Open-Source Fire Science
Open-Source Fire Science
In first four days after ignition, the Creek Fire expanded 20,000-50,000 acres per day while satellite active fire detection data showed sustained active burning, indicating consumption of large fuel elements. Below is a simulation of the first day.
Attributed to strong upcanyon winds in the San Joaquin River Valley, we find rapid growth driven in the first day by generation of an anticyclonic mesoscale vortex containing updraft cores (red) exceeding 25 m/s over the fire surrounded by a ring of compensating downdraft (blue) that rapidly pushed winds north up the river valley.