This seminar is part of the USFS Missoula Fire Lab Seminar Series.

The Rice Ridge fire ultimately burned over 150,000 acres in western Montana in the summer of 2017. Two days stand out in particular, September 2ndand 3rd. Both days were hot, dry, and windy with Red Flag warnings issued by the local NWS office. However, on the 2ndthe fire consumed roughly 12,000 acres, whereas on the 3rdit developed a pyrocumulus and burned almost 50,000 acres. In this talk, we will investigate the atmospheric differences between the two days that likely led to the development of a pyrocumulus and propose a technique forecasters can use to track and forecast pyrocumulus potential.