FIRE!! Just the beginning

[azsnowman]

The February Fire is now at 2000+ acres and HIGH winds are in the forecast for today AND tomorrow............this could BE the END!

http://www.azcentral.com

Winds in forecast worry firefighters battling Rim blaze
Incoming weather front may spread 'February' fire toward camp, homes

Michael Clancy
The Arizona Republic
Feb. 10, 2006 12:00 AM


A strong weather front has firefighters concerned about the possibility of winds fanning flames of the "February" fire, which is burning along the Mogollon Rim.

The system over Wyoming and Montana is moving south and east, generating gusts up to 45 mph with sustained wind of 20-30 mph in Wyoming, National Weather Service meteorologist Daryl Onton said. It is expected to reach Arizona tonight.

Onton said the front could generate winds from the north tonight, moving to the northeast on Saturday. Such winds would push the fire to the southwest, possibly reaching the Camp Geronimo Boy Scouts camp and several homes in the area. advertisement




It is not expected to bring rain or snow, however.

Onton said the Weather Service's Flagstaff office will send an "incident meteorologist," a weather forecaster who will concentrate on weather affecting the fire, to the location today.

Wendell Peacock, information officer for the special firefighting team that is managing the fire, said if winds remain as calm as they were Wednesday night and Thursday, "we should have a pretty good handle on it before the wind arrives."

"Everything has gone smoothly, and we have had good operations (Thursday)," he said.

He said heat-sensing equipment should arrive today, helping firefighters pinpoint hot spots that need further attention.

The blaze, which began Monday at an abandoned campfire atop the Mogollon Rim north of Payson, remained at about 1,250 acres through the day Thursday.

As firefighters continued to construct firebreaks, removing all vegetation in the path of the fire, one air tanker and three helicopters bombarded the blaze with retardant.

One more air tanker is on the way, and Williams Gateway Airport is being set up to handle the huge C-130 aircraft.

Peacock said firefighters worked especially hard to create "defensible areas" around the Bray Creek Ranch and Camp Geronimo, about a half-mile west of the fire's westernmost reach.

The fire is 20 percent contained, on the north side.

Pine and Strawberry, farther west, are protected by Milk Ranch Point, a peninsula of the Rim between the towns and the fire.

[Pburgh]

You know my prayers are being sent out west for you guys.
Hang in there my friend. Remember those rain dances we used to do, well I'll close my blinds and begins dancing. ((HUGS))