Wildfire Aware Situation Report: SUNDAY | SEPTEMBER 17, 2023
Wildfire Aware Situation Report for SUNDAY | SEPTEMBER 17, 2023, for the United States.
The United States is at National Preparedness Level 3.
There are a total of 45 UNCONTAINED LARGE FIRES currently.
Nationally, 33 fires are being managed under a strategy other than full suppression.
There are 2 new large fires in Florida and Arizona.
Canepatch (FL): Everglades NP, NPS. Thirty miles west of Homestead, FL. Grass and brush. Moderate fire behavior with wind-driven runs, flanking and backing.
Bolt (AZ): Coronado NF, USFS. Twelve miles north of Mescal, AZ. Grass and brush. Moderate fire behavior with uphill runs, flanking and backing.
3 large fires were contained in Washington and Texas.
Cowlitz Complex (WA)
South Slope (WA)
Willow Slough (TX)
Wildfire Aware Situation Report: Weather Discussion
Provided by the National Interagency Fire Center
An upper-level trough will move over the northwestern US, while an upper-low spins off the coast of northern and central California. Elevated to critical fire weather conditions are expected from the Cascade Gaps onto the Columbia Basin and through north Idaho and northwest Montana onto the High Plains in north-central Montana. Wind gusts of 20-45 mph amid minimum relative humidity of 8-25% and above normal temperatures will develop across these areas, and dry and breezy conditions are likely to continue overnight in portions of these areas. Additionally, dry and breezy conditions will overspread portions of southern and central Idaho into southwest and central Montana and Wyoming during the day. Isolated to possibly scattered mixed wet and dry thunderstorms are expected across portions of northern California into southern Oregon, mostly over the mountains. Scattered thunderstorms and showers are likely from eastern Arizona through much of New Mexico and southwest and south Texas. A cold front will push south off the central Gulf Coast, but showers and thunderstorms are expected ahead of another cold front from Florida and the Southeast Coast extending northward through the central Appalachians into the southern Great Lakes and Mid-Atlantic. Dry and breezy post-frontal conditions are likely across the Plains, Midwest, and Mississippi Valley.
There are Red Flag Warnings in effect in Western Washington in Northern Oregon, throughout Northeastern and Central Montana, and in Louisana. The Storm Prediction Center has identified multiple areas of fire weather concern, with a critical area identified in North-Central Montana. An area of isolated Dry Thunderstorms is identified for another day in Northern California, extending into Southern Oregon.
If you would like to become Wildfire Aware, download the Wildfire Aware app in your App Store today and receive notifications about new fires, ongoing fires, and National Weather Service alerts as they happen near the areas you care about.
Link to the National Incident Management Situation Report.
Link to the National Weather Service Fire Weather Prediction Center.
Link to the National 7-Day Significant Fire Potential.
