AZ fires

[Big N' Blue]

Everyone keep their thoughts and prayers for the fine people in Alpne AZ. Burning up some wonderful country!!

[driftwood blue]

was just out there.. the road to Paradise was closed due to fires.
have a nephew that lives at Show Low.. guess he is probably getting fire duty again. about 3 years back they had to evacuate his home and he was working the fire.
it sure is dry and windy out there

[thelineman]

What resorts burnt up? They said on the news here three had burnt up.

[Orion Guide]

Makes my stomoack sick everytime I look out my window and see that big ol smoke plume rising up!!!

[Benny G]

Dave,
I don't know if you are aware or not, but it has burned ALL of Billy's summer country up. They are still on the Blue, but the only way in and out is Pueblo Park. The fire is knocking on Sam Luce's door, the fire fighters are setting back fires around Sam's yesterday and today. It's getting pretty close to Larry Hendrix's house as well.

[Grzyadms4x4]

Channel 15 or something had some "exclusive" information and photos from what I think was a Apache County government guy and it looked like this fire isn't going to be as bad as it seems. From what they showed it isn't torching the tops of the trees as much as just clearing the underbrush. I heard that about 60000 acres in the last few days were from back burn operations and that might be what the guy had photographs of, but lets just hope that it doesn't make scorched earth of everything like some fires do. The one down south is pretty bad too. It has, from what the fire maps show, burned up that whole little sky island down there.

[Big N' Blue]

Thanks for the update Benny G, this is a sickening situation. Makes me feel pretty useless.
Talked to Sonny Tapia last night and the sadness in his voice made me cry. We must remember that everything happens for a reason and to trust in God's judgement. Everything will work out in the end. Just wish there was something I could do to help!

[Benny G]

I talked to Patty Swapp late last night. She lives in Luna, and has radio contact with Larry. Hendrix had just called her and said that the fire had crested over the top of Escudilla Mountain, and he could see the flames now. Patty's husband, Dennis had been to Larry's to help build fire lines, and he said that there were already burned places on the sides of the trees for a couple of days from the embers coming off of the fire and spotting several miles ahead of the main blaze.

I'm not there, so I can't say from first hand knowlege, but I fought the Rodeo/Chedeski fire. With the fire spotting several miles ahead constantly like this fire has been doing from the start, I don't see how it can be a ground fire. A ground fire just doesn't travel as fast as this fire is traveling.

Log onto http://www.inciweb.org/incident/2262/

[Orion Guide]

Well if it wasnt for that spotted owl they could of cleared some of that area already and maybe the fire wouldnt of been so bad huh.

[Grzyadms4x4]

Well if it wasnt for that spotted owl they could of cleared some of that area already and maybe the fire wouldnt of been so bad huh.

Aint that the truth!

Benny, thanks for helping on the Rodeo fire. That was a terrible mess. Here are some pictures that show a little of both crown fires and ground running. http://www.inciweb.org/incident/photographs/2262/
I guess i'm just hoping that this will be good for the forest instead of the scorched earth that was left after the rodeo-chedeski fire.

[Benny G]

It's not about that dumb ass spotted owl. It's about CONTROL. It's about WORSHIPPING THE CREATION INSTEAD OF THE CREATOR. It's always been about the wildlands project. 99% of the time, decisions that are made HAVE NO EFFECT ON THE POS's THAT ARE MAKING THEM!

For all of the environMENTAL activists out there, aren't all of those dead, black, sticks that are left standing amongst the brush that is taking over in place of the trees, just absolutely beautiful?

[raxntrax]

It is very sad that some of the most beautiful country in the nation is scarred forever just because of one careless person. The loss to all of the people in that part of the country is devistating to say the least. The emotional and financial destruction caused by this will last for decades. I know it is hard to BELIEVE right now but the good LORD won't lead you to anything he can't lead you through. Keep the FAITH.

I have a friend that lives on the west side of the river in Alma NM. I haven't been able to get in touch with him for a while(which is not unusual). The only fire maps I have seen look like he should be OK. Does anyone know if it burned that far to the east?

[Big N' Blue]

[quote="raxntrax"]It is very sad that some of the most beautiful country in the nation is scarred forever just because of one careless person. The loss to all of the people in that part of the country is devistating to say the least. The emotional and financial destruction caused by this will last for decades. I know it is hard to BELIEVE right now but the good LORD won't lead you to anything he can't lead you through. Keep the FAITH.

Very well said! We need to keep the prayers going and all will be fine.

[Benny G]

The fire hasn't gotten close to Alma. It is burning in a more northerly direction. I talked to a friend in Springerville earlier, and she said that a lot of folks were already leaving Springerville and Eagar. It is inevitable that both towns will be evacuated, as will Luna, NM. The back fires aren't slowing the fire down, due to high winds and the fact that the fire is in the crowns, so it's blowing right over the top of all of the efforts. The winds are only 40 MPH today, as compared with 60 MPH yesterday.

[Average Joe]

My Mom,Uncles, and a set of Grand parents who live in Eagar got the mandatory evacuation call today.