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June 16, 2020 - Magnum Fire
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The North Rim of the Grand Canyon closed on June 12, 2020 due to an extreme behavior of a blaze burning in the forests north of the park. According to Grand Canyon National Park Service, Highway 89A between Bitter Springs and Fredonia and parts of SR 67 were also closed. According to local media, residents and tourists in the Jacob Lake area in Coconino County were evacuated after the Forest Service deemed the Magnum Fire had become a threat to resident and visitor safety.
On June 14, the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) on board NASA’s Terra satellite acquired a true-color image of the Magnum Fire. Red “hot spots” mark locations where the thermal bands on the instrument detected high temperatures while gray smoke poured from most of the hot spots. The smoke was blowing sharply to the northeast, suggesting it was pushed by strong winds. In some areas the hotspots sit side-by-side, forming an arc. This is typical of a large and spreading fire, where fuel in the interior has been consumed, leaving fuel only at the edges to feed the fire. When hot spots sit a distance from a cluster, as seen at the western edge of the Magnum Fire, suggest that hot embers may have sparked burning away from the original location.
According to InciWeb Incident Information System, the Magnum Fire started on June 8 9 miles SW of Jacob Lake at Mangum Springs and is burning in timber (litter and understory), short grass and brush. On June 14, wind was pushing the fire towards the Jacob Lake area. The cause of the fire is currently undetermined and is under investigation.
As of June 15, 436 personnel were fighting the fire, which had scorched 24,708 acres. Containment had reached 2%. InciWeb reported that fuel treatments conducted by the local Ranger District Office have aided in moderating fire behavior, allowing firefighters time to continue to improve defensible space around the Jacob Lake community. This work continued through the night. The community remains at risk, but the risk has diminished from the previous day. However, the fire spotted across containment lines along a road near Magnum Springs on June 14, racing northward into grass, brush and pinion/juniper. Air tankers have responded with fire retardant to limit growth.
The National Weather Service in Flagstaff Arizona has expanded a Red Flag Warning through June 16 for most of northern Arizona, including at the location of this fire. Wind gusts of 35-45 mph and low humidity (5-15%) will continue to create dangerous fire conditions.
Image Facts
Satellite:
Terra
Date Acquired: 6/14/2020
Resolutions:
1km (30.9 KB), 500m (94.6 KB), 250m (265.4 KB)
Bands Used: 1,4,3
Image Credit:
MODIS Land Rapid Response Team, NASA GSFC
The North Rim of the Grand Canyon closed on June 12, 2020 due to an extreme behavior of a blaze burning in the forests north of the park. According to Grand Canyon National Park Service, Highway 89A between Bitter Springs and Fredonia and parts of SR 67 were also closed. According to local media, residents and tourists in the Jacob Lake area in Coconino County were evacuated after the Forest Service deemed the Magnum Fire had become a threat to resident and visitor safety.
On June 14, the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) on board NASA’s Terra satellite acquired a true-color image of the Magnum Fire. Red “hot spots” mark locations where the thermal bands on the instrument detected high temperatures while gray smoke poured from most of the hot spots. The smoke was blowing sharply to the northeast, suggesting it was pushed by strong winds. In some areas the hotspots sit side-by-side, forming an arc. This is typical of a large and spreading fire, where fuel in the interior has been consumed, leaving fuel only at the edges to feed the fire. When hot spots sit a distance from a cluster, as seen at the western edge of the Magnum Fire, suggest that hot embers may have sparked burning away from the original location.
According to InciWeb Incident Information System, the Magnum Fire started on June 8 9 miles SW of Jacob Lake at Mangum Springs and is burning in timber (litter and understory), short grass and brush. On June 14, wind was pushing the fire towards the Jacob Lake area. The cause of the fire is currently undetermined and is under investigation.
As of June 15, 436 personnel were fighting the fire, which had scorched 24,708 acres. Containment had reached 2%. InciWeb reported that fuel treatments conducted by the local Ranger District Office have aided in moderating fire behavior, allowing firefighters time to continue to improve defensible space around the Jacob Lake community. This work continued through the night. The community remains at risk, but the risk has diminished from the previous day. However, the fire spotted across containment lines along a road near Magnum Springs on June 14, racing northward into grass, brush and pinion/juniper. Air tankers have responded with fire retardant to limit growth.
The National Weather Service in Flagstaff Arizona has expanded a Red Flag Warning through June 16 for most of northern Arizona, including at the location of this fire. Wind gusts of 35-45 mph and low humidity (5-15%) will continue to create dangerous fire conditions.
Image Facts
Satellite:
Terra
Date Acquired: 6/14/2020
Resolutions:
1km (30.9 KB), 500m (94.6 KB), 250m (265.4 KB)
Bands Used: 1,4,3
Image Credit:
MODIS Land Rapid Response Team, NASA GSFC
