Latest news with #NationalInteragencyFireCenter
Yahoo
17 hours ago
- Climate
- Yahoo
Drought emergency hits Pierce County, much of Western Washington
The Washington State Department of Ecology declared a large portion of Pierce County under drought emergency at a press conference Thursday, although Tacoma was spared. The emergency declaration includes a large part of the Puget Sound area and central Cascade mountains, impacting 22 watersheds, said Casey Sixkiller, director of the DOE. The declaration allows the state to use relief tools, such as expediting emergency water right transfers and providing emergency drought grants to public entities — there is $4.5 million available this year to support those actions, he said. 'For most of the people who live in the major metro areas of the Puget Sound region and get their water from Seattle, Tacoma, or Everett, those reservoirs and water supplies are in good shape,' Sixkiller said. 'The utility companies do not expect hardship for their customers.' However, some rural and agricultural areas in the Puget Sound will see impacts, including to the habitats of salmon and other fish, Sixkiller added. Karin Bumbaco, Washington's deputy state climatologist, said above-normal April temperatures and below-normal April and May precipitation have been the main drivers of the drought. April's statewide average temperature was about two degrees Fahrenheit above normal, she said, and snowpack peaked in March, almost two weeks earlier than usual. Bumbaco added that total April and May precipitation was less than 60% of the normal rainfall for most of the state, creating below-normal stream flows in rain-dominated basins. Seasonal forecasts are predicting a likelihood of above-normal temperatures and below-normal precipitation for the summer, she said, and officials expect those trends to continue in the years to come. 'It is important to remember that we expect droughts to be more severe and more frequent in the future,' Bumbaco said. DOE statewide drought lead Caroline Mellor said a drought means water supply conditions are much worse than normally expected in a watershed. She added the drought declaration does not affect many Eastern Washington counties, which tend to be drier areas of the state, because they may not be drier than normally expected. 'That snowpack is so important as it serves as a natural storage for our water supply,' Mellor said. '.... Now with these earlier melt-offs, and lower-than-normal precipitation, that is a major concern for impacts to fish, and agriculture, and potentially drinking water in smaller systems later in the summer.' Bumbaco also said the likelihood of wildfire spread is higher with the ongoing drought conditions. According to the National Interagency Fire Center's June outlook, the Eastern half of Washington is considered above normal for significant wildland fire potential — current estimates broaden that designation to cover most of Washington in July, and to completely encompass the state in August and September. In April, a drought advisory was initially declared for a large portion of Pierce County, but not the Tacoma area. Previously, in April 2024, an emergency drought declaration was also in place for most of the state, except for the Seattle, Tacoma and Everett areas. In 2023, Pierce County was involved in a statewide drought advisory, but did not see a drought emergency declared. This is the third consecutive year in which snowpack deficits or early melt have impacted the water supply in Washington, Sixkiller said. 'We've declared drought in six of the past ten years. Low water supplies are becoming routine in Washington, and that includes on the wetter West side of our state,' Sixkiller added. 'Washington's water supply infrastructure is simply designed for precipitation and temperature patterns that are changing and are no longer reliable.'
Time of India
3 days ago
- Climate
- Time of India
Canadian wildfires: Minnesota issues first ever maroon alert. Here's everything you need to know
In Canada, over 200 fires are burning—more than 100 of which are classified as 'out of control,' according to the Canadian Interagency Forest Fire Centre. Thick smoke from these wildfires has drifted south into the United States, severely affecting air quality in Minnesota and even reaching as far south as Florida. On June 3, air quality levels in parts of Minnesota reached 'very unhealthy,' with visible haze and smoke reported as far away as Cincinnati, Ohio. In response, 150 U.S. federal firefighting personnel are being deployed to assist with fire suppression efforts in the Canadian provinces of Alberta and Manitoba, the National Interagency Fire Center announced. Meanwhile, in view of the deteriorating air quality, the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) has issued a Maroon Air Quality Alert—the highest level on the air quality index, indicating hazardous conditions for everyone. The alert, which has been issued for the first time ever, is in effect from Monday, June 2, through Wednesday, June 4, 2025. It primarily affects northwestern Minnesota, including areas from Red Lake to Roseau and East Grand Forks. What Does the Maroon Alert Mean? Play Video Pause Skip Backward Skip Forward Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration 0:00 Loaded : 0% 0:00 Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 1x Playback Rate Chapters Chapters Descriptions descriptions off , selected Captions captions settings , opens captions settings dialog captions off , selected Audio Track default , selected Picture-in-Picture Fullscreen This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Opacity Opaque Semi-Transparent Text Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Opacity Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Caption Area Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Opacity Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Drop shadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. A Maroon Alert signals hazardous air quality, meaning everyone is at risk of serious health effects. People may experience: Irritated eyes, nose, and throat Coughing, chest tightness, or shortness of breath Serious conditions like asthma attacks, heart attacks, or strokes The sky will appear smoky with poor visibility, and the air will smell strongly of smoke. Health officials urge all residents to avoid outdoor activities. Those in sensitive groups (such as children, the elderly, or individuals with respiratory or heart conditions) should stay indoors, limit physical activity, and keep indoor air as clean as possible. Live Events Purple and Red Alerts Also Issued In addition to the Maroon Alert, a Purple Air Quality Alert—indicating very unhealthy air—has been issued for the northern third of the state, including St. Louis County, International Falls, Bemidji, Brainerd, and Moorhead. This is only the second time Minnesota has issued a Purple Alert. A large portion of the rest of the state, excluding the far southwest and southeast corners, is under a Red Alert, meaning the air is unhealthy for everyone. Under both Purple and Red Alerts, residents are advised to: Avoid prolonged or vigorous outdoor activity Reschedule outdoor events or move them indoors Sensitive individuals should avoid all outdoor physical activity Outlook Air quality is expected to remain poor through midweek across Minnesota and could worsen along parts of the East Coast as the smoke continues to drift eastward, according to forecasts from
Time of India
3 days ago
- Climate
- Time of India
Canadian wildfires effect in US: What are purple, red and maroon alerts. Here's everything you need to know
Canadian wildfires are wrecking havoc in the United States. In Canada, over 200 fires are burning, more than 100 of which are classified as 'out of control', according to the Canadian Interagency Forest Fire Centre. Thick smoke from these wildfires has drifted south into the United States, severely affecting air quality in Minnesota and even reaching as far south as Florida. On June 3, air quality levels in parts of Minnesota reached 'very unhealthy,' with visible haze and smoke reported as far away as Cincinnati, Ohio. In response, 150 U.S. federal firefighting personnel are being deployed to assist with fire suppression efforts in the Canadian provinces of Alberta and Manitoba, the National Interagency Fire Center announced. Meanwhile, ni view of the deteriorating air quality, the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) has issued a Maroon Air Quality Alert-the highest level on the air quality index, indicating hazardous conditions for everyone. The alert, which has been issued for the first time ever, is in effect from Monday, June 2, through Wednesday, June 4, 2025. The alerts will primarily impact Northwest Minnesota, including areas from Red Lake to Roseau and East Grand Forks. What Does the Maroon Alert Mean? Play Video Pause Skip Backward Skip Forward Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration 0:00 Loaded : 0.00% 0:00 Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 1x Playback Rate Chapters Chapters Descriptions descriptions off , selected Captions captions settings , opens captions settings dialog captions off , selected Audio Track default , selected Picture-in-Picture Fullscreen This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Opacity Opaque Semi-Transparent Text Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Opacity Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Caption Area Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Opacity Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Drop shadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. A Maroon Alert signals hazardous air quality, meaning everyone is at risk of serious health effects. People may experience: by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Sorocaba: Solução simples para ronco e apneia [Confira] Contra Ronco e Apneia Saiba Mais Undo Irritated eyes, nose, and throat Coughing, chest tightness, or shortness of breath Serious conditions like asthma attacks, heart attacks, or strokes The sky will appear smoky with poor visibility, and the air will smell strongly of smoke. Health officials urge all residents to avoid outdoor activities. Those in sensitive groups (such as children, the elderly, or individuals with respiratory or heart conditions) should stay indoors, limit activity levels, and keep indoor air as clean as possible. Live Events Purple and Red Alerts Also Issued In addition to the Maroon Alert, a Purple Air Quality Alert—indicating very unhealthy air—has been issued for the northern third of the state, including St. Louis County, International Falls, Bemidji, Brainerd, and Moorhead. This is only the second time Minnesota has issued a Purple Alert. A large portion of the remaining state, excluding the far southwest and southeast corners, is under a Red Alert, meaning the air is unhealthy for everyone. Under both Purple and Red Alerts, residents are advised to: Avoid prolonged or vigorous outdoor activity Reschedule outdoor events or move them indoors Sensitive individuals should avoid outdoor physical activity entirely Outlook Air quality is expected to remain poor through midweek across Minnesota and could worsen along parts of the East Coast as the smoke continues to drift eastward, according to forecasts from
USA Today
29-05-2025
- Climate
- USA Today
From cool to cruel summer? California wildfire risk may rise even closer to coast
From cool to cruel summer? California wildfire risk may rise even closer to coast The National Interagency Fire Center foresees an elevated chance of blazes igniting across much of California from June through August, Show Caption Hide Caption Explaining health risks that wildfire smoke can cause Find out how you can protect yourself from the dangers of wildfire smoke in California and across the country. SAN FRANCISCO – The major heat wave expected in California's Central Valley this weekend will bring triple-digit temperatures and increased fire risk, a harbinger for what figures to be another scorching summer. And this year the typically cool coastal areas may not be spared, raising the possibility of even more widely spread wildfires for a state long beleaguered by them. The summer wildfire outlook by the National Interagency Fire Center foresees an elevated chance of blazes igniting across much of California from June through August, when vegetation has dried after several weeks broiling under the sun with negligible rainfall. Average temperatures in parts of the Golden State are predicted to climb above historical norms for the summer, which is not surprising as the planet continues to warm. But a more unusual phenomenon may be developing. UCLA climate scientist Daniel Swain said in a recent online presentation that weather models are pointing out a notable difference between the upcoming months and recent summers, when the state's hot spots have been mostly centered on inland areas. Higher temperatures even on the coast 'Once we get past May gray and June gloom season,'' he said, 'the rest of the summer and the fall could be quite a bit warmer along the California coast than the last few years have been, while inland areas once again are fairly likely to experience a near-record warm summer in many cases.'' That's a worrisome prospect after a fire season that included the fourth-largest blaze in state history – the Park Fire outside Chico burned nearly 430,000 acres – and the devastating Los Angeles infernos in January, well past the season's typical end point. Over the weekend, temperatures in Central Valley cities such as Sacramento, Fresno and Bakersfield are expected to climb above 100 degrees. The National Weather Service office in Sacramento has already issued an extreme heat watch from early May 30 through late June 1, warning of the dangers of heat-related injuries. AccuWeather senior meteorologist Scott Homan said the chances of wildfires will also be heightened, especially in Southern California after it received below-average precipitation in the winter and early spring. Most of the region is in a drought, and significant parts are in extreme drought. Increased fire risk this weekend and beyond 'With the occasional offshore breezy conditions, it will further dry out any fuels, and then we'll see an uptick in potential grass fires later this week in the valley areas,'' he said. The National Interagency Fire Center noted the snowpack has been melting faster than usual amid warm weather in the West and will dissipate by late June even in mountain areas that had large accumulations, removing a barrier to wildfire spread over the summer. 'In general, we'll continue to see drier weather,'' Homan said. 'Fire risk will increase, especially in areas that are currently in a moderate drought or at least in a dry pattern from the Central Valley on southward.''
CBS News
18-05-2025
- Climate
- CBS News
Camp House and Jenkins Creek Fires still raging, homeowners able to see damage for the first time
Families see the devastation from the Camp House and Jenkins Creek Fire Families see the devastation from the Camp House and Jenkins Creek Fire Families see the devastation from the Camp House and Jenkins Creek Fire Homeowners are getting a chance to see the destruction done by fast-moving fires that have been burning all week in the northland. The Jenkins Creek fire started Monday and has grown to be the largest, torching more than 16,000 acres. The Camp House fire started Sunday burning more than 14,000 acres. The Munger Shaw fire is 50 percent contained charring 1600 acres. At least 150 buildings have been destroyed. But a welcome sign of relief — homeowners were able to temporarily go back in, to grab the things that matter most to them. Micah Bell of the National Interagency Fire Center says zero percent containment of the fires won't last much longer. "They have certainly dampened the fire — they have not by any means put it out, but they have reduced fire intensity — allowing firefighters on the ground, especially on the north and west fire —especially on the Jenkins fire, to really get in the fire," said Bell. "That's saying that the fire intensity is low enough right now that it's safe for them to go in unescorted." But as fire season continues, so does the uncertainty of what it will take to put the fires out entirely. "It's going to be a while before this thing is out," said Bell. "It all depends. Fire is the most dangerous, non-predictable thing we deal with. We can only predict so much, the weather can predict so much, we can predict so much about fire behavior, but we can't get complacent just because of the conditions we're seeing." In the meantime, crews are working 16-hour days with little rest. Crews say one thing that's been overwhelming in a good way — the outpouring of donations. They say they've had so many at incident command — they're asking anyone looking to help to offer their support to the United Way or Red Cross.
