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mike
What box?
Joined: 30 Dec 2002
Posts: 3134
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 Posted: 6/22/2005, 1:45 pm Post subject: Fires erupt in Tonto forest |
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| azcentral.com wrote: |
Fires erupt in Tonto forest
Holly Johnson
The Arizona Republic
Jun. 22, 2005 12:45 PM
Wildfire season continued to rage in full force Wednesday, as a spate of potentially volatile fires erupted in Tonto National Forest northeast of the Valley.
Officials will begin fighting the "Bronco"and "Humbolt" fires today, said Vincent Picard, a spokesman for the U.S. Forest Service. The Bronco fire has consumed about 200 acres and the Humbolt blaze to the north has ravaged 300 more.
Both fires were started by lightning strikes last night and are 8 to 10 miles apart. Several private homes in Red Rover have been evacuated, according to Picard, and smoke from the blazes is visible on the Loop 101 freeway north Scottsdale.
"The Humbolt in particular is causing some concern," he said. "There are some power lines in the area, and some in-holdings, some private pieces of property inside the forest. We're asking people to leave because of concerns with what the fire's doing in the area."
The Central West Zone Incident Management Team will take over management of the fires late tonight or tomorrow, Picardsaid. That team has been fighting the "Sunset Point" fire near Black Canyon City since Monday.
Six engines, four helicopters and four heavy air tankers have been tackling Humbolt, while a crew of 30 wildland firefighters and five Rural/Metro Fire Department engines have been working the Bronco fire.
Meanwhile, two more fires in Payson ranger district of Tonto National Forest have left crews scrambling.
The "Cedar" and "Bench" fires near Pine and Strawberry have consumed about 100 acres altogether.
"They're close to each other, but that area is still relatively green and it's not spreading as quickly as it could," Picard said. "That's good news, because that's not a good area for a wildfire. It's close to towns and could make a run. But there's enough moisture that they're not going to."
Near Roosevelt Lake, the "Three" fire has scorched about 1,200 acres. All were caused by lightning strikes.
"It's just like the Willow fire last year," Picardsaid. "It's the same situation. We have an afternoon weather system that brought storms to the Tonto,and in that afternoon we had seven fires start. We caught six of them, and the Willow got away from us. It happens when a storm front moves in: it starts a bunch of fires across the forest."
Elsewhere in Arizona, crews are tackling three large fires that have forced fire officials to reallocate resources.
• In Tucson, crews are working on a developing "Cottonwood"fire on Mount Lemmon.
• The "Sunset Point" fire, which closed both lanes of I-17 near Black Canyon City Monday and Tuesday, grew to 6,900acres but is 50 percent contained, said Wendell Peacock, a spokesman for the Central West Zone Incident Management Team. Five elite crews are wrapping up suppression operations on that blaze and are preparing to move onto new fires.
Now, Peacock's concern is motorists driving too fast where crews are still working.
"Firefighters are in there to make sure charred guardrails are completely out, and that's where the danger from leadfooted motorists and looky-loos comes in," he said. "The fire's dangerous enough without having some totally innocent, well-meaning citizen coming around a corner at 90 mph and ramming one of our fire engines."
• The "Goldwater" fire, located on the Barry Goldwater Air Force range 10 miles north of Ajo, has grown to more than 30,000 acres and is 5 percent contained. It is threatening nearby power lines, the Tohono O'odham Nation, one home, a graveyard and the Ajo airport. Power was briefly interrupted to Ajo and Why yesterday when APS de-energized lines near the fire leading to those communities. Officials do not yet know when the fire will be contained.
• The "Aztec" fire, located 4 miles south of Patagonia in Coronado National Forest, has scorched 1,300 acres and is 50 percent contained. Officials expect full containment by 10 a.m. Thursday. |
http://www.azcentral.com/news/articles/0622Fire22-ON.html
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RedRoxx44
Queen of the Walkabout
Joined: 15 Jan 2004
Posts: 1167
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| Posted: 6/22/2005, 6:41 pm Post subject: |
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Watched the smoke from the "Cottonwood" fire today, pretty low in the Catalina foothills actually. Saw some helicopters late today and one small firespotter type plane. Near the Charlou Gap area. Quite a few homes back in those foothills and windy today so not a good scenario. That area is quite rough for foot crews.
I wish them safety and good luck.
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Nighthiker
Joined: 05 Jan 2003
Posts: 1714
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| Posted: 6/27/2005, 9:55 pm Post subject: |
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| Missed the news tonight, hope the crews can hold the Cavecreek complex fire on the Bloody Basin Line. Was in town today and it looked like it made a major run this afternoon. |
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Daryl
Joined: 07 Feb 2003
Posts: 1168
Location: Everett, Washington
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| Posted: 6/28/2005, 10:55 am Post subject: |
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heard last night that bloody basin did not hold.
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