Updated: 1:15 p.m. Dec. 12

First discovered: 3 months ago, 3 a.m. Sep. 2

Initial location: Fresno County, Calif.

Fire type: Wildfire, Type 1

Fire name: Salt

Salt Fire initially started 3 a.m. Sep. 2 in Fresno County, 6 Miles S From Coalinga.

After being active for three months, it has burned 25,643 acres of private land. As of Friday afternoon, the blaze has been fully contained by a fire crew of 899. It is still undetermined what caused the fire. So far, the expenses for combating the wildfire stand at $27,145,913.

Short grass, measuring one foot, is the primary fuel for this wildfire.

Wildfire dynamics with short grass as primary 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.

NIFC Fire Complexity Analysis

This wildfire is considered to be a Type 1 incident, which is the most complex. What it means:

• A Type 2 team can be ordered in a short or long configuration. The national standard configuration is the same for all teams. GACCs may adjust the makeup of teams for use in their areas.

• The incident extends into multiple operational periods.

• Operations personnel often exceed 200 per operational period and total personnel will usually exceed 500 (numbers are guidelines only).

• A written action plan is required for each operational period.

• Many of the functional units are needed and staffed.

• The agency administrator will have regular briefings and ensure that WFSAs and delegation of authority are updated.

• Divisions established for span of control are usually established to geographically facilitate work assignments.

• All command and general staff positions are activated.

• Operations personnel often exceed 500 per operational period and total personnel will usually exceed 1,000 (numbers are guidelines only).

• Divisions are established requiring division supervisor qualified personnel.

• May require the establishment of branches.

• Aviation operations often involve several types and numbers of aircraft.

Fire containment

What does 100% containment mean?

Note that full containment doesn’t mean the fire is completely out. In this case, it means that the wildfire has been fully enclosed by a control line and it is now stopped from spreading. A fully contained wildfire may continue to burn within the containment perimeter but is not likely to spread.

However, there’s a significant difference between containing and controlling a wildfire. After the fire is fully contained, the next step is to control it. Controlling a fire means ensuring that the fire can’t spread or cross the containment line.

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