Wallow Fire Set to Become Largest in Arizona History

RECORD-BREAKING WILDFIRE 

Wallow Fire could grow to about 470,000 acres by late Wednesday June 8 MST [FIRE-EARTH forecast]

By 1 PM Wednesday June 8, 2011 the fire had consumed at least 400,000 acres, mostly in the Apache National Forest.

The largest fire in Arizona history was the 2001 Rodeo-Chediski Fire which consumed 469,000 acres.

Wallow Fire Map (June 8, 2011)

Click image to enlarge. Source: Apache-Sitgreaves National Forests
Other Sizes: Large (665 x 1024)   Original size (3203 x 4930)

Hazard Mapping System for Fire and Smoke [June 8-9, 2011]

Current HMS Analysis, Source: NOAA

Analyzed Fires from Satellites – June 9, 2011

Source: NOAA. Click image to enlarge.

A Burning Forest

Wallow Fire consuming Apache National Forest. All rights reserved by Apache-Sitgreaves National Forests

Wallow Fire, Arizona Satellite Image 

This image was taken by MODIS on the Aqua satellite at 1:25 pm MST (UTC -7 hrs) on June 8, 2011. Source: NASA-EO. Click image to enlarge.

Smoke Hazard

Smoke from the Wallow Fire has been affecting the air quality through much of the U.S. and has become a major health issue over a vast region. Photo:  All rights reserved by Apache-Sitgreaves National Forests. Original Size (5184 x 3456)

Midwest Blanketed by Smoke from Wallow Fire  

A dense band of smoke extended from Texas to Nebraska when MODIS on the Terra satellite took this image at 11:05 am MST on June 7, 2011.  Source: NASA-EO. Click image to enlarge

Air Quality Monitor

Springerville PM10 Concentration. The Department of Environmental Quality has placed Particulate Matter-2.5 air quality monitors in Springerville and St. Johns. The latest data and smoke health effects of hourly readings can accessed for Springerville at http://tinyurl.com/3znq24z and for St. Johns at http://tinyurl.com/3vzz59a.

Latest Bulletin Issued by Arizona State
(Posted June 8, 2011, at 12:08 pm MST) Last night, the lower winds, higher humidity, and cooler temperatures enabled firefighters to conduct burnout operations to reinforce fire line on the Wallow Fire.

To the north and east, crews constructed 10 miles of line using bulldozers and burnout operations outside of Eagar and Springerville.

Extreme fire behavior is predicted again today due to the forecast high winds and low humidity. Red Flag Warnings are still in effect for the area. Spot fires are occurring up to 3 miles ahead of the fire.

Today’s firefighter activities include: burnout operations, building fire line, perimeter control, structure protection, and patrolling for spot fires.

Current Evacuations

• Effective Immediately: Further evacuations have been ordered by the Apache County Sheriff’s Office for all the areas south of Hwy 260 and east of Greer, including South Fork and portions of Eagar.  Hwy 260 will remain open for the evacuation and will be closed immediately after the evacuation.
• Sunrise, Greer, Blue River, Alpine, Nutrioso, and the following subdivisions along highways 180/191: Escudilla Mountain Estates, Bonita, White Mtn. Acres, and the H-V Ranch. This area includes CR 4000, CR 4001, and CR 4225
• The evacuation site is located at; Blue Ridge High School located at 1200 W. White Mtn. Blvd., Pinetop/Lakeside

Pre-Evacuation Alerts

• Pre-evacuation alert issued by Apache County Sheriff’s Office for Springerville and portions of Eager.
• Pre-evacuation alert issued by Catron County Sheriff’s Office for Luna, New Mexico.
• Residents in the communities affected by this fire are asked to remain prepared in the event an order is needed.

Residents with livestock or animals that need care, please contact the Apache County Sheriff’s Office (928) 337-4321or the Greenlee County Sheriff’s Office (928) 865-4149.

A community meeting is being held at the Round Valley High School Auditorium Wednesday at 6:00p.m.

Public Information Centers are located at:

Arizona

• Springerville Post Office
• Springerville Forest Ranger District Office
• Springerville Primary School
• Springerville Middle School
• Wallow Fire Incident Command Post

New Mexico

• Quemado
• Luna

Due to extreme fire conditions, the Apache National Forest is closed to all public entry.  See website for closure order details.  Please see the Forest website for more information: http://www.fs.fed.us/r3/asnf/

A Temporary Emergency Closure Order for the Apache National Forest was issued effective June 3 at 12:00 p.m. (noon).  For more information, please call the Arizona fire restrictions hotline 1-877-864-6985 or visit http://www.wildlandfire.az.gov/.

Wallow Fire summary:

• Date Started: 5/29/2011
  Number of Personnel:  Approximately 1,943, including 23 hotshot crews and 27 handcrews
• Location: south and west of Alpine, Arizona
• Cause: Human – under investigation
• Equipment: 9 dozers, 119 engines, 26 watertenders
• Size:  389,000 acres
• Aircraft:  14 helicopters
• Percent Contained: 0%
• Injuries to Date: none
• Structures:  588 threatened; 1 damaged; 11 lost 

(Source: Southwest Incident Type-1 Incident Management Team)
UPDATES hopefully Available at Emergency Bulletins 

Arizona Forests and Govt Websites

• Apache-Sitgreaves National Forest
• Coconino National Forest
• Coronado National Forest
• Kaibab National Forest
• Prescott National Forest
• Tonto National Forest

• AZ emergency Networks
• Arizona Department of Transportation
• AZ Dept of Health
• Other Sources NOT listed here

Related Links

• Wallow Fire Now Arizona’s 2nd Largest, and Growing
• Arizona’s Wallow Fire Grew by 61 pct
• Wildfires Raging in Arizona, Alaska, NC, Georgia, Texas …
• 2011 Disaster Calendar – June 4