DESCRIPTIVE TEXT NARRATIVE FOR SMOKE/DUST OBSERVED IN SATELLITE IMAGERY
THROUGH 0245Z August 11, 2009
Central/Western Canada/Central/Northern US: Earlier Today A large area of smoke is spreading south across central Canada starting in parts of western/central Northwest Territories and moving south across most of Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba. A small section of smoke has moved into parts of northern/western Quebec. From this area, Very dense smoke is located over a large section of central/southern Saskatchewan, Manitoba and western Quebec. An area of moderately dense smoke spreads over central parts of the Northwest Territories with another area of moderately dense smoke located over central Saskatchewan, Manitoba and northern Quebec. In the US, an area of very dense smoke stretches across eastern Montana, central/eastern North Dakota and western Minnesota. Moderately dense smoke extends over a large section of the northern Plains and Upper Mississippi Vally with light smoke extending into the central Plains. Cloud cover across the region is blocking the full view of smoke. Currently: Smoke continues to move toward the east now reaching the Ohio Valley, Upper Great Lakes and into western Ontario. Most of the dense smoke mentioned earlier in the day is now mostly moderate in density. California/Nevada: Earlier Today: The La Brea Fire in northern Santa Barbara county is producing a large area of smoke moving north into central/northern parts of the state and even a small area of southern Nevada. Dense smoke has spread as far north as Stanislaus county with moderately dense smoke as far as the southern/central Bay area and as far east as the central Valley. Light smoke has moved into the North Bay area and small area in southern California that has moved east across the region and into southern Nevada. Currently: From this wildfire, some moderately dense smoke can be seen off the coast of central California. The smoke that was in southern Nevada has moved farther east NE into southern Utah. The northern edge of smoke now is combining with the smoke from the Shu Lightning wildfire burning in Shasta county along with other fires burning across that county. Oregon: Numerous fires popping up over the last few hours are producing mostly moderately dense to dense smoke moving east NE. Arizona: Numerous wildfires burning in the central section of the state are producing light to moderately dense smoke moving east. A couple of wildfires are emitting dense smoke. J Kibler More information on the areas of smoke described above as well as others can be found at the locations listed below. THE FORMAT OF THIS TEXT PRODUCT IS BEING MODIFIED. IT WILL NO LONGER DESCRIBE THE VARIOUS PLUMES THAT ARE ASSOCIATED WITH ACTIVE FIRES. THESE PLUMES ARE DEPICTED IN VARIOUS GRAPHIC FORMATS ON OUR WEB SITE: JPEG: http://www.osdpd.noaa.gov/ml/land/hms.html GIS: http://www.firedetect.noaa.gov/viewer.htm KML: http://www.ssd.noaa.gov/PS/FIRE/kml.html THIS TEXT PRODUCT WILL CONTINUE TO DESCRIBE SIGNIFICANT AREAS OF SMOKE WHICH HAVE BECOME DETACHED FROM AND DRIFTED SOME DISTANCE AWAY FROM THE SOURCE FIRE, TYPICALLY OVER THE COURSE OF ONE OR MORE DAYS. IT WILL ALSO STILL INCLUDE DESCRIPTIONS OF BLOWING DUST. ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS REGARDING THESE CHANGES OR THE SMOKE TEXT PRODUCT IN GENERAL SHOULD BE SENT TO SSDFireTeam@noaa.gov