"Huge WILDFIRE burning out of control!"

azsnowman · #1 Postby **azsnowman** » Tue Mar 30, 2004 7:10 am

Well folks, here we GO AGAIN!

The Webber Fire started late Sunday evening and BLEW UP yesterday, going from 30 acres to 600 acres in a matter of 14 hours. The fire located near Pine, Strawberry Az., about 80 miles to my NE as the crow flies! Forecast down slope winds of 10-20 mph today and even WORSENING conditions (sustained winds of 35 with gusts to 40 MPH) for tomorrow could push this fire into a Camp Geronimo, a HUGE Boy Scout summer camp.

Did some research into this, this IS the earliest LARGE wildfire in recorded history of the Forest Service! If this is any kind of indicator, this is gonna be a BOGGER of a season, normal wildfire season doesn't crank up until late May, early June........this ain't looking good folks, not good at ALL!

Dennis

#2 Postby **cycloneye** » Tue Mar 30, 2004 7:16 am

Oh no Dennis is that fire affecting your location in terms of the smoke? As you said it is early for that and it doesn't look like good news for the summer.Take care Dennis and be safe over there.

#3 Postby **azskyman** » Tue Mar 30, 2004 7:20 am

Dennis...the area of Pine and Strawberry near this fire is also one of the most quaint and inspiring locations along the Mogollon Rim and houses many cabins and vacation homes. This was a particularly hard hit area by the bark beetle so there are plenty of dead or dying trees in the mix to fuel the fire.

Winds kicked up all night here in Scottsdale which is about 90 minutes by car from the site of this fire. So that you have the right context, it is near the center of the state of Arizona and north of the town of Payson.

Today will add heat and wind to the conditions and tomorrow will find cooling, but even windier times through that area. As Dennis said, it is very troublesome especially so early in the year.

#4 Postby **streetsoldier** » Tue Mar 30, 2004 7:36 am

I believe Pope Julius II said it best...

"WHEN WILL YOU MAKE AN END???"

BTW, there goes our plans to retire in AZ anytime soon...

azsnowman · #5 Postby **azsnowman** » Tue Mar 30, 2004 7:51 am

cycloneye wrote:Oh no Dennis is that fire affecting your location in terms of the smoke? As you said it is early for that and it doesn't look like good news for the summer.Take care Dennis and be safe over there.

Yes.....we got smoke drift in here last night, I saw the plume to my NE yesterday, thought "NAA!" it's just clouds, HA! It "WAS" the smoke plume.
As Steve said, this area was one of the hardest hit areas by the bark beetle, the trees, as the FMO said on the news last night, is NUTHIN' but sticks of dead wood with the explosive power of gasoline! Another area hard hit with the beetle is the Christopher Creek Area from Payson to the top of the Rim heading towards Heber, the area hit by the Rodeo Chediski Fire 2 years ago. Indeed Steve, the outlook is VERY grim!

Dennis

azsnowman · #6 Postby **azsnowman** » Tue Mar 30, 2004 7:55 am

Heavy Air Tankers were dispatched from Alabama yesterday, the Fort Apache Hot Shots along with a crew from the State Of Az. Dept of Corrections are on the fire......no other resources are available, the hiring process for Hot Shot Crews for the Tonto, Coconino, Apache Sitgraves and other parts of the Forest Service hasn't even STARTED yet!

Dennis

#7 Postby **Stephanie** » Tue Mar 30, 2004 10:00 am

I'm sorry to read about that Dennis.

GulfBreezer · #8 Postby **GulfBreezer** » Tue Mar 30, 2004 10:02 am

Oh no my friend!! Keep us posted and I will keep prayers flyin from the Florida Panhandle!!

azsnowman · #9 Postby **azsnowman** » Tue Mar 30, 2004 1:29 pm

I can't get any news other than the tv news on this fire as ALL forest service fire websites haven't been activated because fire season doesn't officially start for another MONTH! As of 0800 hrs, the Webber Fire HAD topped the Mogollon Rim and burning in a N/NE/NW manner, which ISN'T good, there's NOTHING to stop it and the winds are kicking up to 20 MPH w/ ridge top winds in excess of 35 MPH, 5-8 more MPH and the Air Support will be called off. BTW....I said Alabama, my mistake, the P-3 Orion Heavy Tanker came from Arkansas!

Dennis

southerngale · #10 Postby **southerngale** » Tue Mar 30, 2004 1:59 pm

Oh boy, it is starting early.

azsnowman · #11 Postby **azsnowman** » Tue Mar 30, 2004 6:57 pm

The Webber Fire is now at 900+ acres....it stands at 35% containmient, they are hoping for 45% containment by tonight, if NOT....tomorrow is going to bring a HUGE problem, forecast ridge top winds expected to exceed 35-40 MPH out of the SW...putting a subdivision in it's path! PRAY for containment tonight.

On "ANOTHER" note, we had 4 juvenilles, playing with matches, start *slash piles* on fire within the city limits today, they GOT the little BRATS......their parents are going to face charges PLUS the cost of putting these blazes out!

Dennis

HurricaneGirl · #12 Postby **HurricaneGirl** » Tue Mar 30, 2004 7:13 pm

OMG! Stay safe Dennis!

#13 Postby **azskyman** » Tue Mar 30, 2004 7:33 pm

A neighbor and a friend of ours both have cabins within reach of these fires. So far they are not at risk. At least some containement is better than none Dennis. Not hard to remember that last year's fires were out of control for days on end with no hope of containment. Cooler weather should help...I suspect highs in the 55-65 range on Thursday IF we can get through the winds of tomorrow.

#14 Postby **Stephanie** » Tue Mar 30, 2004 7:48 pm

I'm glad that there is some containment and that they did snag the brats that were starting fires within the city limits. I thought that I did see some rain in the forecast this morning for you this week?

azsnowman · #15 Postby **azsnowman** » Wed Mar 31, 2004 7:06 am

Stephanie wrote:I'm glad that there is some containment and that they did snag the brats that were starting fires within the city limits. I thought that I did see some rain in the forecast this morning for you this week?

They DID reach the 45% containment that they were hoping for BUT.....it appears a wind advisory is in the works also, just read the AFD from FLAG and winds are expected to pick up in ernest this afternoon, let's HOPE they are WRONG......course, the NWS is NEVER wrong on wind, the precip on the other hand, they are ALWAYS WRONG

There's yet another large brush fire near Gila Bend, last estimate, 200 acres, there's nothing to burn down there, sounds like the FS is gonna let this one burn itself out.

The precip in the forecast is light with the possibility of DRY LIGHTNING....which is the WORST case scenario

we shall see!

Dennis

azsnowman · #16 Postby **azsnowman** » Wed Mar 31, 2004 7:38 pm

Well, some GOOD NEWS! The Webber Fire is now at 75% containment, it stands at 2100 acres, most of that is from back burns.......burning of the fuels in front of the fire to starve it of fuels. NOW......we've had NUMEROUS CG lightning strikes up here today, I expect numerous spot fires tomorrow once it heats up......

Dennis

#17 Postby **Stephanie** » Wed Mar 31, 2004 7:55 pm

I'm glad to hear about the Webber fire Dennis!

blizzard · #18 Postby **blizzard** » Wed Mar 31, 2004 10:40 pm

thank the good lord above...

#19 Postby **cycloneye** » Thu Apr 01, 2004 1:10 pm

Good news Dennis about the containment but still the lighting may cause more fires so watch for that.

"Huge WILDFIRE burning out of control!"

"Huge WILDFIRE burning out of control!"

Who is online