The Brian Head Fire started on June 17, at 12:20 PM and the cause of the fire is still under investigation but it is believed to be human caused. Currently the fire is 27,744 acres and 809 personnel are tending to this fire. The Brian Head Fire began on lands administered by Brian Head Town, Iron County, in cooperation with Utah Division of Forestry, Fire, and State Lands. It has since burned on to the Dixie National Forest and Color Country District Bureau of Land Management.
Weather conditions do not favor a quick end to the fire as dry northwest winds flow across the fire through early Sunday. Temperatures will remain about 10 degrees above norma with bone dry relative humidity values through Sunday as well.
The Suomi NPP satellite’s Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite (VIIRS) instrument captured this image of the Brian Head fire on June 22, 2017. Actively burning areas, detected by VIIRS are outlined in red. What’s interesting is how far the smoke from the fire carries. In this image smoke is seen hundreds of miles away drifting over central Colorado. While fires are usually contained within their state the smoke from the fires affects people for hundreds to thousands of miles from its origin. The smoke released by any type of fire (forest, brush, crop, structure, tires, waste or wood burning) is a mixture of particles and chemicals produced by incomplete burning of carbon-containing materials. All smoke contains carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide and particulate matter or soot and is hazardous to breathe. Smoke can be devastating to those with respiratory issues.
The Suomi NPP satellite is a joint mission between NASA and NOAA.
NASA image courtesy Jeff Schmaltz, MODIS Rapid Response Team. Caption: NASA/Goddard, Lynn Jenner with information from Inciweb.