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A fire started at a logging operation during the afternoon of October 1, 1952. Toward evening the size had slowly increased to 20 acres (8 ha). About 9:30 p. m. the fire suddenly became a raging inferno as whirling winds formed within the fire and abruptly multiplied its speed to such strength that chunks of wood and bark up to 8 inches (20 cm) in diameter were thrown about like straws. Logger fire fighters fled for their lives. Within minutes the fire raced through unburned areas for half a mile (0.8 km), increasing to 240 acres (100 ha). [Reprinted in 2003 in Fire Management Today, v. 63, no. 3, pages 59-62.]
[This publication is referenced in the "Synthesis of knowledge of extreme fire behavior: volume I for fire managers" (Werth et al 2011).]
Cataloging Information
- blowup
- catastrophic fires
- climatology
- combustion
- fire control
- fire management
- fire size
- fire spread
- fire suppression
- fire whirls
- firewhirl
- heat effects
- heavy fuels
- mountains
- Oregon
- rate of spread
- slash
- sloping terrain
- topographic effects
- topography
- Washington
- whirlwind
- wildfires
- wind
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