2013 Summer Assessment

John WinderCAL FIRE Sacramento Headquarters

2013 Summer Assessment

2013 Summer Assessment• Brief Review of 2012 Fire Season

• Winter of 2012/2013 – Climate & Weather

• Resulting Fuels Conditions

• Potential Scenarios for the Summer of 2013

Fire Season 2012• Major Departure From 2010 & 2011

• Started with Spring Lightning

• Extended Monsoons Tracked West

• Thunderstorm Winds

• Fuels Conditions Supported Large Fires

Precipitation

Year

JanuaryPrecip (in.)

February precip

Marchprecip

Aprilprecip

4-Month total (in.)

Percent of Normal

NORMALPrecip.

5.96 5.51 4.37 2.48 18.32 100%

1964 3.91 0.15 1.03 0.33 5.42 29.6%

1976 0.82 3.53 1.37 2.79 8.51 46.4%

1984 0.42 3.21 1.58 3.02 8.23 44.9%

THIS YEAR2013 0.93 0.58 3.45 1.90 6.86 37.4%

Driest January through April at ReddingAirport/ North Ops in 49 years (since ‘64)

Live Fuel Moisture

WILDCARDS• Lightning/Monsoon Tracks

• North Winds

• Summer Weather

• Santa Ana Season Severity

• Season Ending Event

2013 Summer Assessment

ANY QUESTIONS?