2021 Fire Season

[Jim]

https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/7438/

Commence your freakout. Might burn the mountain, might not.

I saw the large smoke plume yesterday around 5 PM in a Satellite image but figured it was so large that it must have been a cloud shield. Nope.

[FOTG]

Visit your special places with a little more intent and purpose this summer and don't take them for granted, as its probably just a matter of time and luck before they we be gone as well at this point, it seems...

[RedRoxx44]

Wonder if inciweb updates screwed up. Report of 191 personnel on the Telegraph Fire but 672 on the Mescal Fire.

And I selfishly hope a few things on the Res are ok.

[chumley]

@RedRoxx44
I'm a little bit surprised they aren't being managed together by the same Type 1 team at this point.

[DixieFlyer]

I hope the fire crews can keep it out of the upper Pinal Mountains

Unfortunately, Ice House Canyon, Kellner Canyon, and Six Shooter Canyon are all in GO MODE now

[pixelfrog]

White Canyon is toast. Won't be surprised to see Telegraph and Mescal merge into another giant complex.

[chumley]

@pixelfrog
I don't know that we can say anything is "toast" just yet. Just because something is within the indicated perimeter of the fire doesn't mean much. Fires burn very inconsistently. Here's to hoping for some good outcomes.

[pixelfrog]

@chumley
Agreed, however with the fuels and drought the way they are I'm sure damage will be significant and it breaks my heart. But I agree, hope for the best.

[pixelfrog]

Also https://mappingsupport.com/p2/gissurfer ... d_fire.txt

[RedRoxx44]

@chumley
From inciweb : Coordinate and share resources with the Mescal Fire
Not a direct quote but close

[chumley]

The incident command briefing just completed clarified that the fire did approach Boyce Thompson last night but that they stopped it and feel confident about the defensive line they have set up to hold it. Also mentioned was that current conditions make it a "low probability" that the two fires would merge or affect each other. They are hoping that the burn area from the 2017 Pinal fire will provide a fuel break to allow crews to work on slowing the progress on the eastern flank.

Photos of Picketpost today show effects of fire across most of the north and west slopes of the mountain.

[chumley]

US 180 is now closed north of Flagstaff due to the Slate Fire. Grand Canyon access is still open via SR64 from Williams.

[RedRoxx44]

Per inciweb for Telegraph fire set mode "South Globe, all areas south of Highway 60 and Highway 70 from De Marcos to the 70-77 junction" , in addition to a few others that have been added. Also West side of El Capitan area mentioned for set mode in both Telegraph and Mescal Fires. While the fires probably won't merge some spots are obviously in a "squeeze" play type situation.

Video from Globe showing the smoke from both fires---https://www.azfamily.com/news/arizona_w ... 8bdfe.html

[trekkin_gecko]

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/boyce ... uxbndlbing
boyce thompson arboretum being evacuated

[chumley]

Looks like the whole top of Slate Mtn will probably burn. I can't see them making any kind of line up there.

[RedRoxx44]

Well, they are burning off part of Signal peak in the Pinals to meet the fire coming, they expect it to approach Pioneer road and get into the 2017 fire scar, also to get into Kellner canyon area. Discussion on a Wildfire reporting website regarding all the back burning, with some old dog wildland firefighters critical of not taking a more direct approach, whatever that means.

[chumley]

old dog wildland firefighters critical of not taking a more direct approach, whatever that means.

I don't know anything about wildland firefighting, but my impression has been that in the past few years the management strategy has been to pick the biggest, safest, "easiest" place to build lines, and burn the rest. In addition, the US Private Property Service puts a lot of effort into protecting private property within those established boundaries, with little care for anything else.

[DixieFlyer]

puts a lot of effort into protecting private property within those established boundaries, with little care for anything else.

I believe that during the Woodbury FIre a couple of years ago the Tonto NF spokesperson was asked why they weren't doing more to stop the spread of the fire in the Supes. Her response was something to the effect of: "well it's just wilderness".

[RedRoxx44]

My thoughts go also to " more acreage more dollars" ---let the flaming begin!

[chumley]

The "Pinnacle Fire" is burning in the Santa Teresa mountains. As a remote wilderness with few "values" to protect, I expect the management strategy to include a whole lot of letting it burn.

[RedRoxx44]

Ugh, a few ranches in the area might save some of it.

Mescal looks to be filling in to the south east, Telegraph has a higher percentage of containment now.