DesertFox
07-09-2008, 07:17 PM
Conditions are right for "explosive fire growth potential'' in 650 miles of dry mountain range along the U.S. Pacific Coast, from southern Oregon to just north of Los Angeles, forecasters said today.
Gusty winds, dry air and record temperatures reaching past 100 degrees Fahrenheit (38 Celsius) have combined to create the perfect environment for new fires and to let those already burning spread rapidly, according to the National Weather Service in Monterey, California.
The warning follows an "unprecedented'' start to the fire season, when 1,700 fires erupted in a 48-hour period starting June 21, said Mike Richwine, a division chief with state Department of Forestry and Fire Protection. The "red flag'' hazard area includes the state's Big Sur and Santa Barbara regions, where fires threaten hundreds of homes.
"Critical fire conditions are occurring now or will be occurring soon,'' weather service meteorologist Suzanne Anderson said by telephone. "We have explosive fire growth potential.''
More (http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601087&sid=avFW4yrsZ9_I&refer=worldwide)
Gusty winds, dry air and record temperatures reaching past 100 degrees Fahrenheit (38 Celsius) have combined to create the perfect environment for new fires and to let those already burning spread rapidly, according to the National Weather Service in Monterey, California.
The warning follows an "unprecedented'' start to the fire season, when 1,700 fires erupted in a 48-hour period starting June 21, said Mike Richwine, a division chief with state Department of Forestry and Fire Protection. The "red flag'' hazard area includes the state's Big Sur and Santa Barbara regions, where fires threaten hundreds of homes.
"Critical fire conditions are occurring now or will be occurring soon,'' weather service meteorologist Suzanne Anderson said by telephone. "We have explosive fire growth potential.''
More (http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601087&sid=avFW4yrsZ9_I&refer=worldwide)