September 4, 1998

The WiFE crew departed Jefferson County Airport aboard the NSF/NCAR C130 to observe the Challenge Fire (about 40 mi east northeast of Kalispell, MT) in Flathead National Forest, and several other prescribed natural burns within and near Glacier National Park.

The National Interagency Fire Center's Incident Management Situation Report reported that the fire was expanding on both north and south flanks that day, and that the fire is burning in remote, roadless country, with steep, rocky slopes and rugged terrain.

Data notes (postscript)

Data notes (PDF)

The Challenge Fire and 13 other wildfires and wildfire complexes were quite intense; some were visible from satellite (image from CIRA/RAMM RAMSDIS).