Town in Peril of Destruction from Aspen Fire

[Arizwx]

Folks,this is not a huge fire..however..a potentially VERY DESTRUCTIVE ONE.

I'm called into El Conquistador Resort less than a mile from my home..where the residents and firefighters are now responding to full evac of Mt Lemmon and the summit peak town of Summerhaven..one of my favorite places to visit...it may not be there much longer tho sadly..the Aspen Fire is utterly out of control and Dry LTG is indicated.Smoke and Flames visable from my view point facing East toward Mt Lemmon near 9K feet asl..check these updates..also you may load the slide show from the azstarnet link below as well as the KVOA Ch 4 Tucson updates...Mt Bigelow neaby also is home to Tucson /TV Media Transmit Towers..lets get those Slurry Bombers airborne dammit!!!Aslo..new fire in the Rincon MTs just SE of TUS..NOT GOOD!
Another night of HVY SMOKE in store for me at Oro Valley again.Winds are due to shift WSW/ESE
Currently 13:01PDT/18JUN03
TUS 101F/Dp48F/SSE 7G18/Sun/Smoke/Hz/High Basers roaming

http://kvoa.com/weather/wxcam.html

http://kvoa.com/stories/6/6182003_18.html

http://regulus.azstarnet.com/hourlyupda ... y.php?id=3

DJ

[Aslkahuna]

is that there are very few Slurry bombers available-I think AZSnow said there were about three available to AZ right now. I know the P-3 and P-2 based out of Libby are both flying today. The C-130's, DC-6's. PB4Y's are all ground pending airworthiness recertification by the FAA. There is a plan to equip National Guard C-130's (which are later models) with tanks for use in fire suppression but they will be used only on the really big ones. If, and that's a big IF, they can keep the fire out of the crown they may be able to save Summerhaven but looking at the UofA webcam-it didn't look too good.

Steve

[azsnowman]

I just saw all this on the news a few seconds ago, how terrible, I feel for those 100+ full time residents forced from their homes. Pretty ironic, we have 7 active fires as of 1800hrs, ppl being evac'd all on the same day as the Rodeo started.

There are now 5 tankers up and online as of this evening, HOPEFULLY 2 more will be up and online in the next 5 days according to Steve Palmer, FMO Apache Sitgraves.

Dennis

[azsnowman]

Also, isn't there a new one in the Rincons that just flared up the last few hours??? Opps, didn't read your whole post DJ......sorry No, this is NOT GOOD at all and the hell of it is, the fire season is just now getting underway, GOD I hope it rains soon

Dennis

[azsnowman]

Add 2 more fires to that list, 2 new fires in the last 15 minutes reported, one near Roosevelt Lake, the other near the Grand Canyon, all lightning strike started, this ain't good folks, not good at all!

Year to date acres burned: 21,150
Last years total to date: 118,000 acres (the Rodeo had just started on this date 18 June '02)


Dennis

[Rainband]

Stay safe guys!!

[Aslkahuna]

The GFS model runs have been consistently indicating that our blast furnace heat burst that preceeds the monsoon is likely to begin at month's end and continue through the Holiday-the monsoon usually starts about 5-7 days after this heat blast peaks which would support a start date of around the 7th or later. If the H5 Heights of 594+ Dm are realized then we are looking at a more or less typical heat blast with temperatures in the 115-122F range in the lower desert and along the CO River Valley, around 112-117F in Phoenix and in the 108-112F range for Tucson (which means 100-104F for Sierra Vista. Should the H5 heights become higher and approach 610 Dm, then we are looking at conditions in the same category as June 1990 and 1994. The run still has the Upper High over southern AZ on July 4th and we need it north of us for the monsoon to start. In the short term, with SW flow ahead of the trough off the CA coast, we can expect drier air, slightly lower temperatures and SW winds kicking up-especially in the higher elevations and in the northern part of the State.

Steve

[M2]

Yep, I did the same thing as you and buzzed over to the UofA webcam
to check things out - they have alot of pix stored on their servers. It's really
dry up Lemmon as I was there a few weeks ago with my cousins. Now some
of these people have trees that touch or overhang their cabins, and they're
mostly at risk...well, they're all at risk but those that don't clean up their
yards of pine needles and cut some trees to make a fire break could be
toast. They're on Leased Land too, so they don't really 'own' it - and that's
a problem with insurance too. It is absolutely gorgeous up there but as
stated, between the bark beetles (these little tiny ant-like things), and the
drought, the lightning, etc. and the dry phase we're in - - - :8:

I head they had free evacuation for residents near Sabino Canyon and at
El Conquistador....nice of them to do that - gorgeous place, good food.
Just hope the fire is contained and people realize they have to clean up
their yards....no debris. Think they'll do it?

[azsnowman]

Here's a link with a lot of good info.

http://www.fs.fed.us/r3/fire/welcome.htm

Dennis

[azsnowman]

http://www.azcentral.com/news/articles/0619fires19.html


Dennis

[Stephanie]

Stay safe guys!

Steve - I hope the GFS is right!

[Arizwx]

Oh what a night in Oro Valley.The fire is lowslung into Marshall Gulch,very forested and surrounded by deep gulches which funnels winds directly INTO the Village of Summerhaven..Last night 28 families were sitting down to BB-Q Steaks and Roasted Chiles and Prickly Pear Wine Coolers prepared by the Hilton El Conquistador Resort free of charge.I sat out,watched carefully as I saw the winds shift SSE to ESE.I knew the fire was 'laying down' as I checked the RAWS data on my laptop as Kids and Dads and Moms tried to relax with cautious optimism.The fire was reacting to a 77%Rh nocturnal,this is expected,as too are the Less than 12%rh expected today,with VERY unfavorable winds coming in hard a Southwest..the WORST sceanrio.
I dared not share much,as my information is not official.However,my 14yr old Christopher and his friend Aaron and my 13yr old wanted more info as they watched from the upper Green of the 9th Tee sipping thier Arizona IceTea.They were waiting for the Moon to rise between Mt Lemmon and Windy Point,just above us..straight up,as we live at the base of Pusch Ridge,the SW Face of the Santa Catalina Range.Stright up and thru from 3K feet to 9K feet,this is Big Sky Country.
Christopher caught a glimpse of the dreaded 'Orange Halo' on the lee side of the Summit....then the wind shifted.Nothing but the Moon Rise.Perfect,Slate Blue Sillouette..nature's Cut Out of Black on Blue on Blue White.I was 50yds from them..in Rattlesnake infested Cholla and Creosote.The Snakes are quiet at night..and the Sidewinder has no rattle at all.I knew by the big Lobo Coyote there were snakes to be hunted.He howled as the Moon Rose.The Moonrise lit the 9th Green like stadium lights
in Blue ..I saw Christopher,Aaron and Colin calming a young girl..13yrs named Courtney.She begged for information..'please ask'she said.
I turned her attention to Orion and Sirius..the 'Dog Star'..my boys know the Heavans well and it kept her occupied ...I saw her an hour later,asleep next to my chair on the Patio near the green,my Spaniel 'Franklin',curled aside her..I covered her up and said my prayers..this is the Fiery West just before the 'Huachuca' brings the Rain.

"I said too much ..and not enough
Sitting in the Spotlight in the moon
I thought I heard her Laughing..Sing
I think I thought I saw you try
I think that I heard her Cry
That is me in the Corner..In the Spotlight
Losin' my Religion
I dont know If I can do it
I thought that I heard her sing
I think That I saw her try
That was just a dream..cry,try..
A Dream..Just a Dream.'
REM

Updates;

http://www.azstarnet.com/wildfire/30619 ... EMAIN.html

[M2]

...and I Won't Be Coming Back This Way Again".

Summerhaven is gone; at least 200 homes burnt to the ground.
This was my backyard, I worked on Mt Lemmon, spent most of my
outdoor time in Arizona up there. Camping, fishing, searches, rescues,
skiing, shopping, eating....everything.... At 9000+ feet in elevation, it was
a bit of Canada in the heart of the Sonoran Desert.
Gone, gone. :bcry: :bcry: :bcry: :bcry:


Photo courtesy KTVK Channel 13 News Tucson