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520 Evacuated as growing wildfire threatens 400 homes near Las Vegas, NV
Currently the largest fire in Nevada the 16,000 acre Carpenter 1 wildfire was sparked by lightning on July 1 on the Spring Mountains National Recreation Area, threatening more than 400 structures.
Mandatory evacuations are in effect for the Trout Canyon community. Residents have been evacuated from Lee Canyons
The Spring Mountains National Recreation Area has issued a Closure Order:
Lee Canyon Rd. (State Route 156) is closed at U.S. 95.
Kyle Canyon Rd (State Route 57) is closed at U.S. 95.
Trout Canyon Rd. is closed at State Route 160.
Lovell Canyon Rd. is closed at Trout Canyon Rd.
Stage 1 Fire restrictions are in affect for Nevada.
Wind Conditions: 15 mph W
Temperature: 82 degrees
Humidity: 18%
Growth Potential: High
Terrain Difficulty: Extreme
Sources: Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest, Inciweb and local residents.
Carpenter 1 Fire continued to grow on its northern flank late Saturday.
-oOo-
Mandatory evacuations for the Dean Peak Fire, Arizona
Mandatory evacuations for the Pine Lake and Pinion Pines subdivisions remains in place.
Old Highway 93 and DW Ranch Road are closed and Wild Cow Campground will remain closed until further notice. Blake Ranch road is closed except to local residents. The road closure at M.P. 4.6 on Hualapai Mountain Road has been moved back to the intersection of DW Ranch Road and Hualapai Mountain Road.
The Dean Peak Fire started on June 29, 2013 at approximately 3:30 p.m. and was started by lightning. The fire is located approximately 10 miles southeast of Kingman, Arizona, in the Hualapai Mountains, east of Dean Peak.
Arizona Gov. declares a state of emergency for Yavapai County as fast-growing Doce Fire rages uncontrolled
The Doce Fire, burning in Granite Mountain Wilderness about 8 miles northwest of Prescott, is threatening several communities and about 500 homes. The blaze had consumed about 7,500 acres by Thursday afternoon and was 0 percent contained.
Evacuations are in place for the following locations:
Granite Basin Summer Homes and American Ranch
The areas of Granite Basin Homes, Black Jack, Camp Anytown, Sundown Acres, Cielo Grande, Old Stage Acres, south half of Mint Creek Wash and American Ranch remain evacuated. Neighborhoods in the Williamson Valley corridor are on notice for potential evacuation.
(Evacuation center at Yavapai College and for livestock at the Prescott Rodeo Grounds)
Firefighters are working to contain a blaze in central Arizona, not far from the state’s Prescott National Forest. Aircraft could be seen dumping massive buckets of water on the fire which as of Thursday, is not contained. The fire is spread across a 10-square mile area. More than 600 firefighters are working in an attempt to stop the blaze. Hundreds of people have been forced to evacuate their homes. So far, no buildings have been impacted.
Colorado Wildfires – Colorado Office of Emergency Management
a 1,000-acre wildfire in northwestern Colorado near the Utah state line forced the evacuation of 40 oil and gas well sites on Wednesday in Rio Blanco County, said the U.S. Bureau of Land Management.
“Hampering firefighting efforts is limited access, rugged terrain, thick smoke and high winds,” the bureau said, adding that firefighters had observed wind-blown embers igniting new spot fires more than 800 yards away.
Another 1,000-acre blaze near the Spanish Peaks in Huerfano County forced about 200 scouts and staff members to flee their camp, said a report.
Authorities have also issued evacuation orders and pre-evacuation notices for residents south and west of the fire for 30 miles to the New Mexico border, the report said.
Active Colo. Fires:
East Peak Fire Acres: 9,400 – Containment: 0% – Evacuations: ~700
Black Forest Fire Acres: 14,280 – Containment: 100% Evacuations: 4117 people and ~20,000 homes (Estimated total of about 80,000 people-FEWW) – Fatalities: 2 civilian deaths – Homes destroyed: 509 – Homes damaged: 28
Royal Gorge Fire Acres: 3,216 – Containment: 100%
Big Meadow Fire Acres: 604 – Containment: 95%
West Fork Complex Fire Acres: 15,000 – Containment: 0%
Today’s Fire Outlook
The fire situation rating for the Rocky Mountain Area has increased to Preparedness Level 4. The Nation remains at a Preparedness Level 2. This rating indicates highly complex large fire activity is occurring, with multiple large fires in the zone. Fire severity is extreme as reported in multiple areas, and fires are escaping initial attack, as evident by the number of large fires.
Wildfires in Arizona, Alaska, California and Colorado Prompt Evacuations
An Arizona wildfire, dubbed Doce Fire, has burned at least 7,000 acres of chaparral and pine forest in just over 24 hours, prompting mandatory evacuation of more than 200 homes in five areas near the Granite Mountain Wilderness area, about 100 miles north of Phoenix.
Colorado
Lime Gulch Fire: A new wildfire in Jefferson County, southwest of Denver, has forced the emergency evacuation of about 100 homes on Wednesday.
Sparked by lightning, the Lime Gulch Fire has been burning fiercely since Tuesday. The blaze is fueled by gusty winds of up to 40 mph and humidity levels as low as 5 percent.
Most of Colorado will be under Red Flag Warnings Wednesday and Thursday due to ongoing drought, hot and windy conditions, forecasters said.
Black Forest Fire: The fire, listed as the most destructive in Colorado’s history, which started on Tuesday, June 11, was about 85 percent contained on June 19, 2013 (1:00 p.m. DST).
According to El Paso Sheriff’s website, the property loss caused by the deadly fire are currently as follows:
Carstens Fire: The 1,600-acre wildfire, which has been burning since Sunday near a highway in N California, is currently 40 percent contained.
More than 500 homes remain under evacuation orders.
Carstens Fire in Mariposa County, Calif., Day 2 – June 17, 2013
Alaska
Red Flag Warnings remain in effect across Alaska amid baking temperatures, which top 90 degrees (32ºC ), low humidity and strong to gusty winds.
Alaska wildfires have consumed more than 172,158 acres (269 sq miles) of land, according to Alaska Interagency Coordination Center Situation Report dated Wednesday June, 19, 2013.
Fast-moving wildfire consumes 23,000 acres in Michigan
Luce and Schoolcraft counties in Upper Peninsula were declared disaster areas, while an outdoor burning ban was issued for 49 Michigan counties.
Many homes and several tourist destinations in Lake Superior State Forest have been evacuated in the region, as a fast moving wildfire called Duck Lake Fire consumes about 23,000 acres in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula, destroying scores of structures including vacation homes.
“The whole sky is just smoke,” said Beverly Holmes, Newberry village manager, who was driving on a highway east of town, AP reported. “It’s like a heavy fog.”
The fire is threatening a resort in Pike Lake area.
A second blaze at the Seney National Wildlife Refuge in neighboring Schoolcraft County, which was also sparked by lightning, had consumed about 4,000 acres of forest and wetland, as of posting.
Other Wildfires
Florida, USA. “A wildfire that is burning in Orlando blew heavy smoke near the busy hotel and attractions district of Walt Disney world at the start of the busy Memorial Day weekend,” a report said.
New Mexico, USA. The massive Whitewater-Baldy blaze ( Gila Wilderness blaze), which has destroyed more than 2 dozen cabins and outbuilding in the Willow Creek Subdivision, Gila National forest, has grown to about 90,000 acres.
The nearby town of Mogollon is under a voluntary evacuation.
The two blazes, which merged forming the giant Gila Wilderness fire, were ignited buy lightning
Utah, USA. Lightning also sparked a large blaze near Great Salt Lake, Utah, which has consumed about 4,000 acres.
Nevada, USA. Fire is still raging south of Carson City. The Topaz Ranch Estates wildfire has so far consumed about 35km² of brush, destroying two dozen homes and outbuildings.
Arizona, USA. The so-called Gladiator Fire, currently Arizona’s largest wildfire, is still raging in the Grand Canyon. The massive blaze has so far consumed about 70km² of ponderosa pine and brush some 65km north of Phoenix. The fire prompted evacuations last week.
At least 4 major blazes consume 90 km² of central and eastern AZ forest, brush and chaparral
The Sunflower Fire, the largest of AZ blazes, has consumed 70km² in the Tonto National Forest, about 65km north of Phoenix, fire officials reported.
Up to 350 residents of Crown King in central Arizona remain under evacuation orders after a large blaze, the Gladiator Fire, consumed about 25 sq km of Prescott National Forest and destroyed a dozen structures.
Colorado. A wildfire northwest of Fort Collins, northern Colorado, has consumed about 1,200 acres and is fast growing. The fire was less than 5 percent contained, as of posting.
“Two groups of residents have received notices to be prepared for possible evacuations, but no one has had to leave. The fire is within a quarter mile of some homes,” a report said.
The Rocky Mountains, USA. The white-nose bat syndrome, a disease that has killed at least 5.5 million hibernating bats in hundreds of colonies across 19 U.S. states is now spreading westward, the U.S. Forest Service reported.
The deadly disease was first detected in New York in 2006, the USGS reported.
The Midwest, U.S. The number of extreme rain events, rainstorms that dump at least 3 inches of rain in 24hrs, have doubled in the U.S. Midwest between 1961 and 2011, a report said.
Manitoba, Canada. A large wildfire in Sandilands Provincial Park has consumed about 5,300 hectares of pine forest since the weekend and prompted the authorities in the RM of Piney to issue an evacuation order.
South Carolina, USA.The second reported victim of necrotizing fasciitis bacteria, commonly known as the flesh-eating disease, is a 36-year-old mother from South Carolina.
Lana Kuykendall noticed a dark spot on the back of her left leg soon after giving birth to twins last week, AP reported.
Two weeks, a Georgia woman, was diagnosed with the same type of infection.
“Aimee Copeland, 24, of Gwinnett County was injured May 1 when she fell from a zip line into the Little Tallapoosa River. The fall onto rocks caused a deep gash in her leg,” a report said.
Miss Copeland lost a leg and could lose all her fingers from the infection which has since spread, doctors have said.
Necrotizing Fasciitis. Much more commonly known as flesh-eating bacteria, necrotizing fasciitis is the bacterial infection of the underlying connective tissue, or fascia. It can be caused by streptococcous A, vibrio vulnificus, clostridium perfringens, and bacteroides fragilis, with strep A being the most common by far. These bacteria will often penetrate a deep wound, and can occur due to animal bites or swimming in unclean water. The symptoms will begin with itchiness that will proceed to discoloration, swelling and pain as the underlying tissue dies. Eventually the skin will blister out and ooze significant blood and pus. The infection spreads very rapidly. Source: Brown University.
Evacuations remain in effect in Sunrise, Greer, Blue River and Alpine.
The communities of Greer, and Alpine remain evacuated due to continued active fire behavior in unburned islands within and around these communities. Hazardous burned-out trees, unstable slopes and rockfall, as well as burned out power poles are being evaluated and mitigated.
Evacuee Information
Today’s 10 A.M. meeting for evacuees only will be held at the Blue Ridge H. S. in Pinetop/Lakeside.
Evacuees whose Post Office is closed may pick up their mail at the Eagar Post Office.
The evacuation center is located at Blue Ridge High School, 1200 W. White Mtn. Blvd., Pinetop/Lakeside. The phone number for the Red Cross operated evacuation center is (602) 336-6660.
Residents with livestock or animals that need care should contact the Apache County Sheriff’s Office (928) 337-4321 or the Greenlee County Sheriff’s Office (928) 865-4149.
Pre-Evacuation Alert
A pre-evacuation alert continues in Apache County for Greens Peak, Hidden Meadows Lodge and surrounding areas.
A pre-evacuation alert by the Catron County Sheriff’s Office continues for Luna, New Mexico.
Residents in the communities affected by this fire are asked to remain prepared for evacuation.
Road Closures according to Arizona Department of Transportation: http://www.azdot.gov
Horse Shoe Two Fire
Fire Summary
Bulletin released on June 15, 2011 9:00 pm (MST)
Date of Origin: Sunday May 08th, 2011 approx. 11:00 AM
Location: T28S R31E Sect 32, Near Portal, AZ
Total Personnel: 1,379
Size: 184,198 acres
Percent Contained: 60%
Estimated Containment Date: Wednesday June 22nd, 2011 approx. 06:00 PM
Fuels Involved: Mixed conifer, oak brush, pinyon,juniper, ponderosa pine and grasses.
Growth Potential: Extreme
Terrain Difficulty: Extreme
Current Weather
Temperature: 98 degrees
Humidity: 4%
Horseshoe Two Fire Satellite Image
Arizona’s Horseshoe Two fire was burning in two separate areas on June 14, when MODIS on the Terra satellite captured this photo-like image. Source: NASA-EO. Click image to enlarge. NOTE: The largest image of this event show both the Wallow Fire, Arizona’s largest ever, and a major fire in Mexico.
Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge (southern Georgia)
Honey Prairie Complex :180,998 acres burned 75% Contained (consists of Honey Prairie and Paxton Road Fire)
The Honey Prairie Complex fire in the Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge in southern Georgia was reportedly started by lightning on April 28, 2011. This image was taken by MODIS on the Terra satellite on June 13, 2011. Source: NASA-EO. Click image to enlarge.
Wallow Fire: Now Officially Arizona’s Largest Wildfire
Wallow Fire Progression Map – June 14, 2011
Click image to enlarge. Click here for theLargest Size
Notes about this Map:
1. Map was prepared on June 13, 2011 at 22:38 MST (UTC -7 hours)
2. It’s incomplete.
3. It doesn’t show the extent of fire in areas marked ‘Private.’
Fire Update – June 14, 2011 8:00 AM MST
Location: Apache, Navajo, Graham, and Greenlee Counties, San Carlos and Fort Apache Reservations, Arizona; Carton County, New Mexico
[FIRE-EARTH size estimate for Wallow Fire: ~ 535,000 acres burned as of posting.]
Current Situation and Outlook
Current Weather: Wind Conditions 10-15 GUSTS OF 25 mph SW
Temperature: 75-87 degrees
Humidity: 6%
Growth Potential: High
Terrain Difficulty: High
Fire Behavior: Increased winds resulted in increased fire activity including interior crown runs with moderate-range spotting where winds and topography were aligned.
Significant Events: Active fire north of Alpine. Spotting picked up near Turner Peak and Big Lake Campground.
Wallow Fire, now also officially the largest wildfire in Arizona history, was burning across the border into New Mexico when MODIS on the Aqua satellite acquired this image on June 13 at 1:45 pm MST. Source: NASA-EO. Click image to enlarge.
Firefighters have achieved 18% containment of the 469,407-acre Wallow Fire. While the Wallow Fire is now the largest wildfire in Arizona’s history, significant progress has been made towards containment. A previously destroyed structure at Pool Corral, in the Greer area, was confirmed yesterday. Mop up of backing fire continues in the Alpine and Tal Wi Wi communities. Burnout operations continue from FR 220 south to US 180. Structure protection activities continue in Nutrioso and Alpine. Mop up and widening of containment lines continues in the Greer and South Fork areas. Electricity has been restored to Greer and South Fork.
There was poor humidity recovery overnight and humidity will remain low today. Firefighters continued with structure protection, line improvement and mop-up on the eastern flank. Roads, dozer lines and natural barriers are being improved for use as containment lines. Crews worked to strengthen these lines along FR 281. The fire remains active in unburned areas of the fire. Good progress has been made on the fire’s southeast flank, where crews are working to slow the spread of fire and continue to build and improve containment lines and mop-up. There was minimal movement last night. On the west flank, the fire is backing to the south and further southern spread is expected.
Pre-Evacuation Alert
A pre-evacuation alert continues in Apache County for Greens Peak, Hidden Meadows Lodge and surrounding areas.
A pre-evacuation alert by the Catron County Sheriff’s Office continues for Luna, New Mexico.
Residents in the communities affected by this fire are asked to remain prepared for evacuate.
Road Closures according to Arizona Department of Transportation: http://www.azdot.gov
SR 260 will open at noon today from the Hawley Lake turnoff to the South Fork junction (mileposts 369-390).
US 191 is closed between Alpine and north of Clifton (milepost 176-253).
SRs 261 (mileposts 395-413) and 273 (mileposts 378-394), the main access roads to Big Lake and Crescent Lake in the White Mountains, are closed.
SR 373 that connects the town of Greer with SR 260 west of Eagar is closed (mileposts 386-391).
US 180 is closed between SR 260 junction near Eagar and New Mexico state line (mileposts 403-433).
In southern Arizona, SR 366 is closed at milepost 118 leading up to Mount Graham (milepost 143) near Safford after the U.S. Forest Service determined the risk of wildfire is too extreme to allow access.
Partial area closures are in effect for the eastside of the Fort Apache Reservation.
Current Hazard Mapping System Fire and Smoke Analysis – June 14
ADEQ issues an Ozone Health Watch when the highest concentration of ozone levels may exceed the federal health standard.
People with respiratory or other health problems that make them more sensitive to air pollution are advised to limit their outdoor activity.
Horseshoe Two Fire
(Posted June 14, 2011 at 10:05 p.m.) The Horseshoe Two Fire is burning on the Coronado National Forest near Portal, Ariz. It is 171,333 acres and is 60 percent contained.
Horse Shoe 2 Fire Progression Map
Click image to enlarge.
Horseshoe Two Fire, Arizona – Satellite Image
Horseshoe Two Fire is burning about 15okm to the south of Wallow Fire. This image was taken by MODIS on the Aqua satellite on June 13, 2011. Source: NASA-EO. Click image to enlarge
Official Fire Summary:
Date started: May 8, 2011
Estimated Containment: June 22, 2011
Cause: Human
Number of Personnel: 1,400
Crews: 9 Type 1 and 30 Type 2
Engines: 76
Dozers: 3
Water Tenders: 41
Helicopters: 4 Type 1, 1 Type 2 and 3 Type 3
Total structures destroyed: 23
Cost to Date: $40,630,698
Size: 171,333 acres
Percent Contained: 60%
Source: Rocky Basin 2 Incident Management Team
Special Notices The Coronado National Forest and Chiricahua National Monument are closed due to extreme fire danger.
[ FIRE-EARTH size estimate for Wallow Fire: ~ 520,000 acres burned as of posting.]
Wallow Fire Map – June 13, 2011.
Progression of the Wallow Fire as of June 13, 2011 [Based on data obtained on June 12, 2011.] Click image to enlarge. All rights reserved by Apache-Sitgreaves National Forests
The Volcano-like Wallow Fire
Photo by Dean Fernandez with the Southwest Area Incident Management Team. Credit: US Forest Service, Apache Sitgreaves National Forest
Wallow Fire as Seen by MODIS on the Terra Satellite Wallow Fire as seen by MODIS on the Terra satellite on June 9 at 10:55 am MST. Active fire areas are outlined in red. The fire was more intense, producing less smoke than the previous day. Click image to enlarge.
Arizona Burn Scars Seen From Space Imagery from the Landsat-7 satellite shows two glimpses of the same area: one taken on May 5, 2011 and the other on June 7, 2011. In the image from May 5, green areas indicate healthy vegetation and grasslands, light pink areas are naturally occurring rock or bare land. In the image from June 7, the red color indicates burned areas. In some cases, “hot” pink colors can also be seen along with smoke – these are active fire areas. Data from Landsat, a NASA-USGS partnership that was formerly managed by NOAA, is frequently used by NOAA for assessing land cover changes, especially in coastal and wetland ares. Copyright: NOAA [NOTE: FIRE-EARTH cannot confirm copyright validity.] View High Resolution Version
Smoke from Wallow Fire more like a volcanic eruption
Air pollution from human enhanced natural events and anthropogenic causes could kill/seriously harm tens of millions of people: FIRE-EARTH
Mega Fire Burns Near Hannagan Meadow
Show Low Fire Engine 311 Stands by as the Wallow Fire burns near Hannagan Meadow. Photo by Firefighter Chris Francis. Credit US Forest Service.
Wallow Fire Progression Map June 11, 2011
Progression of the Wallow Fire as of Saturday, June 11, 2011 [Based on data obtained on June 10, 2011.] Click image to enlarge.
Hazard Mapping System for Fire and Smoke [June 11-12, 2011] Current HMS Analysis, Source: NOAA
Map Analyzed Fires from Satellites – June 12, 2011 Source: NOAA. Click images to enlarge.
Closeup Map of Analyzed Fires from Satellites Map of the Critical Fire Weather Area – June 12, 2011.
Public Safety
State of Arizona says air quality in the Springerville-Eagar area is currently considered extremely hazardous. Residents with respiratory problems in the path of smoke may want to consider relocating temporarily until air quality improves. Motorists should exercise caution due to reduced visibility.
On Friday the PM2.5 concentration over eastern Arizona was more than 40 times higher than the federal health standard. By Saturday although the winds had swept most of the particulate pollution, the PM2.5 pollution was still 20 times the limit.
The outlook for Sunday was grim, Arizona Department of Environmental Quality said.
Entering the Twilight Zone
Eager, AZ just after evacuations. Wallow Fire, Arizona, 2011. Photo taken by Kari Greer for NIFC. Credit: US Forest Service. Click image to enlarge.
Wallow Fire Official Update (Source: Area Command 3 Team)
Posted: June 11, 2011, at 8:50 p.m.
Location: Apache, Navajo, Graham, and Greenlee Counties, Arizona
Date Started: 05/29/2011
Cause: Human – under investigation
Aviation Resources: 15 Helicopters, 5 Air Tankers available, plus a DC-10
Injuries to Date: 6
Total Personnel: 3,208 (Includes 20 hotshot crews; 45 hand crews)
Wallow Fire as Seen by MODIS on the Terra Satellite
Wallow Fire as seen by MODIS on the Terra satellite on June 9 at 10:55 am MST. Active fire areas are outlined in red. The fire was more intense, producing less smoke than the previous day. Click image to enlarge.
Arizona Burn Scars Seen From Space
Imagery from the Landsat-7 satellite shows two glimpses of the same area: one taken on May 5, 2011 and the other on June 7, 2011. In the image from May 5, green areas indicate healthy vegetation and grasslands, light pink areas are naturally occurring rock or bare land. In the image from June 7, the red color indicates burned areas. In some cases, “hot” pink colors can also be seen along with smoke – these are active fire areas. Data from Landsat, a NASA-USGS partnership that was formerly managed by NOAA, is frequently used by NOAA for assessing land cover changes, especially in coastal and wetland ares. Copyright: NOAA [NOTE: FIRE-EARTH cannot confirm copyright validity.]View High Resolution Version
The above map is said to be based on data collected on June 9, 2011. Source: Apache-Sitgreaves National Forests.Original size: (3,203 x 4,930)
Satellite Imagery of Massive Wildfire Smoke Plumes
The Wallow Fire in Arizona was causing widespread evacuations as it approached the New Mexico border. “Smoke and poor air quality conditions are affecting populations throughout the Southwest. This image from the GOES-East satellite was taken just before evening fell on the area on June 9, 2011 [June 10 at 01:15UTC.] The massive smoke plumes can be seen emanating from the fires in Arizona and Mexico, traveling east-northeast. Though usually displayed using and underlying layer of land cover data from the NASA MODIS satellite sensors, GOES actually acquires grey-scale imagery. The native imagery is shown here to highlight the features of the smoke plumes. Additionally, major thunderstorms can also be seen in Texas, Oklahoma, and Kansas. The NOAA Storm Prediction Center received one tornado report in Kansas at this time.” Copyright: National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). Click image to enlarge.View High Resolution Version
Wallow Fire: Closeup. Click image to enlarge.
U.S. Weather Forecast Map – June 11, 2011
Keetch-Byram Drought Indices (KBDI)
The Alabama Forestry Commission currently reports that there is now a ban on all outdoor burning across the entire state.
News Bulletins From AZEIN
(Posted on June 10, 2011, at 8:45 p.m.) The Wallow Fire is6% contained on the northeast side of the fire.Today’s activitiesincluded burnout operations, structure protection, patrolling for spot fires, and mop up. Today’s weather allowed firefighters to complete several because heavy smoke and has precluded us of helicopters for this operation.
Wallow Fire Official Details:
Date Started: 5/29/2011
Number of Personnel: Approximately 4,422 – Including 26 hotshot crews and 76 hand crews
Cause: Human – under investigation (Source: Area Command)
Horseshoe Two Fire
(Posted on June 10, 2011, at 10:40 p.m.) The Horseshoe Two fire burning near Portal Arizona is approximately 134,615 acres and estimated at 45 percent containment.
The Murphy Complex Fire
(Posted on June 10, 2011, at 10:15 p.m.) The Murphy Complex Fire is approximately 90 percent contained and is estimated to be 68,078 acres.
The Wallow Fire Structure Assessment Team has completed its work in Greer. The team reports that 22 homes were destroyed, 5 homes damaged and 24 outbuildings and 1 truck destroyed. The Apache County Sheriff is still in the process of tracking and notifying the property owne[rs]
Current Evacuations
Full evacuations for Eagar, Springerville, 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 County Roads 4000, 4001, and 4225.
The evacuation center is located at Blue Ridge High School, 1200 W. White Mtn. Blvd., Pinetop-Lakeside.
Wallow Fire summary
Date Started: 5/29/2011
Location: south and west of Alpine, Arizona
Number of Personnel: Approximately 3,012, Including 24 hotshot crews and 79 handcrews
Equipment: 18 dozers, 197 engines, 61 tenders
Size: 386,690 acres based on last night’s [June 8 MST] infrared flight
Wallow Fire summary (Posted on June 8, 2011, at 11:43 p.m.)
Size: 389,000 acres
Structures: 588 threatened; 1 damaged; 11 lost
“Fire Information Officer Kelly Wood said Thursday’s count is the acreage actually burned within the fire’s perimeter and does not include unburned stands or islands of vegetation that could reignite later,” a report said.
Wallow Fire: A major contributor of carbon monoxide pollution over North America
“This map, made with data from the Measurements of Pollution in the Troposphere (MOPITT) sensor on the Terra satellite, shows carbon monoxide concentrations over the United States and southern Canada between May 25 and June 8. Dark red pixels reveal high concentrations.” Source: NASA-EO. Click image to enlarge.
Smoke from Wallow Fire, as well as other wildfires in Arizona, New Mxico, Texas and elsewhere, continued traveling toward the northeast on June 8, 2011, when MODIS on the Terra satellite captured this photo-like image at 12:10 CDT. A thick band of smoke covered a large area stretching from New Mexico and Texas to Illinois. Source: NASA-EO. Click image to enlarge. Download largest image (12 MB, JPEG).\
Air pollutants from wildfires and human activities could harm tens of millions of people.
Hourly Ozone Map (June 9, 2011 animation)
Hourly Ozone and PM2.5 Map (June 9, 2011 animation)
IMG_0159. Night burnout operations help strengthen fireline. Credit: US Forest Service, Apache-Sitgreaves National Forest
Other Major Fires in Arizona
(Posted June 9, 2011,at 10:03 p.m.) The Horseshoe 2 Fire is approximated 128,652 acres and is estimated 40 percent contained. Extreme fire behavior and steep canyon terrain continued to cause erratic winds and difficult conditions on the fire.
Fire Facts:
Date started: May 8, 2011
Location: Portal, Arizona
Estimated Containment: June 22, 2011
Number of Personnel: 1,054
Crews: 9 Type 1 and 19 Type 2
Engines: 46
Dozers: 3
Cause: Human
Water Tenders: 34
Helicopters: 4 Type 1, 1 Type 2 and 2 Type 3
Total structures destroyed: 23
Cost to Date: $33,518,673
(Source: Rocky Basin 2 Incident Management Team)
Murphy Complex (Includes the Murphy Fire and Pajarita Fire) summary (Posted June 9, 2011, at 9:58 a.m.)
Time/Date Started: 3:28 pm, May 30, 2011
Location:Nogales Ranger District in the Coronado National Forest 5 miles east of Arivaca, Ariz., and four miles west of Tubac, Arizona
Cause: Human-caused. Under investigation.
Fuels: Grass, shrub, oak, mesquite
Size: 67,525 acres
Percent Contained: 75%
Estimated Cost to Date: $4,077,000
Resources Threatened: Areas surrounding Ruby Road.
Structures Lost: Historic Atascosa Lookout Tower in the Atascosa Mountains and an outhouse at Pena Blanca Lake.
Resources Committed: 348 fire personnel, Two Type 1 crews, four Type 2 crews, seven helicopters, 10 engines, five water tenders.
Cooperating Agencies: USDA Forest Service, Bureau of Land Management, National Park Service, Arizona State Forestry Division, Arivaca Fire District, Elephant Head Volunteer Fire Department, Patagonia Volunteer Fire Department, Rio Rico Fire District, Tubac Fire District, U.S. Border Patrol, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
This image from NASA’s Multi-angle Imaging SpectroRadiometer (MISR) instrument on the Terra spacecraft show the Wallow and Horseshoe 2 Fires currently burning in Arizona. The data were acquired mid-morning June 7, 2011.www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/fires/main/usa/index.html
The Wallow Fire is consuming large sections of the Apache National Forest. This image shows the northern edge of the fire as seen by Landsat-7 satellite on June 7, 2011. “The image was made with infrared light. Bright red spots are actively burning areas, and darker red areas are freshly burned ground. Unburned forest and grassland is green, while sparsely planted earth or bare ground is pale pink. In many places, the fire has burned right to the edge of the forest.” Source: NASA-EO. Click image to enlarge. Download largest image (2 MB, JPEG)
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’s Wallow Fire became the state’s 2nd largest ever, as forecast
FIRE-EARTH yesterday forecast the mega blaze in Apache-Sitgreaves National Forest (eastern Arizona) would grow by about 40 percent to 326,000 acres.
By 3:00pm local time on June 7 Wallow Fire had grown to 311,322 acres and was still raging uncontrolled.
FIRE-EARTH forecast: Wallow Fire could become Arizona’s largest ever recorded wildfire with a probability of ≥0.6 [P= 62% estimated at the time of posting on June 8, 2011 UTC]
Wallow Fire Progression History May 31 – June 7, 2011. Data: Apache-Sitgreaves National Forests – Format: FIRE-EARTH
Wallow Fire Map for June 7, 2011. Source: Apache-Sitgreaves National Forests. For other sizes and copyright info click on links below:
Hazard Mapping System Fire and Smoke Product: Current HMS Analysis. Click to enlarge.
Source: NOAA. Click images to enlarge.
Photo taken by Wayne Clement, Guadalupe Fire Department, off Hwy180/US191 near Nutrioso, AZ. Credit: US Forest Service, Apache-Sitgreaves National Forest
Temp Forecast Map
Source: NWS. Click image to enlarge.
Fire Details
About 5,800 residents in Eagar and other communities were forced to leave as flames got too close to the population centers. The remaining residents in Eagar and in neighboring Springerville are on standby to evacuate at short notice.
Some 7,500 people have been ordered to prepare for evacuation since last week.
Having consumed nearly 500 square miles of ponderosa pine forest since May 29, the Wallow Fire became the second-largest in Arizona history Tuesday afternoon.
The blaze has also consumed a dozen structures, with another 343 threatened.
As of 11:39UTC, June 8, the fire had grown to more than 400,000 acres according to an update received by FIRE-EARTH.
Wallow Fire is now threatening New Mexico territory.
The blaze is rapidly approaching a major power line located in Springerville, Arizona, which supplies electricity to large parts of the borderland, the El Paso Electric company said.
Current Evacuations [IncidentWeb]
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 Alert
Pre-evacuation alert issued by Apache County Sheriff’s Office for Springerville.
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.
Fire Update
Today, we continue to experience extreme fire behavior due to the forecast high winds and low humidity. The National Weather Service has issued a Red Flag Warning for the area. Firefighters are conducting burn out operations today as part of the strategy to build fire line for protection. Spot fires are occurring up to 3 miles ahead of the fire. Firefighter activities include: burnout operations, building fire line, perimeter control, structure protection, and patrolling for spot fires.
Closures:
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/
Apache-Sitgreaves National Forests Fire Restrictions: 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/.
Arizona’s Wallow Fire May Become the State’s 2nd Largest Today
The mega blaze in Apache-Sitgreaves National Forest (eastern Arizona) has grown from just under 144,000 acres to about 233,000 acres, a rise of more than 61 percent in less than 24 hours, forcing thousands of people from their homes and casting a thick smoky haze over a large region as far away as Iowa.
Arizona Gov. (Jan Brewer) declared a state of emergency retroactive to May 29 in Apache and Greenlee Counties in response to the out-of-control Wallow Fire, which had grown to 233,522 acres in size as of Monday afternoon June 6, 2011.
FIRE-EARTH estimates that under the current conditions the mega blaze could grow by about 40 percent to 326,000 acres today.
Fires and Smoke Satellite Analysis: North America
Source: NOAA. Click images to enlarge.
Click image to enlarge closeup view.
HMS Fire and Smoke Analysis released June 7, 2011. Click images to enlarge. Source: NESDIS
Wallow Fire. Photo by Tam Altaha/@TamAltaha
Map of Wallow Fire. Click image to enlarge. [Full Size]
Other Details
NO serious injuries reported, as of posting.
Up to a dozen structure, mostly cabins, have been destroyed.
Evacuations have been ordered in mountain town of Greer.
The towns of Blue and Luna in New Mexico are being evacuated(?)
At least 2,515 firefighters are deployed (the number of personnel has doubled since 4 days ago).
About 3,000 residents of the towns of Alpine and Nutrioso have been evacuated.
The fire has forced the closure of the Apache National Forest.
Other towns and communities near the New Mexico border which have been evacuated include Bonita, Dog Patch, Escudilla Bonita, White Mountain Acres, H Bar Ranch and Bar Flying Ranch.
The Wallow Fire, currently Arizona’s third largest wildfire, started on May 29. It has grown rapidly since and could become the state’s 2nd largest by this afternoon.
The largest fire in Arizona history was the 2001 Rodeo-Chediski Fire which consumed 469,000 acres.
The 2nd largest blaze, the 2005 Cave Creek fire near Phoenix, burned 248,000 acres.
Other Major Wildfires in Arizona
The Horseshoe Two fire. The blaze started May 8 and has burned at least 100,000 acres, currently 55 percent contained at a cost of about $30 million.
Murphy fire. The blaze has burned about 37,566 acres near Tubac, and is less than 15 percent contained.
Arlene fire. The large fire in Coronado National Forest has burned 10,610 acres.
Wallow Fire Satellite Images (NASA/MODIS)
June 6, 2011
June 5, 2011
The Wallow Fire (lower left corner of the image) – Natural color/MODIS/ NASA/Terra/ June 5, 2011. “Smoke from an Arizona wildfire spanned multiple states in early June 2011. … the Wallow Fire pushed air quality to unhealthy levels as far east as Alabama and Georgia. Closer to the source of the fire, thick smoke traveled across Colorado and into Nebraska.” Source: NASA-EO
Unfortunately, the worst may NOT be over yet. In addition to more tornadoes and violent storms this year and the next, FIRE-EARTH forecasts phenomenally large-scale outbreaks of potentially deadly lightning clusters throughout the United States.
Hazard Mapping System Fire and Smoke Product
Current HMS Fire and Smoke Analysis. Click image to enlarge. Source: NESDIS
Previous Record [National Interagency Fire Center]
Date: (1/1/06 – 5/23/06)
No of Fires: 40,214
Acres Burned: 2,478,309
Annual Average [Based on figures provided by National Interagency Fire Center]
Date: 9-year average
No of Fires: 27,020
Acres Burned: 937,610
Conclusion: The U.S. wildfires 2011 have so far consumed 8 times as many acres as the YTD annual average for the previous 9-year period, while the average number of fires has remained almost unchanged.
Fire Earth 
