Red flags to warn of fire danger
Source: Helena Independent Record, by Eve Byron
June 29, 2007
Large red flags will be hoisted over various locales in Jefferson, Broadwater and Lewis and Clark counties this summer to warn people when the wildfire hazard is high.
The flags feature a graphic flame in the center of a circle with a slash through it to symbolize “no burning.”
Amy Teegarden, spokesperson for the Helena National Forest, said the flags are flown in a few other states, but this is the first attempt at the visual fire danger reminder in Montana.
“This isn’t saying that there are fire restrictions, but a reminder to people on an afternoon when there is the high potential for fire danger,” Teegarden said.
Verbal red-flag warnings have been used by firefighters for years to signify hazardous conditions. They’re issued over pagers when the National Weather Service determines there’s a possibility — or even the onset — of critical weather and fuel moisture conditions that could lead to rapid or dramatic increases in wildfire activity.
Red flag conditions could be due to low relative humidity, strong winds, dry fuels, the possibility of dry lightning strikes, or a combination of those factors.
Teegarden said the plan calls for raising the flag only when conditions call for it.
“We don’t want to leave it up so people get complacent,” she said. “But I suspect that if it goes up early on an afternoon, it will stay up for the majority of the day.”
Red flag warnings typically are issued for events within a 24-hour time period.
Pat McKelvey, spokesperson for the Tri-County FireSafe Working Group, said that the red flag warning is similar to what’s issued in hurricane-prone areas.
“When a hurricane is imminent, a warning system is initiated to alert residents to take extra precautions,” McKelvey said. “Wildfires are a part of reality in this area and residents need to be alerted to when extra caution and consideration are needed when burning.”
The red flags will fly over the York, Baxendale, Marysville, East Valley, and West Valley volunteer fire department stations; over the Montana Department of Natural Resources and Conservation’s central land office; over the Montana City Store and a Boulder grocery store; over a private landowner’s home in the Scratchgravel Hills; over the City of Helena wastewater treatment plant; and over the Helena and Townsend ranger district offices.
McKelvey wants people to be aware that the fire danger exists now even though it appears to be green and moist outdoors — especially with the Fourth of July fireworks season coming up.
“We’ve already had one fire up Dry Creek out of Boulder, and obviously there’s things going on in West (Yellowstone) and up in Utica,” McKelvey said, as well as a small fire Tuesday in the Scratchgravel Hills. “We’re just asking people not to do anything stupid. We always suggest that they have water handy if they’ve got to shoot off fireworks.”
He also reminds the public that fireworks are illegal on both state and federal public lands.
More Information
For information on local fire weather, go to www.wrh.noaa.gov/tfx
For information on local fire danger conditions, go to www.fs.fed.us/r1/
helena/fire/dispatch or www.fs.fed.us/r1/fire/nrcg/restrictions .
To report a wildland fire, call 444-4242 or dial 911.
