Woodbury Fire - Superstition Wilderness

[chumley]

Burning near Woodbury Trailhead. It has grown to 500 acres. I'll post official links as soon as they're up.

The smoke plume does not look good.

Inciweb

Updated 2019-07-16 123,875 Acres - 100% Contained
[ Woodbury Fire Perimeter :: map ]

[pixelfrog]

@chumley also throw in the Apache-Sitgreaves National Forest on top of the Rim and it gets even more confusing. I think the transition to Coconino is right on the east side of Knoll lake, so there's 3 governing bodies in that general area.

Frankly I'm shocked that both Coconino and Apache-Sitgreaves aren't in Stage I restrictions right now. Was up a Woods Canyon Lake 2 weekends ago and everyone camping had campfires burning during the day, crazy at any time under these conditions.

[chumley]

@pixelfrog
There's still quite a bit of moisture across the higher elevations. Coconino is still allowing natural caused fires to burn for environmental benefit. It's actually the rare time with conditions that healthy fires can start and burn! And with some rain already, and more on the way, there's little reason to consider restrictions (at that elevation).

[pixelfrog]

@chumley agreed it is rare and glad it's still relatively wet up there but people are stupid, that's my main point.

I'm not against beneficial fire management, it's a no-brainer, it's just many campers are careless and it seems like a good idea to limit campfire use until the monsoons come in full force.

[nonot]

Just as a warning: The Woodbury fire is still smoldering and there is significant smoke settled in the Roosevelt Lake basin, so anyone sensitive should probably stay at least 20 miles away from the lake.

Apache trail remains closed between Tortilla Flat and the dam, and I don't expect that to change within the next month.

[wildwesthikes]

The Woodbury Fire closure boundary has been updated as of 7/30/2019:

https://www.fs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_DO ... 646574.pdf

https://www.fs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_DO ... 646573.pdf

These trails are now open:
* Peralta Tr.
* Terrapin Tr.
* Black Mesa Tr.
* 2nd Water Tr.
* Bluff Spring Tr. (from Peralta TH to the junction with Dutchman)
* Dutchman trail from 1st water to the junction with Terrapin / Needle Canyon
* Most of Boulder Canyon except the lower portion from 2nd water to Canyon Lake

However, most are still closed.

This closure order is in effect until 9/30/2019.

Large areas that were unaffected by the fire remain closed (ex: Cavalry Tr, Most of Dutchman Trail, particularly as it passes by Charlebois Spr. and LaBarge Spr., Bull Pass Tr. and Hackberry Spring Tr.).

Would like to hear if anyone here has more info than my guess, but I assume it has to do with ongoing flash flood risk/damage, since the end date coincides with the end of the monsoon season.

[chumley]

@elleryjk
Flooding would be my guess for those trails too. ADOT has clearly stated that the reason the section of highway 88 from Fish Creek Hill to Apache Lake remains closed is due to the risk for flooding washing out the roadway.

The closure area includes the entire La Barge drainage because that can easily flood from burned areas to the east. Boulder Canyon is open because it doesn't drain any burned areas. North of 2nd Water is closed because that's where La Barge runs into Boulder. Same thing on the Peralta side ... it's still closed to the east where flooding from the higher elevations can affect the trails down in the lower unburned areas.

[wildwesthikes]

@chumley
I'd definitely like to be a fly on the wall when a big post fire flood rolls through LaBarge. What a sight that would be!

[hikerdw]

Bluff Spring Tr. (from Peralta TH to the junction with Dutchman)

Bluff Spring trail from Peralta TH is open only to the Terrapin Trail junction, then Terrapin to the Dutchman is also open. Hiking Bluff Spring to the Dutchman junction at Crystal Spring gets you into the closed area.

[hikerdw]

A glimpse of beauty following the fire.

[chumley]

Game and Fish put together an informative piece with a lot of photos, videos, and information about the fire and the recovery.
https://storymaps.arcgis.com/stories/68 ... 18ea577940

[FOTG]

@chumley That video is rough to watch

[chumley]

@friendofThundergod
I wonder if the careless camper whose unextinguished campfire started this fire (*my speculation - official cause listed as "unknown") will live with a lifetime of guilt, or perhaps they don't even know it was their negligence that caused this. Or maybe they know and don't really care. Oh to be a fly in that persons mind...

[FOTG]

@chumley I just wonder what would have happened if they had thrown everything they had at the fire when it started...

[chumley]

@friendofThundergod
I read this in news reports the day the fire started. It's a quote that I will never forget for its dismissiveness of exactly what the forest service is supposed to protect.

"It's all national forest," forest service spokeswoman Carrie Templin said. "There isn't anything but hiking trails and wilderness."

[SuperstitionGuy]

Some where I forget where (I am a stroke victim) that the forest service is opening up SR 88 from Tortilla Flat to Apache Lake. Look for it in the news.

[SuperstitionGuy]

I found the source. It is Apache Lake Marine & Resort Facebook website. Road opens tomorrow. No time mentioned.

[chumley]

Just like washing your car or hanging laundry out to dry, opening the road will trigger monsoon storms and massive flooding and washouts. Thanks ADOT!

[rwstorm]

@chumley
Bombs away baby!

[wallyfrack]

Order number 03-12-00-19-357 is terminated effective 6:00 am September 06, 2019.


https://www.fs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_DO ... 660446.pdf

[wildwesthikes]

@wallyfrack
6am and not a second sooner.