Western wildfires consume dozens of structures, force hundreds to evacuate
A lightning-sparked blaze, the Little Bear Fire, located in White Mountain Wilderness above Bonito Lake in Lincoln County, has so far consumed dozens of structures as it ballooned to more than 10,000 acres almost overnight.
The fire, which started on June 4, is yet to be mapped by GPS for a more accurate estimate of size, the authorities said, as Lincoln County commissioners declared the fast-growing blaze a disaster.
As many as several hundred people have been evacuated from various areas including summer homes and campgrounds close to the fire, and shelters have been set up in Ruidoso and Capitan.
Meantime, the National Weather Service (NWS) has issued red flag warning for parts of 10 states.
U.S. Weather Hazards Map. Portal
Gila National Forest wildfire
New Mexico’s Gov. Martinez has already declared state of emergency in Catron County, where the largest wildfire in state’s history, Gila National Forest wildfire (Whitewater Baldy Complex fire), has consumed about 280,000 acres, with less than a third contained.
NM fires are currently aided by air temps of 82ºF and humidity of less than 4 percent.
Latest available map for Gila National Forest wildfire (Whitewater-Baldy Complex fire). Source: US Forest Service Gila National Forest
[Manmade Volcano] Gila forest, south side of Big Dry. Photo taken by JoDee Goatz. Credit USFS Gila National Forest
Colorado. The High Park Fire, a fast-moving wildfire which has exploded to more than 8,000 acres since Saturday, is located 15 miles west of Fort Collins. “The fire has crossed County Road 27 south of the Stove Prairie School. High winds are fueling this fire and causing evacuations.” Inciweb reported.
“Evacuations have been ordered for Stove Prairie Road north along County Road 27 to Highway 14, east along Highway 14 to approximately mile marker 111, southeast to Rist Canyon Fire Station 1, then back west to to include Wilderness Ridge Way, Rist Creek Road, Spring Valley Road and County Road 41 and all of the roads that run off of it. Additionally, all of Rist Canyon (west of 27E) and all roads off of it, including Whale Rock Road and Davis Ranch Road. South 3 additional miles on County Road 44H to just north of Stringtown Gulch Road. (Over 800 notifications (contacts, not residents) sent.) A pre-evacuation alert was issued for the Buckhorn Road between mile markers 25 and 27. (5 notifications) At 11:10 P.M. an evacuation alert has been sent to the Poudre Park (along Highway 14) area from mile marker 111 to mile marker 118 (Kings Canyon/Boyd Gulch area). (31 notifications).Additionally Highway 14 from Ted’s Place to Stove Prairie is closed, as well as Stove Prairie Road and Rist Canyon. Ten structures are confirmed lost or damaged and others are threatened.” The report said.
Other Global Disasters, Significant Events
- Florida, USA. Escambia County in Florida’s panhandle has declared a state of emergency amid an extreme rain event which triggered severe flooding, with the damage so far estimated at $20million, authorities said.
- A storm moving across the Gulf Coast pummeled parts of Alabama and Florida.
- Pensacola received up to 18 inches of rain by Saturday, reports said.
- “Emergency shelters were opened at a few local schools for people who were urged to evacuate from low-lying areas, the newspaper reported. Thousands were without power. Neighboring Santa Rosa County had about 40 homes flooded.” AP reported.
- “Mobile, Alabama, saw 15 inches (38 cm) of rain that stranded people in cars and caused a dam to break on a private lake, officials said,” Reuters reported.
- NWS has forecast “a prolonged period of heavy rainfall” and possibility of flooding “across portions of the Central Gulf Coast from Louisiana to the Florida Panhandle.”
- NY, USA. Mega brigades of armyworms have destroyed acres of feed in a Buffalo farm and elsewhere in New York and Pennsylvania.
- “A storm system, about a month ago, brought adult Armyworm moths to Western, New York (from the south),” said Walter Nelson, Program Leader Agriculture & Horticulture at Cornell Cooperative Extension Monroe County.
- The worms have also been reported in across upstate, in Livingston, Monroe and Orleans counties, as well as in Clarence, Evans, Genesee, Marilla, Newstead and Wyoming counties.
- Armyworms invade Pennsylvania lawns!
- See video.
- Greece. Magnitude 6.1 quake centered at 28.94°E 36.35°N and depth of 10km struck Dodecanese Islands, Greece at 12:44:14.6 UTC (2012-06-10), GEOFON Program reported.
- The quake struck about 60 km E of Rodos, Dodecanese Islands, Greece and 100km SSE of Mugla, Turkey.
- The quake may have caused at least moderate damage and casualties; however, there were and NO reports available as of posting.
Earthquake Map – Dodecanese Islands, Greece.
- Burma. Burma’s president has declared a state of emergency in the western state of Rakhine, after a week of sectarian violence in the region, which has left at least 17 people dead and hundreds of properties destroyed or damaged, reports said.
Global Disasters: Links, Forecasts and Background
Fire Earth 