STORM2K

Know that Dennis has been trying to keep as many of you informed as possible, but a new fire has been burning to the SSW of Pinetop since about 2 this afternoon. It has been named the KINISHBA FIRE and began crowning (burning along the tops fo the trees) at about 4 pm on Sunday. As of 9 pm, it has consumed about 1720 acres.

Just got off the phone with Dennis. The fire is burning upslope toward Pinetop. He estimated it was about 6 miles from his home at 9 pm. Some 1720 acres.

He did mention that there are no natural breaks between the fire and the town, but that there was some planned thinning along a lake to the south of the city. It may or may not be enough to hold the fire at bay once it hits the top of the rim.

The Mogollon Rim, by the way, is an escarpment that runs through much of central and eastern Arizona. At points it seems to rise up from the valley floor below to several thousand feet. It is one of the most spectacular geographic features in Arizona. Here's a link

http://www.sonoransam.westernlife.org/mogollon.html

Dennis' home sits about one mile north of the rim. Pinetop is above the rim. This fire is burning below the rim but working upslope which is why it is traveling so quickly.

I last talked to Michelle about 11:05 CDT, and she was waiting for the sheriff's office to call her back. Tried again 5 minutes ago, and both Dennis' home phone and cell are on "call-answering".

Wind for Pinetop tomorrow is estimated at 30 mph from SW, which means that it's coming right in his face...

Arizwx also contacted me, both by IM and later by landline; seems he is in the middle of a "pop-up" storm that blew one of his windows out (last readings he had were 78 mph gusts).

Nasty business, this. :o

Thanks for the calls gentlemen, I've got about 2 minutes here then I will truly be offline.....here's the story in the Az Republic this morning.....BTW, sorry for the misinformation, the fire was renamed to the Kinishiba Fire. I will try my best to stay in touch with someone today, it's NOT looking good folks:

Crews battle blaze near Pinetop
Area residents are reminded of 'Rodeo' fire

Paul Matthews, Mark Shaffer and Katy Scott
The Arizona Republic
Jul. 14, 2003 12:00 AM




Related links
12 News video: Kinishba Wildfire threatens Pinetop
12 News video: Jim Paxon talks about firefighting strategy
12 News video: Jineane Ford on Pinetop residents' preparations
• Arizona wildfires 2003
• A look back at the "Rodeo-Chediski" fire
• More info on the Pinetop fire
• Information lines for residents on Kinishba wildfire are:
(928) 367-2002
(928) 368-5500

A lightning-sparked fire burned Sunday near Pinetop-Lakeside, creating a huge plume that dropped ash and brought back painful memories of last summer's mammoth "Rodeo-Chediski" fire that smacked the region.

The "Kinishba" fire, so named because it began near a prominent prehistoric ruin on the Fort Apache reservation, started around 1 p.m. about 5 miles west of Whiteriver.

By 5 p.m., the fire, at more than three miles long and three-quarters of a mile wide, had already consumed nearly 1,500 acres, said Bureau of Indian Affairs forester Robin Wennberg.

No towns had been evacuated by late Sunday evening.

The northern portion of Whiteriver was a concern, though, and could be threatened today, she said.

Five air tankers were dropping retardant on the blaze until sunset. Firefighters were attempting an overnight burnout one mile north of the fire line to slow the fire's advance, officials said.

A "Type 1" management team, which specializes in complex fires such as those that threaten urban areas, was dispatched and will take over management of the fire at noon today, Wennberg said.

With low humidity and high winds, conditions are similar to those during last year's Rodeo-Chediski fire, she said. That fire swallowed more than 400,000 acres and evacuated thousands in the area.

"People are cautious, but we're not in a panic," Wennberg said. "They've got a lot of people on it, a lot of resources."

By Sunday evening, the fire was about 14 miles south of Pinetop-Lakeside, said Elain Szemesi, head of the town's chamber of commerce.

A late-night meeting of officials from the White Mountain Apache Tribe and Pinetop-Lakeside was being held in Whiteriver to discuss possible evacuations in the area.

Following the late-night meeting, a release was posted on the Pinetop Fire Department's website saying that evacuations of all communities between Wagon Wheel and McNary would begin if the fire moves to a "trigger point" 2 miles to the north from its location late Sunday night.

"We are hoping this does not have to happen," according to the Pinetop Fire Department release. "At this point there is no way to tell what the fire is going to do."

The release noted that all residents of the area would be notified by radio announcements if an evacuation is ordered.

Many Pinetop-Lakeside residents, who dodged a bullet last year when the Rodeo-Chediski fire did not cross U.S. 60, were glued to their scanners, tracking the firefighters.

Pinetop-Lakeside Councilman Paul Allen, who owns a hotel in town, said he wasn't as concerned as some, at least for now.




Dennis

This is not good!! Dennis said he was not going to evacuate? Bill and Steve please try and talk some sense into him.

Here's the link to the whole story:

http://www.azcentral.com

Dennis

Sorry, here's the whole link..........Karan, NO....we are NOT leaving this time, we can't.

http://www.azcentral.com/news/articles/ ... ive14.html

Dennis

Dennis - This is absolutely terrible! The last thing you need is yet another fire in that area. I truly hope that you and Michelle will be safe.

Dennis, Michelle your on my heart and in my prayers.Stay if you must and serve, protect your fellow man, God is directing your path and if He is directing your path then He will keep you safe while you do what He wants you to do.

Take good care, be safe, be careful and know that you are being covered in prayer.

God Bless and and keep you out of harm's way

Raine and family

Dennis and Michelle - please be careful and we'll all pray for your safety. I hope and pray they can contain this fire, ASAP. Thanks Steve and Bill for keeping us updated too. Dennis, if you need to take care of thngs around your home, don't worry about us - we'll always be here. Do what you gotta do......please take care! You're so very important to us here......

Hugs

Latest update...after a call to Michelle this morning at 7:30 local time (+3 hrs for east coast, +2 for central), the news is ominous.

The fire is in an area of rugged terrain below the Rim and is spreading through the narrow rugged canyons on its way up the escarpment. Best estimate of the fire's location from Pinetop itself is somewhere near 13 miles. A flyover was scheduled now that daybreak has arrived to assess its new parameters.

It appears that Whiteriver's risk will be on the north side (where the hospital is located) but more will be known after the assessment is done. Winds are expected to pick up as the day progresses. Michelle mentioned there was little wind at this time yet the fire is aggressively moving north.

A pre-evacuation message has gone out to Pinetop. That alerts residents with health problems or other difficulties to consider leaving now. Next step would likely be a voluntary evacuation...with a mandatory evacuation to follow if necessary.

Finally..the silver lining is that the experience of last year's fires have set the stage for much better management of time and resources...as well as warning capability.

I expect to hear from our Front Porch firefighters later this day...and will check in on them if I do not hear again within the next 4 hours.

They ask that you continue your prayers and understand the rapid-changing nature of their time commitments on the board or with the phone.

They are indeed the very best neighbors to have if ever you were to find yourself in harms way.

Thanks Steve and Bill for the updates. I pray that the wind doesn't start to blow as they say it will but...

Dennis, Michelle and motley crew - stay safe! We're all praying REALLY HARD for you guys!

I'm praying for you, Dennis...please stay safe.

Thanks Skyman for keeping us updated and I hope and pray things turn out for the best for Dennis, Michelle, and all of Pinetop.

Just talked with Michelle on their cell; here's the update as of 5 minutes ago.

This fire is moving a mile an hour almost due N, but the wind hasn't picked up as expected. Pinetop is directly in its path, and the "trigger point" (mandatory evac) is at Bear Canyon. Voluntary evac is in place at this time.

350 firefighters have been sent in, and that number is to double within the next 6-8 hours; Michelle said "It's a bad one", but has her doubts about it being set by lightning... :o

They were in the car about 65 miles out, and will advise me as soon as they get into town; if they HAVE to evac, it will be later this evening/night.

Stay tuned; now, back to your regularly scheduled posting!

Thanks Bill!

It makes me ill to think that there is a possibility that the fire was deliberately set, or to put it another way, that it wasn't started by lightening. Thank God that the winds haven't picked up!

I really don't want to hear this crap about "we're not leaving". If your life is in danger you and Michelle get the hell out of there. You hear me young man!!!!!!!!!!

((Hugs)) to you both. I'll talk to ya later.

Thanks Bill and Steve. What great friends you are.
Prayers everyone, we need lots of prayers.

Karan

I echo what Pburgh said... if you're in danger, get the heck out of there, stay safe PLEASE!!!!

The forecast for Show Low...as it reads from NWS is for LIGHT winds over the next few days, although in the heat of the day and especially near a fire, wind can be generated in the canyons and around mountains, etc.. The increasing chance for storms does not help them in the short term.

The forecast for Show Low...as it reads from NWS is for LIGHT winds over the next few days, although in the heat of the day and especially near a fire, wind can be generated in the canyons and around mountains, etc.. The increasing chance for storms does not help them in the short term.