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How hot do wildfires get? 

• 570 F degrees - TEMPERATURE AT WHICH WOOD WILL BURST INTO FLAMES
• 2,200 F degrees - TEMPERATURE WILDFIRES COULD REACH IN EXTREME CONDITIONS

USGS fire science informs land, water, and emergency management decisions. Each year tens of thousands of wildfires cause billions of dollars of damage. 

Fast-moving, highly destructive debris flows triggered by intense rainfall are one of the most dangerous post-fire hazards. The risk of floods and debris flows after fires increases due to vegetation loss and soil exposure. Cases of sudden and deadly debris flow are well documented along the western United States, particularly in Southern California.

USGS scientist Peter Kelly is recognized for his work to design, optimize, and commercialize Multi-GAS technology for monitoring of geothermal and volcanic gas emanations. Notably, he spent almost a decade designing, engineering, and perfecting a system of geochemical sensors for both portable and semi-permanent remote deployment.

Aerial photo of Mount St. Helens (center), with Mount Hood (in the distance, far left), Spirit Lake (on left with floating log mat), and St. Helens Lake with a little ice cover (lower left). USGS image taken by K. Spicer on June 6, 2024. 

The eruption on Kīlauea's Southwest Rift Zone remained paused on Tuesday, June 4, but Hawaiian Volcano Observatory geologists visited the area to take measurements of the previous day's lava flows. Here, a geologist examines part of the lava flow from fissure 2.

Lava fountains from the June 3, 2024 fissure eruption in Kīlauea's Southwest Rift Zone were estimated to have reached as high as 20 meters (66 feet), with an average height of 10 meters (33 feet). 

While observing the new fissure eruption in Kīlauea's Southwest Rift Zone, HVO scientists in the field were treated to views of rainbow terminating in the cloud of volcanic gases. USGS photo by Tricia Nadeau (HVO)

Scientists observed cracks in previous eruptive surfaces near the new fissure eruption southwest of Kīlauea's summit on June 3, 2024. These cracks ranged from a few centimeters (inches) to approximately 2 meters (6.6 feet) wide.

Frothy, glassy fragments of lava from the fountains of Kīlauea's June 3 eruption fissures were found scattered around newly-erupted lava flows. These tephra contain valuable geochemical information about the magma which fueled the eruption. USGS image by D. Downs. 

A new eruption began along Kīlauea's Southwest Rift Zone on June 3, 2024, and this map depicts activity on the eruption's first day. New lava flows are shown in red, only covering about 88 acres (36 hectares) of ground within relatively short distances of the eruptive fissures.

In this photo taken at about 6 a.m. HST on June 3, both lava fountains (left) and emissions of volcanic ash (right) are visible erupting from the new fissures in Kīlauea's Southwest Rift Zone. The ash is dark gray, while the remainder of the whitish plumes are composed of steam and other volcanic gases. USGS photo by Tricia Nadeau (HVO)

A field team of HVO geochemists visited the site of Kīlauea's Southwest Rift Zone fissure eruption to measure gases released from the fissures. The team used a Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectrometer, an instrument that detects gas compositions on the basis of absorbed infrared light. USGS photo by Tricia Nadeau (HVO)

How Streamgages are Used in Postfire Flood Forecasting

Stream data is recorded in real time and posted online.

Stream data include water level, velocity, and turbidity.

During storms, rainfall data is compared to the stream data.

The National Weather Service uses the data to issue flood warnings.

Salt marsh in coastal Connecticut. A USGS scientist surveys the marsh in the distance.

Photograph of a salt marsh in coastal Massachusetts (Cape Cod) during USGS field work.

A salt marsh in coastal Massachusetts (Cape Cod) on an overcast yet warm day during USGS field research.

Salt marsh in coastal Massachusetts (Cape Cod) during USGS field work on estuarine ecosystems.

Photograph of a salt marsh with ponding in coastal Connecticut taken during estuarine research field work.

Salt marsh behind impoundment in coastal Connecticut, taken during estuarine research field work.

Photograph of a salt marsh with ponding in coastal Connecticut taken during estuarine research field work.