The Tennessee Division of Forestry expecting this weekend’s rainfall to decrease the threat for wildfires across the Upper Cumberland.
Upper Cumberland Outreach Unit Leader Megan Carpenter said the state typically sees its fire season run from mid-October through May.
“So right now we are definitely excited to see the rain come in this weekend and wet the fuel that is on the ground, increase that fuel moisture,” Carpenter said. “That’s always a good thing. We’re never going to complain about that. But generally speaking there’s not a exceptionally high level of fire danger that is specifically linked to the drought.”
Carpenter said drought conditions are only one piece of what forestry officials consider when evaluating wildfire threat. The condition of fire fuels such as leaves, brush and downed trees are also important when considering the wildfire threat.
“At this point in time what we are seeing is that there is certainly a drought in place,” Carpenter said. “However, there’s still a lot of leaves on the trees so there’s still a canopy. That helps buffer the wind, it helps keep the forest floor cool and moist. And it also means that there’s not a ton of dry fuel on the ground yet.”
That assessment can change quickly as fall progresses and conditions across the forest change.
“If you see a situation where the leaves have fallen to the ground, they’re dry, we’re not getting good wetting dews, the humidity is low, wind is brisk,” Carpenter said. “Those are the types of situations where it is very much easier for fires to start and to spread. But it really is a very complex set of circumstances that impact it.”
How long this weekend’s rainfall provides relief is harder to predict. Carpenter said smaller fuels can dry within hours in the sun, while larger fuels can retain moisture longer.
“Rain is always a good thing,” Carpenter said. “We always want to wet down the fuels. How it will impact fire season down the road really depends on how much we get, what fuels are being wet, and a lot of other conditions that impact how the air and the moisture in the fuels interact with each other.”
