Updated: 7:08 p.m. May 30
First discovered: 11 days ago, 2:23 p.m. May 19
Initial location: Kern County, Calif.
Fire type: Wildfire
Fire name: Jaw
Jaw Fire initially started 2:23 p.m. May 19 in Kern County, Jawbone Canyon.
After being active for 11 days, it has burned 4,327 acres of private land. A fire crew of 16 has been working on site and, as of Friday evening, they managed to contain 90% of the fire. The cause remains undetermined. Currently, the cost for addressing this wildfire stands at $910,000.
The primary fuel for the fire is one-foot short grass.
Understanding the impact of short grass as wildfire fuel
Due to the easily ignitable nature of short grass, a fire will spread rapidly, but it will consume the available fuel quickly, resulting in relatively short burn times. The flames have low to moderate intensity compared to wildfires fueled by heavier vegetation. During periods of high winds or low humidity, there’s a potential for increased fire behavior. Grassland fires create minimal smoke and there’s reduced risk of deep-seated hotspots compared to wildfires burning on heavier fuels.
Fire containment
What does 90% containment mean?
The percentage indicates how much of the fire perimeter has been surrounded by a control line. In this case, it means that 90% of the wildfire is halted from spreading, while 10% is still uncontrolled.
Containment is part of a larger plan for managing a wildfire. It is normally expressed as a percentage and it refers to how much of the fire perimeter has been surrounded/enclosed by a control line that firefighters create. The containment percentage indicates a certain level of control, but it doesn’t always correlate to safety level. Also, it’s important to note that containment doesn’t mean a fire is out.
How is containment measured?
The incident’s central command constantly receives progress reports from firefighters on the ground. As the fireline is constructed, inspected or reinforced, mappers record those details to adjust the containment percentage. The percentage tells the public how much of the fire perimeter is believed to not go beyond the control lines.
Source: National Interagency Fire Center