Call it the "media center effect".
Every hurricane approaching New York City gets 24/7 coverage, every fire in the hills above Los Angeles is the hottest ever.
The classic example is Wisconsin's Great Peshtigo fire which started on the same day, October 8, 1871, as the Great Chicago Fire.
The Peshtigo fire, 250 miles north of the Chicago conflagration killed at least 1500, and more likely 2500, people while burning 1.2 million acres versus the Chicago toll of 2000 acres and 250 - 300 lives,
Here's the National Interagency Fire Center data through October 30, 2019:
|
Firefighters continue to work toward containment goals on 12
large fires in four states. Conditions in California continue to
challenge suppression efforts. Weather: The current Foehn Wind episode will reach it’s peak today across California. Expect very windy conditions and single digit humidities in prone areas. Winds will continue through the overnight period. High pressure along the West Coast will move on shore and inland by afternoon. This will allow for continued dry conditions. Middle and upper elevations and also coastal areas will see temperatures that are well above average. However, the lower valleys and basins will likely see the development of strong valley temperature inversions. A breezy northwesterly flow will continue across the Great Plains in the wake of a passing cold front that should cross the Mississippi River around mid-day. As it does so, moisture from the Gulf of Mexico will be drawn north and should bring wetting rainfall to both the Appalachian Mountains and areas east. Widespread significant fire weather concerns are not expected today. |
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| Daily statistics 10/30/19 | ||
| Number of new large fires or emergency response | 4 | States currently reporting large fires: |
| Number of active large fires Total does not include individual fires within complexes. |
14 | Arizona (2) California (6) Colorado (4) Utah (2) |
| Acres from active fires | 113,026 | |
| Fires contained | 0 | |
| Year-to-date statistics | ||
| 2019 (1/1/19 - 10/30/19) | Fires: 44,545 | Acres: 4,554,331 |
| 2018 (1/1/18 - 10/30/18) | Fires: 50,860 | Acres: 8,240,081 |
| 2017 (1/1/17 - 10/30/17) | Fires: 52,699 | Acres: 8,830,898 |
| 2016 (1/1/16 - 10/30/16) | Fires: 51,431 | Acres: 5,012,778 |
| 2015 (1/1/15 - 10/30/15) | Fires: 53,798 | Acres: 9,407,571 |
| 2014 (1/1/14 - 10/30/14) | Fires: 42,981 | Acres: 3,260,427 |
| 2013 (1/1/13 - 10/30/13) | Fires: 42,008 | Acres: 4,111,498 |
| 2012 (1/1/12 - 10/30/12) | Fires: 51,352 | Acres: 8,968,251 |
| 2011 (1/1/11 - 10/30/11) | Fires: 63,601 | Acres: 8,232,788 |
| 2010 (1/1/10 - 10/30/10) | Fires: 61,736 | Acres: 3,182,499 |
| 2009 (1/1/09 - 10/30/09) | Fires: 73,342 | Acres: 5,774,397 |
| 10-year average Year-to-Date | ||
| 2009-2018 | Fires: 54,381 | Acres: 6,502,119 |
....MORE
