Rainfall in Connecticut in 2012:
January: 2.62″ 10 year range was 1.80″ to 5.98″
February: 1.10″ 10 year range was 1.62″ to 8.48″
March: 1.41″ 10 year range was .73 to 9.87″
So far about 1/4″ has fallen in Connecticut almost half-way through April. 10 year range 3.05″ to 8.68″
In the last 10 years, rainfall total for the first four months of the year ranged from 11.08″ to 20.78″. So far this year we’re at 5.38″
Good resources for Statistics:
http://www.ncdc.noaa.gov/temp-and-precip/time-series/index.php?parameter=pcp&month=5&year=2011&filter=5&state=6&div=0
and
http://www.cocorahs.org/ViewData/StateDailyPrecipReports.aspx?state=CT
Connecticut DEP Fire Danger Report:
The Forest Fire Danger Level for Thursday, April 12, 2012
is HIGH
Connecticut DEP Fire Danger Report:
The Forest Fire Danger Level for Wednesday, April 11, 2012
is HIGH
RH is up into the 30+ range today. Cloudy, with a 30% chance of showers today and 50% chance of showers tomorrow — but not expected to amount to much more then 1/10″. Then a return to sunny weather through the weekend.
The biggest fire they’ve had since the horrible Summer of ’95:
Archived here.
I did catch the DEEP’s fire forecast on their radio system — missed the build up, but Spread is 33 — 33 x 66′/chain = 2,178′ per hour.
Connecticut DEP Fire Danger Report:
The Forest Fire Danger Level for Tuesday, April 10, 2012
is VERY HIGH
(Hmmm, just noticed their fire danger website still uses the old DEP acronym…meh, Connecticut Forest Fire Service is a much better name then Department of Energy & Environmental Protection, why does energy need protecting anyway? 
)
Red Flags for Long Island today, but so far not for New England though we continue to flirt with it as we have for the last week.
FIRE WEATHER PLANNING FORECAST FOR SOUTHERN NEW ENGLAND
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TAUNTON MA
359 AM EDT TUE APR 10 2012.DISCUSSION…
LOW PRESSURE OVER NORTHERN MAINE WILL CONTINUE MOVING WEST INTO
QUEBEC AND REMAIN THERE THROUGH MIDWEEK. THIS LOW WILL MOVE EAST
OF THE AREA THURSDAY.TODAY…PARTLY TO MOSTLY CLOUDY CONDITIONS WITH ONLY A SLIGHT CHANCE
OF SHOWERS. WIND GUSTS WILL BE LIGHTER THAN TODAY WITH VALUES
CLOSER TO 20 MPH…ALTHOUGH A FEW GUSTS TO 25 MPH CANNOT BE RULED
OUT. MINIMUM RELATIVE HUMIDITY WILL BE 20 TO 25 PERCENT. STATES
FIRE OFFICIALS HAVE NOTED VERY LOW LEVELS OF FIRE FUEL MOISTURE
THUS CRITICAL FIRE WEATHER CONDITIONS CONTINUE FOR MUCH OF
SOUTHERN NEW ENGLAND AND SOUTHERN NEW HAMPSHIRE.
Afternoon update: They did end up posting Red Flags for all of Mass except Berkshire County & Islands; also Providence County, RI.
When I read an article like:
Brush fire engulfs hundreds of acres in south NJ
MONDAY, APRIL 9, 2012
THE ASSOCIATED PRESSTABERNACLE — Firefighters on Monday had contained roughly half a wind-whipped wildfire that engulfed hundreds of acres in southern New Jersey and was tentatively considered to be suspicious, officials said.
The fire broke out shortly before 1 a.m. in the towns of Tabernacle and Woodland, and by midmorning it had extended across 600 acres. State officials expected the fire to consume 1,000 acres before it was finished, but no injuries or property damage had been reported by late afternoon.
Location: section B3, Tabernacle/Woodland Twp, Burlington Co.
Acres: 600
ROS: Rapid
ROC: 35 mph winds today – Red Flag Warning until tonight; in the Pine Barrens with very dry, light and flashy fuel
Structures: 25 homes threatened
Special Hazards: Access and sandy soil
Resources: 50+ firefighters from the NJFS plus a task force of dozens of FF and equipment from Burlington County fire companies; helicopters and ATsRadio Frequencies:
Weather Info: http://climate.rutgers.edu/usfs/monitoring.php
Other Comments: no evacs but burnout has been conducted around homes; firefighters and equipment were seen staging around houses off Sooy Road in Woodland.
Why New Jersey still and not Long Island (often) or Cape Cod?
Long Island I can sort of understand because the Pine Barrens have been so limited by development. But southern Rhode Island? Plymouth County, MA? Cape Cod?
Is it being slightly more northern? In which case we can expect climate change to shift the critical area northward using the rule of thumb it will give Connecticut the climate of today’s Maryland.
Is it the ocean effect increasing humidity on the more exposed Long Island and Cape areas compared to New Jersey which is more “sheltered” by the interior states?
Very High Fire Danger + Red Flag again today…at least it waited till after the weekend to return which should reduce the number of unintentional ignitions from folks playing in the woods.
Today’s pics — old hand tools. Got to believe square shovels were one of the last resorts for hand tools, can’t really think of something other then maybe scraping a fire line similar but less efficiently then a rake. Now a pointed shovel you can dig with to make a line or throw dirt on the fire! But they do have cool wooded D handles.
The Forest Fire Danger Level for Monday, April 09, 2012
is VERY HIGHRed flag warning issued by the National Weather Service for all of CT from mid-morning until 8 p.m. tonight due to continued low humidity & very gusty winds.
FIRE WEATHER PLANNING FORECAST FOR SOUTHERN NEW ENGLAND
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TAUNTON MA
404 AM EDT MON APR 9 2012…RED FLAG WARNING IN EFFECT FROM 10 AM THIS MORNING TO 8 PM EDT
THIS EVENING….DISCUSSION…
LOW PRESSURE OVER NORTHERN MAINE WILL CONTINUE MOVING WEST INTO
QUEBEC TODAY…AND REMAIN THERE THROUGH MIDWEEK.TODAY…CRITICAL FIRE WEATHER CONDITIONS ACROSS THE ENTIRE
FORECAST AREA. WEST WINDS ARE FORECAST TO INCREASE TO 15 TO 25 MPH
SUSTAINED WITH GUSTS REACHING 30 TO 40 MPH. MINIMUM RELATIVE
HUMIDITY WILL RANGE FROM 25 TO 35 PERCENT. STATE FIRE OFFICIALS
FEEL THAT WINDS COULD BE MORE OF A FACTOR THAN RELATIVE HUMIDITY
TODAY. WINDS DIMINISHING AFTER SUNSET.TUESDAY…PARTLY TO MOSTLY CLOUDY CONDITIONS WITH ONLY A SLIGHT
CHANCE OF SHOWERS. WINDS GUSTS WILL BE LIGHTER THAN TODAY WITH
VALUES TO 20 MPH. MINIMUM RELATIVE HUMIDITY WILL BE 25 TO 35
PERCENT.
The Forest Fire Danger Level for Sunday, April 08, 2012 is HIGH
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT…CORRECTED
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TAUNTON MA
656 AM EDT SUN APR 8 2012CTZ002>004-MAZ002>004-008>012-026-082345-
HARTFORD CT-TOLLAND CT-WINDHAM CT-WESTERN FRANKLIN MA-
EASTERN FRANKLIN MA-NORTHERN WORCESTER MA-WESTERN HAMPSHIRE MA-
WESTERN HAMPDEN MA-EASTERN HAMPSHIRE MA-EASTERN HAMPDEN MA-
SOUTHERN WORCESTER MA-NORTHERN MIDDLESEX MA-
INCLUDING THE CITIES OF…HARTFORD…WINDSOR LOCKS…UNION…
VERNON…PUTNAM…WILLIMANTIC…CHARLEMONT…GREENFIELD…
ORANGE…BARRE…FITCHBURG…CHESTERFIELD…BLANDFORD…AMHERST…
NORTHAMPTON…SPRINGFIELD…MILFORD…WORCESTER…AYER
656 AM EDT SUN APR 8 2012THE MINIMUM RELATIVE HUMIDITY THIS AFTERNOON AND EARLY EVENING ARE
EXPECTED TO DIP IN TO THE LOW TO MID 20S ACROSS WESTERN
MASSACHUSETTS AND NORTH CENTRAL CONNECTICUT. THE WIND GUSTS HOWEVER
WILL REACH BETWEEN 20 TO 25 MPH. THESE CONDITIONS ARE MARGINAL
FOR FIRE WEATHER WARNING CRITERIA.HOWEVER…DUE TO THESE MARGINAL CONDITIONS…AND LACK OF
PRECIPITATION…THERE STILL EXISTS AN ELEVATED FIRE WEATHER RISK
ACROSS WESTERN MASSACHUSETTS AND NORTH CENTRAL CONNECTICUT. THESE
ELEVATED CONDITIONS WILL PERSIST THROUGH ABOUT 6 PM THIS EVENING.
This pump probably runs a bit rough missing a plug wire to one of the four cylinders 
Eyes on the frame to slide handles into for manhandling this sucker around are a cool feature though.
Red Flags are out for Central & Western Massachusetts, and all of Connecticut except Windham & New London Counties.
Connecticut DEP Fire Danger Report:
The Forest Fire Danger Level for Saturday, April 07, 2012
is HIGH
By John J. Monahan TELEGRAM & GAZETTE STAFF
BOSTON — While red flag wildfire warnings have communities on high alert for wildfires this spring, lawmakers are advancing two bills to help protect call firefighters and members of the State Wildfire Team when they leave their regular jobs to fight fires.
One bill approved by the Senate last month and now before the House Ways and Means Committee would establish employment protections for public employees who are members of the state team that can be called up to fight forest fires and wildfires around the country under the auspices of the U.S. Forest Service.
A separate bill that cleared the House Wednesday expands job protections for thousands of call and volunteer firefighters around the state.
The state wildfire team is made up of about 42 firefighters, most of whom work as full-time state and local firefighters and are certified for completion of training in fighting forest fires. The team is maintained by the Department of Conservation and Recreation and members normally report for 14- to 16-day assignments each year.
The federal government reimburses the state for all expenses, including salaries.
The state bill, if adopted, would allow team members to take a leave of absence from their jobs for up to 21 days each year. Their employer would be able to choose whether to continue to pay team members their regular salaries during the leave and employees would be required to provide advance notice of their leave along with departure and return dates.
State Sen. Stephen M. Brewer, D-Barre, said the bill provides essential protections to allow them to serve on the state team.
Not really sure how the “advance notice” provision would work, depending on how it defines “advance” since it’s not like these assignments are scheduled weeks ahead of time.
Nice report from the Brimfield fire on Wednesday:
Some more CCC Museum Pics.
Buckets are just very basic tools. I like the canvas collapsible one! The red, round bottom bucket would’ve been used in barracks and buildings; in unheated buildings in winter these would have been filled with sand instead of water. They hung from wall hooks, like extinguishers do today, and the round bottom was to remove temptation for people to use them as a utility bucket since you couldn’t sit them on a flat surface!
Connecticut DEP Fire Danger Report:
The Forest Fire Danger Level for Friday, April 06, 2012
is HIGH
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TAUNTON MA
355 AM EDT FRI APR 6 2012(Most of Southern New England…)
THE MINIMUM RELATIVE HUMIDITY THIS AFTERNOON AND EARLY EVENING IS
EXPECTED TO DIP IN THE UPPER TEENS TO LOW 20S ACROSS MUCH OF THE
AREA…AND WIND GUSTS WILL REACH 20 TO 25 MPH. THESE CONDITIONS
ARE VERY CLOSE TO FIRE WEATHER WARNING CRITERIA…BUT ARE NOT AS
EXTREME AS THE LAST COUPLE OF DAYS.HOWEVER…DUE TO THESE MARGINAL CONDITIONS…AND LACK OF
PRECIPITATION…THERE STILL EXISTS AN ELEVATED FIRE WEATHER RISK
ACROSS THE PORTIONS OF THE FORECAST AREA. THESE ELEVATED
CONDITIONS WILL PERSIST THROUGH ABOUT 6 PM THIS EVENING.
Some silent movies that the Falmouth, MA restored and transferred to video and shared with all of us of fighting a fire in 1946 in the pitch pine and scrub oak ecosystem:
Part 1:
Part 2:
Falmouth in 1920 had 3,500 residents — which was pretty consistent with it’s historical sea-and-farming community population since the 1800s. By 1950 it was a town of 9,000. Today it has 32,000 residents and tourism would significantly increase the number of people visiting and sleeping in town during the summer.
The development on Cape Cod has probably helped on balance their wildfire situation — more good roads mean faster access to knock down the fires that occur; more eyes to spot the fires; cellphones to rapidly call in fires; a shift from all volunteer to most Cape departments being all or predominantly career staffed so the initial response is faster; improved detection and suppression has allowed the forests to mature so there is less brush. Still, there remains an awesome potential for a major urban-interface fire will one day once again roar out of Otis / Massachusetts Military Reservation or from Myles Standish State Forest on a broad, fast moving front that would shock people.
I’m surprised we’ve dipped back down to “High”…was expecting it to remain at Very High through Saturday. Must be lower winds expected this afternoon:
Connecticut DEP Fire Danger Report:
The Forest Fire Danger Level for Thursday, April 05, 2012
is HIGH
Red Flag for Central Mass (and southern NH & ME)
Very cool photo out of Brimfield, Mass from yesterday — a helicopter dropping water, an engine pumping it’s deck gun, in a tornado debris field. Don’t see that combination often in New England!
BRIMFIELD — With help from helicopter water drops, a raging brush fire that scorched 40 to 50 acres of tornado-ravaged and debris-strewn land was 30 percent controlled as of early tonight, fire officials said.
The Brimfield blaze was the worst of brush fires that broke out today across the Worcester County, including Gardner, Webster and Worcester.
Firefighters were still working at the Brimfield fire late tonight and were expected to work in reduced numbers overnight to contain its spread. Authorities plan to resume a fullblown assault at daylight tomorrow.
Fire Chief Fred Piechota said firefighters went to a brush fire in the vicinity of 27 Paige Hill Road about noon today. The chief said fire crews initially thought they could control the blaze, but it moved into an area with blown-down debris from the June 1 tornado and they were unable to continue the attack. Their efforts were further hampered when a storm brought high winds and potential lightning, prompting officials to call off the fight just after 6 p.m. until the storm passed.
The storms had to be very scattered; I never saw any bad weather but driving back from picking up my mom at T.F. Greene Airport in Providence, I passed through a brief section of highway that had been poured on.
The drought area continues to expand, though it doesn’t seem to be “intensifying”:
Looks like this weather will hold through the weekend:
Connecticut DEP Fire Danger Report:
The Forest Fire Danger Level for Wednesday, April 04, 2012
is VERY HIGHEntire CT is under a red flag warning from the National Weather Service starting at 11 a.m. and going until 7 p.m. for all except Fairfield, New Haven, Middlesex, & New London Counties where the warning will go until 9 p.m.
Connecticut DEP Fire Danger Report:
The Forest Fire Danger Level for Tuesday, April 03, 2012
is HIGHAccording to the National Weather Service Taunton & Upton offices, there is a “Red Flag Warning” for all of CT EXCEPT for Litchfield County.
URGENT – FIRE WEATHER MESSAGE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TAUNTON MA
416 AM EDT TUE APR 3 2012…RED FLAG WARNING IN EFFECT TODAY FOR MUCH OF SOUTHERN NEW
ENGLAND…VERY DRY AIR…GUSTY NORTH-NORTHWEST WINDS…AND MINIMAL RECENT
RAINFALL WILL RESULT IN RED FLAG CONDITIONS TODAY.CTZ002>004-MAZ002>021-026-NHZ011-012-015-RIZ001>007-031630-
/O.UPG.KBOX.FW.A.0003.120403T1400Z-120403T2300Z/
/O.NEW.KBOX.FW.W.0003.120403T1500Z-120403T2300Z/
HARTFORD CT-TOLLAND CT-WINDHAM CT-WESTERN FRANKLIN MA-
EASTERN FRANKLIN MA-NORTHERN WORCESTER MA-CENTRAL MIDDLESEX MA-
WESTERN ESSEX MA-EASTERN ESSEX MA-WESTERN HAMPSHIRE MA-
WESTERN HAMPDEN MA-EASTERN HAMPSHIRE MA-EASTERN HAMPDEN MA-
SOUTHERN WORCESTER MA-WESTERN NORFOLK MA-SOUTHEAST MIDDLESEX MA-
SUFFOLK MA-EASTERN NORFOLK MA-NORTHERN BRISTOL MA-
WESTERN PLYMOUTH MA-EASTERN PLYMOUTH MA-SOUTHERN BRISTOL MA-
SOUTHERN PLYMOUTH MA-NORTHERN MIDDLESEX MA-CHESHIRE NH-
EASTERN HILLSBOROUGH NH-WESTERN AND CENTRAL HILLSBOROUGH NH-
NORTHWEST PROVIDENCE RI-SOUTHEAST PROVIDENCE RI-WESTERN KENT RI-
EASTERN KENT RI-BRISTOL RI-WASHINGTON RI-NEWPORT RI-
416 AM EDT TUE APR 3 2012…RED FLAG WARNING IN EFFECT FROM 11 AM THIS MORNING TO 7 PM EDT
THIS EVENING FOR MUCH OF SOUTHERN NEW ENGLAND…THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN TAUNTON HAS ISSUED A RED FLAG
WARNING FOR MUCH OF SOUTHERN NEW ENGLAND…WHICH IS IN EFFECT
FROM 11 AM THIS MORNING TO 7 PM EDT THIS EVENING. THE FIRE WEATHER
WATCH IS NO LONGER IN EFFECT.* AFFECTED AREA…MUCH OF SOUTHERN NEW HAMPSHIRE…MOST OF
MASSACHUSETTS EXCEPT BERKSHIRE COUNTY AND CAPE COD AND THE
ISLANDS…NORTH CENTRAL AND NORTHEAST CONNECTICUT…MOST OF
RHODE ISLAND EXCEPT BLOCK ISLAND.* WINDS…NORTHWEST 10 TO 15 MPH WITH GUSTS UP TO 30 MPH.
* TIMING…FROM LATE MORNING THROUGH EVENING.
* RELATIVE HUMIDITY…15 TO 20 PERCENT.
* TEMPERATURES…IN THE UPPER 50S TO LOWER 60S.
* IMPACTS…ANY FIRES THAT DEVELOP WILL LIKELY SPREAD RAPIDLY.
OUTDOOR BURNING IS NOT RECOMMENDED.PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS…
A RED FLAG WARNING MEANS THAT CRITICAL FIRE WEATHER CONDITIONS
ARE EITHER OCCURRING NOW…OR WILL SHORTLY. A COMBINATION OF
STRONG WINDS AND LOW RELATIVE HUMIDITY WILL CREATE AN ELEVATED
FIRE SPREAD POTENTIAL.
Was Moderate both Saturday & Sunday (even had some snow on the ground Saturday AM!)
This is an automated page scrape:
Connecticut DEP Fire Danger Report:
The Forest Fire Danger Level for Monday, April 02, 2012
is HIGHHIGH danger for 1 p.m. as gusty North winds 20 to 30 mph are forecasted along with relative humidity dropping to the mid to upper 20s this afternoon.
It’s slowly getting drier. On the plus side, green up looks to be running a couple (or more) weeks ahead of normal.
Thursday evening I hiked the perimeter of Thompson’s fire on Baker Road:
Full write up at
Connecticut DEP Fire Danger Report:
The Forest Fire Danger Level for Friday, March 30, 2012
is HIGH
The 10-day forecast is starting to look a little better though — not a lot of moisture, but it’ll be timed to fall every 48 to 72 hours which will keep things dampened down:
FIRE WEATHER PLANNING FORECAST FOR SOUTHERN NEW ENGLAND
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TAUNTON MA
418 AM EDT FRI MAR 30 2012.DISCUSSION…
HIGH PRESSURE WILL DOMINATE TODAYS WEATHER. WHILE NORTHWEST WINDS
WILL BE MODEST THROUGH THE DAY WEAKENING INTO THE EVENING PERIOD…
SPEEDS SHOULD REMAIN BELOW 25 MPH /EXCEPT ACROSS THE CAPE INTO THE
MIDDAY HOURS/. LOW RELATIVE HUMIDITIES ARE ANTICIPATED AROUND THE
UPPER 20S. RECENT LIGHT RAINS /WHILE BENEFICIAL/ MAY NOT BE ENOUGH
TO QUENCH POSSIBLE FIRE WEATHER CONCERNS FOR TODAY.OUTLOOK /SATURDAY THROUGH MONDAY/…
AN AREA OF LOW PRESSURE WILL SLIDE SOUTH OF NEW ENGLAND SATURDAY
RESULT IN WET SNOW THROUGH THE INTERIOR…WITH RAIN ANTICIPATED
ALONG THE SOUTH COAST INTO THE LOWER CONNECTICUT VALLEY. HIGH
PRESSURE RETURNS EVER BRIEFLY…FOLLOWED BY A COLD FRONT THROUGH
THE REGION SUNDAY INTO SUNDAY NIGHT…AND AGAIN DURING THE MIDWEEK
PERIOD. SHOWERY WEATHER IS ANTICIPATED WITH EACH COLD FRONTAL
PASSAGE.
(Pics to return soon!)
Connecticut DEP Fire Danger Report:
The Forest Fire Danger Level for Thursday, March 29, 2012
is HIGHHigh until we receive a soaking rainfall. Gusty NW winds today under cloudy skies and interior CT humidity in the mid to upper 30s.
And while it’s a light rain outside as I type this, I’m not seeing that “soaking rain” on the radar or forecast…so they might have been optimists writing up that report.
From today’s Telegram & Gazette:
By Linda Bock TELEGRAM & GAZETTE STAFF
Northboro Fire Chief David M. Durgin is among fire officials predicting an extremely challenging fire season this spring, one historically not seen in Worcester County.“The weather factors could make this a campaign fire season,” Chief Durgin said. “We’ve already seen some explosive fires.”
A number of factors are lining up to create the hazardous conditions: Lower-than-average rainfall for the year, little-to-no snow cover this past winter, low humidity and higher-than-average amounts of fuel to feed fires.
Mountains of dead branches, cracked and split downed trees, detached limbs, dried leaves, and shrub and bush brush litter Central Massachusetts, not only from the ice storm in 2008, but also from the tornadoes and tropical storm last summer and the snowstorm in October. On top of that is the typical post-winter seasonal brush.
Fallen oaks and pines with leaves and needles still attached make for excellent “ladder” fuel, which spreads fire up to treetops — what firefighters call a crown fire, Chief Durgin said. His almost 40 years of firefighting experience includes stints with the state Department of Conservation and Recreation.
“I cut my teeth on forest fires,” Chief Durgin said. “These conditions are paralleling some of the conditions of when I first came on the job in the ’70s. We’re 6 inches below precipitation for the year already. No snowpack from winter. Right now you’ve got all the conditions to make the perfect fire season.”
Unseasonably warm weather forced an early green-up and trees are taking water out of the ground a few weeks earlier than normal.
“I can guarantee you we’re going to be restricting the burning season,” Chief Durgin said. And if the weather conditions continue, he added, “I’m just afraid we’re going to have to shut (open) burning off.”
Open burning was not allowed in Northboro on Tuesday and in most other towns throughout the state.
The National Weather Service issued a red flag warning Tuesday. Firefighters in New Hampshire and Rhode Island have also been keeping weather vigils.
“We’ve all been concerned,” said Douglas Fire Chief Kent F. Vinson. “We’re gearing up for a very difficult brush season.”
About 40 firefighters from three states battled a brush fire Monday afternoon in woods off Route 16 in Douglas. About six homes in the Eagle Drive area were endangered by the windblown fire. Chief Vinson said between five and 10 acres burned.
Chief Vinson and Shawn Bush walked the fire line Tuesday. Mr. Bush, the state fire warden in District 7 based out of the Douglas State Forest, oversees 30 towns in southern Worcester County. The district is responsible for detecting wildfires using fire towers in West Brookfield, Mendon, Oxford and Charlton. It also assists cities and towns of southern Worcester County with wildfire suppression.
Mr. Bush is one of two fire officials in the state who make recommendations to the National Weather Service on whether to advise a red flag warning. Warnings are issued based upon calculations of cumulative statistics and historical factors.
David Celino, chief fire warden for the state Department of Conservation and Recreation, is the other.
“Lack of rainfall, wind speed, temperature, humidity,” Mr. Bush said. “It’s based on trends.”
A red flag warning is one of the tools fire chiefs use to decide whether, for example, to allow open burning. Fire chiefs also rely on information from the Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency and the state Department of Fire Services, he said.
When contemplating whether to issue warnings, meteorologists with the National Weather Service’s Taunton office combine Mr. Bush and Mr. Celino’s observations on ground conditions and trend calculations with their atmospheric and weather observations.
“They’re the eyes out there in the field,” said William A. Simpson, a meteorologist in the NWS Taunton office.
A few good days of significant rainfall could do something to change the scenario, but no significant rainfall is expected. Yesterday saw a sprinkling of rain and the forecast calls for a 20 percent chance of showers today.
“It depends how much falls. It’s so dry at the surface that everything that falls will evaporate,” said Mr. Simpson. “So there will be minimal impact.”
Contact Linda Bock by email at lbock@telegram.com.
http://www.telegram.com/article/20120329/NEWS/103299817/1116
East Thompson had a 7+ acre blaze at Quaddick Town Farm Road & Baker Road…LOTS of dead red pines near there. Took them about two hours to get it under control. Call was toned at 09:07 which is pretty darn early in the day for a significant fire and shows how conditions are getting.
Currently a bit of light rain falling with thunder, but no significant precipitation is expected. Could be interesting by this weekend!
Connecticut DEP Fire Danger Report:
The Forest Fire Danger Level for Wednesday, March 28, 2012
is HIGH
FIRE WEATHER PLANNING FORECAST FOR SOUTHERN NEW ENGLAND
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TAUNTON MA
421 AM EDT WED MAR 28 2012.DISCUSSION…
A LOW PRESSURE MOVING SOUTHEAST ACROSS NORTHERN NEW ENGLAND TODAY
SHOULD BRING LIGHT SHOWERS TO SOUTHERN NEW ENGLAND THIS AFTERNOON
AND EVENING. RAINFALL AMOUNTS WILL NOT BE ENOUGH TO WET ANY DRY
FUELS SUFFICIENTLY TODAY OR TOMORROW. HOWEVER…RELATIVE HUMIDITY
WILL NOT BE NEARLY AS LOW AS TUESDAY. WINDS WILL BE MORE BREEZY
THURSDAY…BUT RELATIVE HUMIDITY VALUES ARE NOT EXPECTED TO BE LOW
ENOUGH TO POSE A FIRE WEATHER CONCERN.OUTLOOK /FRIDAY THROUGH MONDAY/…
HIGH PRESSURE WILL BUILD INTO NEW ENGLAND FRIDAY AND SATURDAY
PROVIDING DRY WEATHER. MODEST NORTHWEST WINDS AND LOW RELATIVE
HUMIDITY MAY RESULT IN FIRE WEATHER CONCERNS FRI AND SAT.
Connecticut DEP Fire Danger Report:
The Forest Fire Danger Level for Tuesday, March 27, 2012
is VERY HIGHRED FLAG WARNING 10 a.m. until 7 p.m. due to very low humidity and high winds. FIres will be very difficult to control today especially when the winds are gusting (20-25 mph) this afternoon.
Red Flag conditions:
All of Connecticut, Rhode Island, Massachusetts, Vermont, New Hampshire, Coastal Maine and interior to Houlton, Metro NYC area, Long Island, Northern New Jersey.
FIRE WEATHER PLANNING FORECAST FOR SOUTHERN NEW ENGLAND
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TAUNTON MA
428 AM EDT TUE MAR 27 2012…RED FLAG WARNING IN EFFECT FROM 10 AM THIS MORNING TO 7 PM EDT
THIS EVENING….DISCUSSION…
VERY DRY WEATHER IS EXPECTED TODAY WITH DEW POINTS AT OR BELOW
ZERO. DESPITE SEASONABLY COOL TEMPERATURES…THIS WILL RESULT IN
RELATIVE HUMIDITY VALUES IN THE 10 TO 25 PERCENT RANGE TODAY.
GUSTY NORTHWEST WINDS EXPECTED TODAY AS WELL WITH SPEEDS AS HIGH
AS 30 MPH POSSIBLE. TEMPERATURES WILL BE A FEW DEGREES LOWER THAN
NORMAL FOR THE LAST WEEK IN MARCH.OUTLOOK /WEDNESDAY THROUGH FRIDAY/…
LOW PRESSURE APPROACHING FROM THE WEST MAY BRING MORE SHOWERS TO
OUR REGION WEDNESDAY INTO THURSDAY. HIGH PRESSURE WILL BUILD INTO
NEW ENGLAND FRIDAY AND SATURDAY PROVIDING DRY WEATHER. MODEST
NORTHWEST WINDS AND LOW RELATIVE HUMIDITY MAY RESULT IN FIRE
WEATHER CONCERNS FRI AND SAT.CTZ004-280830-
WINDHAM CT-
INCLUDING THE CITIES OF…ASHFORD…PLAINFIELD…PUTNAM…
WILLIMANTIC
428 AM EDT TUE MAR 27 2012…RED FLAG WARNING IN EFFECT FROM 10 AM THIS MORNING TO 7 PM EDT
THIS EVENING…TODAY TONIGHT WED
CLOUD COVER CLEAR PCLDY MCLDY
PRECIP TYPE NONE NONE SHOWERS
CHANCE PRECIP (%) 0 0 40
TEMP /24H TREND/ 45 (-3) 26 (0) 52
RH % /24H TREND/ 14 (-11) 66 (-34) 40
20FT WND AM /MPH/ NW 12 G21 LGT/VAR
20FT WND PM /MPH/ N 11 G20 LGT/VAR SW 8
PRECIP AMOUNT 0.00 0.00 0.14
PRECIP DURATION 2
PRECIP BEGIN 8 AM
PRECIP END CONTINUING
MIXING HGT /FT-AGL/ 5370 70 3520
TRANSPORT WND /KTS/ N 23 NW 10 SW 21
VENT RATE /KT-FT/ 123510 700 73920
ADI EARLY 76 GOOD 54 GEN GOOD 21 FAIR
ADI LATE 81 GOOD 2 VERY POOR 59 GEN GOOD
MAX LVORI EARLY 1 2 3
MAX LVORI LATE 1 3 1
CWR 0 0 80
LAL NO TSTMS NO TSTMS NO TSTMS
HAINES INDEX 5 5 3REMARKS…NONE.
.FORECAST FOR DAYS 3 THROUGH 7…
.WEDNESDAY NIGHT…MOSTLY CLOUDY WITH A CHANCE OF SHOWERS. LOWS IN
THE LOWER 40S. SOUTHWEST WINDS 5 TO 10 MPH…BECOMING NORTHWEST
AFTER MIDNIGHT.
.THURSDAY…MOSTLY CLOUDY WITH A CHANCE OF SHOWERS. HIGHS AROUND 50.
NORTH WINDS 5 TO 10 MPH.
.THURSDAY NIGHT…PARTLY CLOUDY. LOWS IN THE LOWER 30S. NORTH WINDS
5 TO 10 MPH.
.FRIDAY…SUNNY. HIGHS IN THE MID 50S. NORTHWEST WINDS 10 TO 15 MPH.
.FRIDAY NIGHT…PARTLY CLOUDY. LOWS IN THE MID 30S. NORTHWEST WINDS
5 TO 10 MPH.
.SATURDAY…PARTLY SUNNY. HIGHS IN THE LOWER 50S. NORTHWEST WINDS
AROUND 5 MPH…BECOMING SOUTH IN THE AFTERNOON.
.SATURDAY NIGHT…MOSTLY CLOUDY WITH A CHANCE OF SHOWERS. LOWS IN
THE UPPER 30S. NORTHEAST WINDS AROUND 5 MPH.
.SUNDAY…MOSTLY CLOUDY. HIGHS IN THE MID 50S. NORTH WINDS 5 TO
10 MPH.
.SUNDAY NIGHT AND MONDAY…PARTLY CLOUDY. LOWS IN THE UPPER 30S.
HIGHS AROUND 60. NORTH WINDS AROUND 5 MPH.
Connecticut DEP Fire Danger Report: The
Forest Fire Danger Level for Monday, March 26, 2012
is VERY HIGH
FIRE WEATHER PLANNING FORECAST FOR SOUTHERN NEW ENGLAND
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TAUNTON MA
412 AM EDT MON MAR 26 2012.DISCUSSION…
***ELEVATED FIRE WEATHER POTENTIAL TODAY AND TUESDAY***
VERY DRY WEATHER IS EXPECTED OVER THE NEXT TWO DAYS AS DEWPOINTS
DROP INTO THE SINGLE DIGITS TODAY AND INTO THE NEGATIVE SINGLE
DIGITS TUESDAY. DESPITE SEASONABLY COOL TEMPERATURES…THIS WILL
RESULT IN RELATIVE HUMIDITY VALUES IN THE 20 TO 30 PERCENT RANGE
TODAY AND THE 10 TO 20 PERCENT RANGE TUESDAY.STRONG NORTHWEST WINDS WILL REACH SPEEDS OF 20 TO 25 MPH WITH GUSTS
TO 40 MPH TODAY WITH THE STRONGEST WINDS THIS AFTERNOON. WINDS
WILL CONTINUE THROUGH TONIGHT…SLOWLY DIMINISHING THROUGH
TUESDAY. TUESDAY MORNING INTO THE EARLY AFTERNOON NORTHWEST WINDS
WILL REACH SPEEDS OF 15 TO 20 MPH WITH GUSTS TO 30 MPH.
TEMPERATURES WILL BE COOLER…BUT WE WILL ALSO BE FURTHER REMOVED
FROM THE RAIN RECEIVED SATURDAY NIGHT AND SUNDAY. /AMOUNTS MOST
LOCATIONS WERE UNDER 0.15/.LOCAL FIRE WEATHER OFFICIALS HAVE REQUESTED THAT NO FIRE WEATHER
HEADLINES BE ISSUED FOR TODAY. HOWEVER…THEY ADVISED OF AN
ELEVATED FIRE SPREAD RISK FOR TUESDAY…SO STAY TUNED TO LATER
FORECASTS FOR POSSIBLE HEADLINES.OUTLOOK /WEDNESDAY THROUGH FRIDAY/…
LOW PRESSURE APPROACHING FROM THE WEST MAY BRING MORE SHOWERS TO
THE REGION WEDNESDAY INTO THURSDAY. HIGH PRESSURE WILL BUILD INTO
NEW ENGLAND FRIDAY AND SATURDAY PROVIDING DRY WEATHER. MODEST
NORTHWEST WINDS AND LOW RELATIVE HUMIDITY MAY RESULT IN FIRE
WEATHER CONCERNS FRI AND SAT.
Pics to return shortly…been crazy busy at work this week!
Connecticut DEP Fire Danger Report:
The Forest Fire Danger Level for Saturday, March 24, 2012
is HIGH
No pics, unless I get back to edit this later
Lakeville on the opposite side of the state had a nice little fire yesterday in the grass and light brush of farm fields:
By SAMAIA HERNANDEZ and GEORGE COLLI, smhernandez@courant.com
The Hartford Courant
10:46 p.m. EDT, March 20, 2012SALISBURY—
Crews from more than a dozen departments battled a large brush fire in the Lakeville section of town on Tuesday afternoon. No injuries were reported.The fire began in the area of 129 Long Pond Road Tuesday around 2:39 p.m. as a controlled fire started under a local permit, Salisbury Fire Chief Jason Wilson said. The fire then spread out of control.
Wilson said he was returning from lunch when he noticed a small brush fire. Wind and dried out vegetation caused the flames to spread quickly until it covered 100 acres, he said.
ifteen fire departments from Connecticut, Massachusetts and New York responded. An additional six were called for back up. Crews fought the fire for roughly three hours before bringing it under control, said John Barbagallo said, a spokesman for the Norfolk Fire Department.
Neighboring Indian Mountain School was not in session Tuesday, because students were returning from spring break, spokeswoman Karen Kane said.
The main school property was not damaged, although a homeowner’s barn suffered minor heat damage, she said.
Crews also kept the flames from spreading to Camp Sloane, a YMCA camp at 124 Indian Mountain Road.
“Responders did very good work in making sure it never reached the camp,” Wilson said.
http://www.courant.com/community/salisbury/hc-salisbury-brush-fire-0321-20120320,0,5404848.story
Connecticut DEP Fire Danger Report: The
Forest Fire Danger Level for Wednesday, March 21, 2012
is HIGH
FIRE WEATHER PLANNING FORECAST FOR SOUTHERN NEW ENGLAND
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TAUNTON MA
449 AM EDT WED MAR 21 2012.DISCUSSION…
DRY WEATHER AND UNSEASONABLY WARM CONDITIONS WILL PERSIST THROUGH
THURSDAY. MINIMUM RELATIVE HUMIDITIES AWAY FROM THE COAST WILL BE
30 TO 40 PERCENT WITH WINDS BELOW 20 MPH.OUTLOOK /FRIDAY THROUGH MONDAY/…
COOLER FRIDAY BUT STILL UNSEASONABLY MILD WITH MINIMUM RELATIVE
HUMIDITIES 20 TO 30 PERCENT AND WINDS BELOW 20 MPH. COOLER
WEATHER THIS WEEKEND WITH A CHANCE OF RAIN SUNDAY.
This is something I didn’t notice till I got home and looked at the pic on my monitor — the label on this Indian Tank states, “Made By National Youth Administration of Connecticut.”
That’s an Depression Era relief organization I had never heard of before. This program provided “work-study” for high school and college students, and part-time work / job training for youths not in school.
Connecticut DEP Fire Danger Report:
The Forest Fire Danger Level for Tuesday, March 20, 2012
is MODERATE
