Aspen Fire Resurrected

[Aslkahuna]

The current weather pattern has resulted in gusty NW winds which have caused the Aspen Fire to flareup on it's southern flank. Sabino Canyon, a popular recreation area, has been closed and the worry is that the fire will head into a Box Canyon and get funneled uphill from where it could take out the Palisades Ranger Station as well as the antenna arrays on Mt. Bigelow. The containment precentage has dropped from 75% to 65% and no change in the pattern through the weekend is expected-except that it could get hotter. The monsoon is not anywhere near starting yet.

Steve

[wx247]

Sorry to hear that Steve. Keep us updated on the situation and I hope you get some rain soon.

[Aslkahuna]

have been evacuated off of Mt. Lemmon and crews are preparing for
structure protection of the Palisades Ranger Station and the antenna arrays on Mt. Bigelow. Flames can be seen from NE Tucson and Sabino Canyon has become a staging area for fire crews. A smoke advisory is in effect for NE and E Tucson. At present no structures are directly threatened and a full out aerial assault is planned for tomorrow-winds permitting of course.

Steve

[M2]

That thing just won't lay down, will it? Now these photos of the cactus
burning and Tucson half-obscured by smoke are alarming. Details
in the article are worse than I expected.....the rest of the mountain
looks like it could go...oh no......
http://www.azstarnet.com/star/today/30703WILDFIRE2fMAIN.html

Nothing to joke about here, didn't intend to be initially blase, sorry....

[Colin]

Sorry to hear this... hope you guys get some rain soon, because you REALLY need it! :o Keep us updated.

[Arizwx]

That thing just won't lay down, will it? Now these photos of the cactus
burning and Tucson half-obscured by smoke are alarming. Details
in the article are worse than I expected.....the rest of the mountain
looks like it could go...oh no......
http://www.azstarnet.com/star/today/30703WILDFIRE2fMAIN.html

Nothing to joke about here, didn't intend to be initially blase, sorry....

Indeed.The latest is that only 60% is contained down from the 70% range,and the firefighters are losing more ground.The Mt Bigelow Battle area is the main concern.More wind nw to 35mph has the rest of the Trans Towers in peril.How bad can this get???REAL BAD.
Over 600 firefighters were sent packin' just 72hrs ago,and talk about allowing Summerhaven residents back in to what is left.Hmmmmmmmm.

Temp102 going for 106F/rh 20%/wind nnw 15 G23/Haze/Sun
Outlook for 4JUL 108+ with nnw winds to 25 G35 in the mountains.

[Aslkahuna]

Red Flag Warning out today according to the latest reports with NW winds expected to gust over 30mph again this afternoon with temperatures even at 100F here in Sierra Vista and the air is dry. The problem is that although the H5 High is in good position, the H7 and 850 Highs are not and the flow is clearly non monsoonal. Last evening we saw the distant anvil tops in Mexico for the first time-the monsoon usually starts 1-2 weeks after that happens. Tomorrow is the average start date in TUS and the 5th here and that is not happening so the monsoon will be late this year as I said in May-the big issue is how late and how effective.

Steve

[M2]

The worst part of this is that they sent back a couple helicopters when those
could have been used to help relocate the jerri-rigged communications
on top of Mt. Bigelow as they did in the first go-around. So the fire is not
only sweeping east/northeast again but also south into Sabino basin.
If it's not flashfloods, it's fire - that area has had its share of grief the
past several years... I recall one big fire up there in the Catalinas where it
was burning on both sides of the road in Molino Basin, the first big
U-turn up the hill from the city with campgrounds/picnic areas, etc. It was
scarred for many years with blackened, dead vegitation and there was
always the concern regarding any rain afterwards of uncontrolled runoff.
Again it seems we have to deal with all those issues again. Pity.

Currently north of you guys: 107F RH10% DP39 WNW10

[Arizwx]

The worst part of this is that they sent back a couple helicopters when those
could have been used to help relocate the jerri-rigged communications
on top of Mt. Bigelow as they did in the first go-around. So the fire is not
only sweeping east/northeast again but also south into Sabino basin.
If it's not flashfloods, it's fire - that area has had its share of grief the
past several years... I recall one big fire up there in the Catalinas where it
was burning on both sides of the road in Molino Basin, the first big
U-turn up the hill from the city with campgrounds/picnic areas, etc. It was
scarred for many years with blackened, dead vegitation and there was
always the concern regarding any rain afterwards of uncontrolled runoff.
Again it seems we have to deal with all those issues again. Pity.

Currently north of you guys: 107F RH10% DP39 WNW10

From South of You,
Interestingly enough,the EnvrioNNuts were out in MASSE as I mentioned the other day,to 'RESCUE' the poor liitle 3" 'Native'Chub Fish from the Sabino Pools at Seven Falls.Too bad they can't get some Fire Togs on and have at it with the REAL pros!

[M2]

Arizwx wrote:
From South of You,
Interestingly enough,the EnvrioNNuts were out in MASSE as I mentioned the other day,to 'RESCUE' the poor liitle 3" 'Native'Chub Fish from the Sabino Pools at Seven Falls.Too bad they can't get some Fire Togs on and have at it with the REAL pros!
_________________

Yes I did read about that. If it isn't the poor ole' spotted owl it's the chub
fish...those are the little guys that swim around in Sabino canyon when there
*is* water in there...you can see them as you walk by the pools going
up the road. Look what happend to the spotted owl in the Rincons; the
fire wiped out there habitat. Mother Nature did that, not us. And if Ma wants
to take the chub, she'll do that too. Now as you claim too, I am basically
an environmentally-conscious person in the grand scheme of things, but
when these pseudo-environmentalist groups - many which are funded out
of the country or via anti-governmental (US) groups - totally inhibit our
sound forest and wildlife management practices, I say "Take Off!". These
are not real environmental groups, they are legal wannabees who find
some nook or crannie in the law and exploit it to 'THEIR' benefit or their
other agendas, not the real actual cause. They just disrupt the political
and legal systems - in actuality, they're instigators themselves and
they've become good at it. They know how the system works and exploit
it. True environmentalists work 'with' the system; they don't try to
break down the system - Anarchists.

Sadly, even saving our local environments has become a political
battleground in the state.

[Arizwx]

Arizwx wrote:
From South of You,
Interestingly enough,the EnvrioNNuts were out in MASSE as I mentioned the other day,to 'RESCUE' the poor liitle 3" 'Native'Chub Fish from the Sabino Pools at Seven Falls.Too bad they can't get some Fire Togs on and have at it with the REAL pros!
_________________

Yes I did read about that. If it isn't the poor ole' spotted owl it's the chub
fish...those are the little guys that swim around in Sabino canyon when there
*is* water in there...you can see them as you walk by the pools going
up the road. Look what happend to the spotted owl in the Rincons; the
fire wiped out there habitat. Mother Nature did that, not us. And if Ma wants
to take the chub, she'll do that too. Now as you claim too, I am basically
an environmentally-conscious person in the grand scheme of things, but
when these pseudo-environmentalist groups - many which are funded out
of the country or via anti-governmental (US) groups - totally inhibit our
sound forest and wildlife management practices, I say "Take Off!". These
are not real environmental groups, they are legal wannabees who find
some nook or crannie in the law and exploit it to 'THEIR' benefit or their
other agendas, not the real actual cause. They just disrupt the political
and legal systems - in actuality, they're instigators themselves and
they've become good at it. They know how the system works and exploit
it. True environmentalists work 'with' the system; they don't try to
break down the system - Anarchists.

Sadly, even saving our local environments has become a political
battleground in the state.

Great Post M2,
The Madera Cyn area has been SHUT DOWN as well as Patagonia Lake for the reasons that have been mentioned as far as Fire Danger.It is EXTREME as FUELS are so high and tinder dry...rh is now <9%!
I fear that will be our next loss...and it's coming.Thx to the Mismagmt of our Resources.Sad.

[azsnowman]

My friends, times, they are a changing....these radical enviro terrorists have LOST the battle. During the Rodeo Chediski Annivesary celebration, the Gov........Janett Napalotono was there, *IF* you take her for her word, I do......I've seen action on her part and the part of the House, that these *freaks* will NOT have a leg to stand on for here on out! Too bad SHE wasn't in office when *Hull* was in there, we wouldn't be in this shape now!

Dennis

[Aslkahuna]

that the radical enviro wackos (actually Communists as they used to be known as) have lost when I see all of the eco terrorists (Earth Fi(Wor)st!, ALF,ELF, PETA, etc.) in Federal Prison behind bars doing major hard time for the terrorist acts they have committed and when I see Robin Silver and his follow travelers Tarred and Feathered and run out of the Country on a rail.

Steve

[Arizwx]

Just look at this Sh!t.
I have to put up with...where the hell does Humphrey.Larry get off?
This is BullSh!t!
Check out the smoke/fire plume on TUS 88-D!

http://www.wrh.noaa.gov/radar/latest/DS ... kemx.shtml

[Aslkahuna]

And it's not good. The Aspen Fire now covers 56063 acres which is equal to 88 sq miles or about 1/3 of the area contained within Tucson City Limits. The forecast calls for even hotter weather this weekend with gusty NW winds in the afternoon through the weekend. The fire has flames 200 feet high and is running up Sabino Canyon towards Palisades and Mt. Bigelow where the antenna arrays are at (plus another Observatory). Willow Canyon has been evacuated and now Pima County Sheriff's Officers are going around and advising residents of Ventana Canyon to evacuate-shelter is being set up at Catalina Foothills High School. This is now longer mountain homes or vacation cabins being threatened-to put this in perspective, think of Ventana Canyon as Tucson's equivalent to the very upscale residences in the Canyons around LAX. The Pima County Sheriff said on air that he's never seen anything like this before since he came here in 1954 and although he hopes not, he fears that the fire could reach the Valley floor-that would be a disaster as the Valley floor in that area is Northeast Tucson.

Steve

[Arizwx]

And it's not good. The Aspen Fire now covers 56063 acres which is equal to 88 sq miles or about 1/3 of the area contained within Tucson City Limits. The forecast calls for even hotter weather this weekend with gusty NW winds in the afternoon through the weekend. The fire has flames 200 feet high and is running up Sabino Canyon towards Palisades and Mt. Bigelow where the antenna arrays are at (plus another Observatory). Willow Canyon has been evacuated and now Pima County Sheriff's Officers are going around and advising residents of Ventana Canyon to evacuate-shelter is being set up at Catalina Foothills High School. This is now longer mountain homes or vacation cabins being threatened-to put this in perspective, think of Ventana Canyon as Tucson's equivalent to the very upscale residences in the Canyons around LAX. The Pima County Sheriff said on air that he's never seen anything like this before since he came here in 1954 and although he hopes not, he fears that the fire could reach the Valley floor-that would be a disaster as the Valley floor in that area is Northeast Tucson.

Steve

No SH!T!!!!!!!!!!!!Guess who lives in NE TUS??Actually N TUS?Oro Valley?Hello?Look at a map!!???Duh,I'm pissed
'I'm 6ft from the edge...and maybe six feet ain''t so far down
~Creed~
http://www.azstarnet.com/wildfire/

click on the photo/SLIDESHOW of the fire..That's MY, view day in night out!

:o

[vbhoutex]

HOLY SH!T!!! I wish I hadn't read this thread!!! No offense- you all know me well enough to know what I mean!!! I guess we all thought that was under control!!!! DAMN!! DAMN!! DAMN!!!

As much of a peacenik and "environmentalist" as I am(and Dj can tell you how much!)I agree with Steve!! Heck, I'll build the freakin' rail to run them out on!!!! ENOUGH IS ENOUGH!!! THEY ARE JUST FREAKIN' ANIMALS!! LET MOTHER NATURE HANDLE THINGS AND GET THE HE!! OUT OF THE WAY!!!! BETTER YET, CONSCRIPT THEM AND MAKE THEM HELP CLEAN UP THE HE!! THEY HAVE HELPED CAUSE!!

[Arizwx]

HOLY SH!T!!! I wish I hadn't read this thread!!! No offense- you all know me well enough to know what I mean!!! I guess we all thought that was under control!!!! DAMN!! DAMN!! DAMN!!!

As much of a peacenik and "environmentalist" as I am(and Dj can tell you how much!)I agree with Steve!! Heck, I'll build the freakin' rail to run them out on!!!! ENOUGH IS ENOUGH!!! THEY ARE JUST FREAKIN' ANIMALS!! LET MOTHER NATURE HANDLE THINGS AND GET THE HE!! OUT OF THE WAY!!!! BETTER YET, CONSCRIPT THEM AND MAKE THEM HELP CLEAN UP THE HE!! THEY HAVE HELPED CAUSE!!

LOOK AT THESE PIX!!!!
http://www.azstarnet.com/wildfire/

click on 'slideshow'..you are NOT going to believe this in a Major Metro Area
of 900,000+ folks!Geeus K-Riste!Yes we DO have Hi-Rises downtown!What a view!

[vbhoutex]

HOLY SH!T!!! I wish I hadn't read this thread!!! No offense- you all know me well enough to know what I mean!!! I guess we all thought that was under control!!!! DAMN!! DAMN!! DAMN!!!

As much of a peacenik and "environmentalist" as I am(and Dj can tell you how much!)I agree with Steve!! Heck, I'll build the freakin' rail to run them out on!!!! ENOUGH IS ENOUGH!!! THEY ARE JUST FREAKIN' ANIMALS!! LET MOTHER NATURE HANDLE THINGS AND GET THE HE!! OUT OF THE WAY!!!! BETTER YET, CONSCRIPT THEM AND MAKE THEM HELP CLEAN UP THE HE!! THEY HAVE HELPED CAUSE!!

LOOK AT THESE PIX!!!!
http://www.azstarnet.com/wildfire/

click on 'slideshow'..you are NOT going to believe this in a Major Metro Area
of 900,000+ folks!Geeus K-Riste!Yes we DO have Hi-Rises downtown!What a view!

IT REALLY IS UNBELIEVABLE!!!!!

[Aslkahuna]

Mother Nature IS handling things in the way She always does when faced with Human Stupidity (in this case letting the wackos get their way. I was at I-10 and Houghton this evening and could see flaring hot spots and a strong orange glow from the fire-looks to me like one more ridge topping and it's all downhill into Tucson..

Steve