EnvirocastTM TV for Friday, August 15, 2003

Wildfires near Missoula, MT Update

Background

  

Images

The images to the right were taken by the MODerate-resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) onboard NASA's Terra satellite.  They show wildfires near Missoula, MT on August 14, 2003.

Environmental Impacts:

  • Scores of other fires -- mostly sparked by lightning -- burned across central and western Montana. In the Missoula area, as of Thursday August 14, at least eight wildfires continue to burn and evacuations of more than 900 rural homes remained a possibility. One fire just west of Missoula had burned only about 450 acres, but was threatening 650 homes.

  • Smoke is still  persisting in the Bitterroot Valley, about 15 miles to the south of Missoula, MT, and where the Air Quality Index (AQI) was at the UNHEALTHY level  this morning.  Smoke concentrations in Missoula and Stevensville, have made air quality levels in those locations UNHEALTHY. In the Missoula area, thick smoke forced high school sports teams to practice indoors; Helena, the state capital, and Butte were at the UNHEALTHY FOR SENSITIVE INDIVIDUALS level; It is still very smoky in Glacier Park, about 150 miles north of Missoula, and the north Flathead Valley.  Concentrations in West Glacier are at VERY UNHEALTHY  levels.

  • In Idaho, more than 2,300 firefighters fought wildfires burning on more than 37,000 acres in rugged backcountry. Crews were protecting homes and other property in several areas, where flames could mushroom through tinder-dry timber.

  • The National Interagency Fire Center reported on Wednesday, August 13 that 57 large fires were burning in the West. Wildfires have scorched 2.11 million acres so far this season, still below the 2.96 million acres of an average season to this date.

  • One local fire official indicated that, due to the large number of fires and lack of resources, it is unreasonalbe to expect that every fire in the area will be contained or controlled "by anything other than nature."
Image NTSC 720x486 030815_01_tva.jpg shows wildfires near Missoula, MT on August 14, 2003.
Image NTSC 720x486 030815_02_tva.jpg is the save as above, with limited annotations.
Image NTSC 720x486 030815_03_tva.jpg is the same as above, with no annotations.
Image NTSC 640x480 030815_01_tvb.jpg wildfires near Missoula, MT on August 14, 2003.
Image NTSC 640x480 030815_02_tvb.jpg is the same as above, with limited annotations.
Image NTSC 640x480 030815_03_tvb.jpg is the same as above, with no annotations.

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