Inside an Inferno – Scientists Capture Footage From Inside Forest Fire

Fire season has finally arrived. There are currently several fires burning in western Montana. There is the Magpie Rock fire near Ronan, that has burned 3,500 acres. There is also the Bear Creek fire, near the Big Hole, that is burning over 1,500 acres. Thankfully this fire season has been rather mild, compared to years past. We have been no strangers to the devastation a forest fire can bring. From choking on smoke to the falling ash, we have all witnessed an inferno in our past. But, researchers have captured footage of what it is like inside that raging forest fire.

According to NBC 16 in Oregon

Forest fires can reach 2,000 Fahrenheit.

That's about 1/5 the temperature of the surface of the sun.

To investigate, scientists set 2,000 acres of the Fishlake National Forest in Utah on fire this past June.

"More than 40 scientists from multiple agencies participated in the effort, gathering a variety of data on the fire itself and its impacts,” said Pacific Northwest research forester Roger Ottmar, one of the lead scientists for the project. “The data is invaluable to our efforts to predict fire behavior, smoke impacts and the short- and long-term effects of extreme fires.” 

With fire danger levels continuing to be HIGH and hot temperatures in the forcast for next week. We are not done with fire season.

According to NOAA Fire Weather Planning Forecast

northwesterly flow aloft will persist today keeping temperatures
below normal with mid to high level clouds streaming over the region.
Southwest Montana will continue to be fairly dry with gusty westerly
wind causing near critical conditions this afternoon and evening. A
ridge of high pressure will build over the region once again causing
very warm and dry conditions by the weekend. Monsoonal moisture is
anticipated to make into the region by the first part of next week
bringing the possibility of convection.