I Fear....

[azskyman]

I'm not usually an alarmist, but with the holiday weekend here in Arizona, watching I-17 north clog up tight early this afternoon, and a red flag warning with gusty winds through tomorrow (and still windy on Sunday), that the cool chill in the nighttime open air of a holiday weekend may find us fighting potentially serious wildfires before the weekend is over.

I have no problem if Tuesday arrives and all is clear, but this combination seems extra volatile this weekend.

Let's hope I'm wrong.

[Stephanie]

I'm not usually an alarmist, but with the holiday weekend here in Arizona, watching I-17 north clog up tight early this afternoon, and a red flag warning with gusty winds through tomorrow (and still windy on Sunday), that the cool chill in the nighttime open air of a holiday weekend may find us fighting potentially serious wildfires before the weekend is over.

I have no problem if Tuesday arrives and all is clear, but this combination seems extra volatile this weekend.

Let's hope I'm wrong.

I hope you're wrong as well. There's always that one that doesn't care about the restrictions about not having open fires, etc. in the parks.

[Aquawind]

We should all fear wildfires and your point is well taken. Unfortunately so many are set on purpose I am finding out.. It's amazing how stupid humans can be.

[azsnowman]

We should all fear wildfires and your point is well taken. Unfortunately so many are set on purpose I am finding out.. It's amazing how stupid humans can be.

It STILL does me too Aquawind, people have NO consideration for ANYONE anymore, it's ALL about ME and to HADES with YOU

Steve, I too am becoming VERY, VERY concerned over this! Click on this link at look at the maps

http://www.wrh.noaa.gov/fgz

FIRE WEATHER WATCH

RED FLAG WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE FLAGSTAFF AZ
450 AM MST SAT MAY 27 2006

AZZ109>116-139-140-272000-
/O.NEW.KFGZ.FW.A.0009.060528T1500Z-060529T0300Z/
/O.CON.KFGZ.FW.W.0012.060527T1500Z-060528T0300Z/
NORTHEAST PLATEAU AND MESAS HWY 264 NORTHWARD (FIRE WEATHER ZONE
109)-CHINLE VALLEY (FIRE WEATHER ZONE 110)-
CHUSKA MOUNTAINS AND DEFIANCE PLATEAU (FIRE WEATHER ZONE 111)-
LITTLE COLORADO RIVER VALLEY IN COCONINO COUNTY (FIRE WEATHER
ZONE 112)-
LITTLE COLORADO RIVER VALLEY IN NAVAJO COUNTY (FIRE WEATHER ZONE
113)-
LITTLE COLORADO RIVER VALLEY IN APACHE COUNTY (FIRE WEATHER ZONE
114)-WESTERN MOGOLLON RIM (FIRE WEATHER ZONE 115)-
EASTERN MOGOLLON RIM (FIRE WEATHER ZONE 116)-
BLACK MESA AREA (FIRE WEATHER ZONE 139)-
NORTHEAST PLATEAU AND MESAS SOUTH OF HWY 264 (FIRE WEATHER ZONE
140)-
450 AM MST SAT MAY 27 2006

...RED FLAG WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM 8 AM THIS MORNING TO
8 PM MST THIS EVENING FOR STRONG WINDS AND LOW RELATIVE
HUMIDITIES..
...FIRE WEATHER WATCH IN EFFECT FROM SUNDAY MORNING THROUGH
SUNDAY EVENING FOR STRONG WINDS AND LOW RELATIVE HUMIDITIES..

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN FLAGSTAFF HAS ISSUED A FIRE
WEATHER WATCH...WHICH IS IN EFFECT FROM SUNDAY MORNING THROUGH
SUNDAY EVENING. A RED FLAG WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM 8 AM
THIS MORNING TO 8 PM MST THIS EVENING.

STRONG WINDS ASSOCIATED WITH AN APPROACHING LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM
WILL ARRIVE JUST AFTER SUNRISE AND PERSIST INTO EARLY THIS
EVENING. EXPECT RELATIVE HUMIDITIES BELOW 15 PERCENT AND WIND
SPEEDS NOTICEABLY STRONGER THAN THOSE OBSERVED ON FRIDAY.
SUSTAINED WINDS OF 20 TO 35 MPH WILL OCCUR FOR MUCH OF THE DAY
WITH A FEW GUSTS APPROACHING 50 MPH.

THOUGH WIND SPEEDS WILL DROP AND RELATIVE HUMIDITIES WILL RISE
AFTER SUNSET TONIGHT...WINDY AND DRY CONDITIONS WILL DEVELOP
TOMORROW AS WELL. HOWEVER...WINDS ARE NOT ANTICIPATED TO BE NEARLY
AS VIGOROUS AS TODAY AND SUSTAINED SPEEDS OF 15 TO 25 MPH WITH
GUSTS AROUND 35 MPH WILL BE EXPECTED.

A RED FLAG WARNING MEANS THAT CRITICAL FIRE WEATHER CONDITIONS
ARE EITHER OCCURRING NOW...OR WILL DURING THE WARNING PERIOD. A
COMBINATION OF STRONG WINDS AND LOW RELATIVE HUMIDITIES WILL
CREATE EXPLOSIVE FIRE GROWTH POTENTIAL.

PLEASE NOTIFY FIELD CREWS OF THIS RED FLAG WARNING AND FIRE
WEATHER WATCH.

[Aslkahuna]

Your fears have been realized down here-the 103 fire started at 3:30pm and has scorched at least 800 acres. We are expecting gusts to 40 mph tomorrow. Residents in the area have been asked to evacuate.

Steve

[azskyman]

Sorry to hear that Steve. Let's hope the winds lay down sooner than they were originally anticipated and that the fire is under control before long. Keep us posted.

[azsnowman]

Your fears have been realized down here-the 103 fire started at 3:30pm and has scorched at least 800 acres. We are expecting gusts to 40 mph tomorrow. Residents in the area have been asked to evacuate.

Steve

DAM!! Ya know, WHY in the HADES can't people be responsible Hope things are OK

We had "3" small fires yesterday but ALL the fire depts and forest service are on "Red Response" and they jumped on them like flys on ---- and knocked 'em down QUICK! Then there's the "Knife Fire" just east of Flagstaff, 120 acres and growing, threating to close down I-40 in about an hour from now, both east and west bound lanes, some JERK threw a cigarette out the window

We had peak gusts to OVER 60 MPH yesterday, sustained at 28 MPH.......it was SUPPOSED to less today, so far, a peak gust of 48 MPH with sustained winds of 24 MPH...........this COULD be THE day

[Aslkahuna]

Snow, the location of the point of origin for the 103 fire strongly points to it being a gift from Mexico to us via Illegals though the source is still under investigation.

Steve

[azskyman]

On Monday morning, news reports noted fires near Sierra Vista (that's you Steve), near Prescott (I could see the plume on my way to work) and along I-40 near Flagstaff. Let's hope the winds lay down today while everyone packs up and heads back to the Valley!

[Aslkahuna]

As of last night, the 103 fire near here was at 2000 acres-4 aircraft and two Skyhooks with water were flying it. Still breezy and little warmer and drier today but they could get a handle on it as the temperatures were on the cool side with higher dewpoints last night.

Steve