#7 Postby azsnowman » Tue Apr 22, 2003 9:42 am
The budget for the '03 fire season is by far the largest in history, some 1.7 billion $ has been set aside, only ONE HUGE problem. As some of you know, the FAA has ground over 90% of the Slurry Bomber Force this year due to the aging aircraft that they use. Hopes were to use the military aircraft, helos etc to help shore up the air support, WELL, with the war in Iraq, that kinda put a stop to that. This is a HUGE, HUGE concern, without the air support last year, I wouldn't be sitting here in Pinetop, nor would there be a town called Show Low.
The Haines Index as of this morning is sitting at 2, the Haines Index measures the moisture content in the fine fuels, pine needles etc. The moisture content in the live fuels is already at 37%, should be over 60% this time of year.
Chad.....all the moisture we received did virtually nuthin' to aid in the drought, all it did, as Arizwx said, was fuel the fine fuels growth, which in turn with all this wind we've been having, has created a tenderbox once again. To add fuel to the fire, so to speak, the Western Balsm Beetle has aided in making this wildfire season, even more volitale than last year and let me tell ya's, last year SUCKED, we ARE NOT going to evacuate this year, we have stores already of water, canned goods, BEER, WINE and smokes!
Dennis
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