Fire season predicted to be average
MINERAL COUNTY – According to officials at the Ranger Station in Superior, despite a less than normal amount of late winter snow accumulation it is expected that the “early fire season” will soon come to an end.
Recent precipitation and cooler temperatures have weather experts predicting that the conditions will continue at least until mid-April. That doesn’t mean however caution should not still be taken when it comes to fire.
According to information supplied by Superior Ranger District Fire Prevention Officer Bob Henderson, the weather outlook issued by the Predictive Services of the National Interagency Fire Center “is calling for average precipitation, but it’s the increased chance for above average temperatures that poses a threat for an active fire season.”
On a positive note, according to Henderson, the Natural Resources Conservation Drought Monitor indicated Montana was not subject to drought conditions like other areas of the country. According to weather experts, unseasonable conditions including a warm air mass over the Lower Clark Fork region has resulted in below average snowfall but has brought with it average to above average rainfall to western Montana.
According to information provided by the Superior Ranger District, weather experts are expecting fuel moisture levels to be average. According to one such expert, Meteorologist Mike Richmond with the Northern Rockies Coordination Center, the lack of drought conditions in the area should help mitigate fire hazards.
“The fact that we are not in a long-term drought situation here in Montana is very helpful,” Richmond said. “We should be coming into fire season with our fuel moisture, generally speaking around average levels.”
The fire hazard in other parts of Montana is expected to be higher than usual in the next few weeks. According to the press release from the Superior Ranger District, Southeastern Montana could see increased fire activity for the rest of April. Going into May and June, officials are expecting fire activity in the region to be at normal levels according to the Predictive Services of the National Interagency Fire Center.
Despite the relatively positive outlook for the upcoming fire season, officials still urged the public to practice caution when burning in the open. The press release stated, “the fine fuels which are grasses and brush have had three more months of drying time compared to last year. Forest Service Land Managers and Fore Prevention Specialists are asking the public to use extreme caution when burning yard debris piles. Plan ahead. Keep plenty of water, people, tools and equipment ready in case of unexpected changes in fire behavior.”
The public was further cautioned to avoid burning when high or erratic winds were forecasted or if conditions were extremely dry on the ground.
Mineral County residents were urged to not hesitate to call 911 if a fire gets out of control because the earlier emergency personnel can be on scene, the better chance they have of bringing an escaped fire under control.
The press release also stated, “it only takes a single spark to ignite a fire that can lead to evacuations, loss of homes and threaten the lives of citizens and firefighters.
In the past several years, these fires have been caused by lawn mowers, chainsaws, discarded matches and pile burning on private land.”