image: The Lava Mountain fire (upper right) continues to grow and is currently 12,169 acres in size. Firefighters are using both ground and aerial attacks to combat the blaze. Additionally, firefighters are utilizing natural and man-made barriers to help check the spread of the fire. The fuel being consumed by this fire is a mixed conifer forest with a large amount of bug killed timber. The fire is being pushed by gusty winds from the northwest which have hampered suppression efforts. Numerous evacuations and road closures in the fire area are currently in effect. Weather conditions will remain conductive to fire growth over the next few days. The Cliff Creek fire (lower left) is currently 21,483 acres in size and is 15% contained. Today (July 28) firefighters plan to continue burnouts (setting fire inside a control line to consume fuel between the edge of the fire and the control line). Weather concerns include winds that continue to gust over 20 mph, high temperatures in the 80's, and relative humidity in the teens. The chance of thunderstorms will return to the area today (July 28) with wind gusts to 40 mph and possible lightning strikes. view more
Credit: NASA image courtesy Jeff Schmaltz, MODIS Rapid Response Team. Caption: NASA/Goddard, Lynn Jenner