WHITES LEVEE 2 FIRE UPDATE
Fire Start: The fire was discovered on Saturday morning, September 2, 2000.
Probable Cause: Thunderstorms moving through the refuge area on the evening of Friday, September 1, lead to the determination that the fire was lightning caused.
Resources/Equipment: Three Southwest Area Service engines from McFaddin, Brazoria and Sabine National Wildlife Refuges are assigned, as well as one amphibious engine. These resources have been actively involved since initial attack began on Saturday. A Type 3 Bell-206L light helicopter, reassigned from wildfires in Idaho and Montana, is dropping water on any aggressively burning areas. It will probably be kept on for future support.
Fire Location: The fire is located in a remote portion of the McFaddin National Wildlife Refuge. It is burning south of the Gulf Intracoastal Waterway between the Whites and Perkins levees.
Fire Size: Following an aerial surveillance flight conducted this morning, the fire was estimated to be 12,000 acres.
Fuel Type: Marsh grass.
Fire Behavior: Fire activity has diminished somewhat due to an afternoon thunderstorm. Crews are currently concentrating on securing the northeast corner of the fires perimeter, which contains two unburned areas. Fifty-foot flame lengths experienced yesterday hampered crew suppression efforts.
Containment: Estimated at 90-percent containment. Full containment is expected sometime tomorrow. Crews have begun mop up of burned areas.
Structure Loss: Currently no structures are threatened. The fire burned through an abandoned oil facility over the holiday weekend and did burn a refuge fence line.
Problems: Extreme temperatures and low humidity have resulted in tinder dry fuels. These factors, combined with dry lightning, contribute to the red flag conditions existing throughout most of the southern United States. Marsh access impeded earlier fire suppression efforts. Flame lengths of 50 feet were observed during activities yesterday. The recent National draw of qualified resources to the western United States has reduced the availability of resources and equipment.
Safety: Safety of all personnel assigned to this fire is the main priority. Ongoing extreme temperatures of 110 degrees raises chances for heat related scenarios. Smoke related to the fire is currently dispersing over the Gulf of Mexico, away from area communities.
Note: On Saturday, September 2, a lightning strike initiated a fire start on private lands which threatened the Texas Point National Wildlife Refuge adjacent to McFaddin. Initial response was conducted by refuge staff and the City of Port Arthur Fire Department resulting in full containment of that fire. Lightning strikes over the past weekend also initiated a new start at the Aransas National Wildlife Refuge east of Corpus Christi, Texas.
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is the principal Federal agency responsible for conserving, protecting, and enhancing fish, wildlife and plants and their habitats for the continuing benefit of the American people. The Service manages the 93-million acre National Wildlife Refuge System comprised of more than 520 national wildlife refuges, thousands of small wetlands, and other special management areas. It also operates 66 national fish hatcheries, 64 fish and wildlife management assistance offices, 64 fishery resource offices and 78 ecological services field stations. The agency enforces Federal wildlife laws, administers the Endangered Species Act, manages migratory bird populations, restores nationally significant fisheries, conserves and restores wildlife habitat such as wetlands, and helps foreign governments with their conservation efforts. It also oversees the Federal Aid program that distributes hundreds of millions of dollars in excise taxes on fishing and hunting equipment to state fish and wildlife agencies.
