image: 'Fighting fire with fire' is the mantra for the Cliff Creek fire five miles north of Bondurant, Wyoming. This means that firefighters will set a controlled burn that will burn strips of vegetation to create a barrier to the oncoming Cliff Creek fire by using up all the available fuel between the burnout and the Cliff Creek fire. This most likely began on July 24 and is continuing until the barrier is complete. Residents will most likely see increased smoke while this operation continues. The fire began as a lightning strike on July 17 and has grown to 14,629 acres. It is currently 10% contained. Low humidity and gusty winds predicted in the area will likely help the fire to grow. A high Haines Index which measures the potential for dry, unstable air to contribute to the development of large or erratic wildland fires also is predicting fire growth and increased fire activity. The Lava Mountain fire is burning 20 miles north of Dubois, Wyoming, and was started by a lightning strike on July 10, 2016. Because of the dense nature of the area where the lightning struck and the fire began, it was difficult for firefighters to pinpoint where the fire was. It wasn't until the July 16 that firefighters located the fire as it had grown to 250 acres due to increased temperatures and wind. There are significant amounts of dead and downed trees in the area making it even more hazardous for firefighters to perform their central duties of fighting the fire. The fire has grown to 5,488 acres and is A fire weather watch is in effect for the fire area. This means that due to warmer temperatures, lower humidity, and increased winds, more active fire behavior can be expected. The image was collected by the Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite (VIIRS) on the Suomi NPP satellite on July 24, 2016. Suomi NPP is managed by NASA, NOAA and the US Department of Defense. view more
Credit: NASA image courtesy Jeff Schmaltz LANCE/EOSDIS MODIS Rapid Response Team, GSFC. Caption by Lynn Jenner