Weather related unusual fire behavior in the Awbrey Hall Fire

The Awbrey Hall Fire, which occurred in central Oregon during 1990, displayed unusually intense nocturnal fire behavior. The vigorous nighttime activity was related to the meteorological conditions in the low- and mid-troposphere. The meteorological conditions before and during the fire are examined using upper air, satellite and gridded model forecast data, along with Haines Index values throughout the Pacific Northwest. Subtle features in the low-level flow may explain why an unusually strong convective column might form, and lead to rapid growth of the fire. The Haines Index values also agreed with the unusual fire behavior.