Could be a bad wildfire season

[agesilaus]

Utah and area

Look at that map, northern NM, AZ and southwest CO and southeast Utah could be in trouble. We were out there when they had a lot of wildfires five or 6 years ago and the smoke is awful. Of course the people who life there are most affected but campers should probably look elsewhere that year.

At least keep alert to the current situation before you head out there.

God willing they'll get enough precipitation to prevent this soon.

[mockturtle]

At least there is a ban on campfires and outdoor smoking in most parks in these areas. But there is nothing to prevent lightning-caused fires but a hope that substantial rain will follow.

I was in Alaska in 2015, their worst fire season on record. The smoke was everywhere and obscured much of the spectacular scenery.

[enblethen]

I am not talking local fire services. I am dealing more with Forest Service, BLM and national park fires,
Our rural fire system is very good here. Some of the rigs are at fire fighters home for quicker response. They have small assault trucks but have numerous large brush trucks.

[bikendan]

enblethen wrote:
We have had a couple of small fires here already.
The Federal government(Dept of Interior) is changing our aerial tanker contracts. The plan is to not have tankers on standby, but call them to locations when needed, approximately 48 hours. Old contract had them stationed here on 24 hour and day call.

More stupid decisions by those in charge of Washington fire services.

I'm a retired California state firefighter and have lived in Washington for 4 years now.
The failure to see that big fires are the new norm here and lack of cooperation between the different agencies and lack of statewide mutual aid simply blows my mind.

The DW's cousin is a full time firefighter for Snohomish county and they had no wildland gear and clothing to go on a strike team.
In California, even in big city fire departments, like San Francisco, everyone has wildland gear and training so they can respond as mutual aid for large wildland fires.

[Mortimer_Brewst]

Drought map, compliments of UNL.

[enblethen]

We have had a couple of small fires here already.
The Federal government(Dept of Interior) is changing our aerial tanker contracts. The plan is to not have tankers on standby, but call them to locations when needed, approximately 48 hours. Old contract had them stationed here on 24 hour and day call.

[Lwiddis]

The sky is falling?

[BarryG20]

I have some property in SW Colorado in Montezuma county fire ban went into effect 4/16. The last few years they have had one in place but not that early. La Plata county (Durango area) has stage one fire restrictions as of May 1 as well. As does the San Juan National forest. I wouldn't plan on any campfires in SW Colorado this summer

[Ed_C]

And Florida will get hurricanes and it will snow in the mountains too!

[ppine]

The Four Corners region is in a bad drought.
I am a retired forester and megafires are going to continue since we have practiced fire suppression for 125 years and have greatly reduced harvesting on public lands since 1991. Mismanagement is main cause, not global warming or any of 40 other reasons people come up with.