"Wallow Fire" in Bear Wallow Wilderness

[azbackpackr]

Lots of activity in Springerville this morning, with the Prescott Hot Shots arriving at Safeway for a snack, and other buses full of firefighters seen on the highway heading for the "Wallow Fire" in Bear Wallow Wilderness Area, south of Hannagan. The smoke is not that visible, although my daughter was over at Hulsey yesterday and saw the smoke. I was up at Big Lake early this morning and could see only a haze of smoke south of there, not a big plume. I think winds too strong for it to plume up much. I'm back in Flag now, so I won't get the firsthand news any more.

Oh, and no campfires or charcoal grills allowed in the campgrounds since last night in Apache-Sitgreaves NF (Big Lake, Hannagan, etc.) I think stoves still allowed. Not sure about non-campgrounds.

Here's a news story on the Wallow Fire, but as of this writing it has not made it to inciweb yet. (Maybe tomorrow?)
( dead link removed )

Perimeter Map [ Wallow Fire Map 2011-06-27 :: map ]
Inciweb ( dead link removed )

[azbackpackr]

Are you the journalist named David I spoke to in the Basha's parking lot?

Not bad now, about 7:30 p.m. Smoke blowing elsewhere. I took a drive: looks like Water Canyon and South Fork trail areas burning. Flat Top and Round Mtn. are untouched. Friends who stayed came over and told stories.

We did not drive via 60 since we were in Flag. We took 180 all the way down from Holbrook, and it was deserted, truly, until we got to St. Johns. After that there was light traffic. Got here about 3 p.m. Very smoky on arrival, much better now.

I found out state lands where I mtn. bike (in the grasslands) may not be closed. Will inquire further.

[PaleoRob]

443K+ acres, but containment is up to 10% according to Inciweb (and HAZ).

[K9Shep]

The idea of planting the trees is nice, too, although I am not sure how one goes about it. The soil is so tough, I would have a hard time digging the hole myself. So, I am very unimpressed with the police. Hope they can keep the looters at bay.

Sadly I am guessing there is a bit of lack of communication between the P.D. and F.D./Forest Service. Only a guess though. Anyone have any advice on what kind of mask to get to be protected from the smoke? I am planning on going back up with any luck and want to protect my self. Is it bad enough where you will need more than a wet bandana/buff covering your face? Also with regards to the tree. 1. you could buy the tree your self. 2. you could get seeds and spread them around. 3. contact the forest service. As for the hard ground, I am hoping the saying, where there is a will there is a way, will apply!

[azbackpackr]

I am here in Eagar right now. Masks are available. There is one at the house. I can't see myself wearing it. I don't think it's that bad, but I do not have any respiratory issues. I wouldn't go for a bike ride, that's for sure. It is a lot better later in the day, and it is bad in the early a.m. like right now.

Talking to a lot of people: You can't go by that map everyone is putting up. It was not a blanket fire, there is a LOT of unburned forest within the fire boundaries. This is good news. Flat Top, my neighborhood hike, did not burn. People who were let back in are happy to be home. People seem pretty cheerful, although complaining a bit about the smoke.

[Jim]

What was the Rodeo-Chediski, 468,638 acres? Inciweb reports the Wallow at 452,155 acres, so just 16,500 more to go before it's #1! It is split between AZ and NM on the Fire Detection Map's "Active Fire Map", but not on the Inciweb Map. So, it might not be the largest purely for Arizona.

[RangerKelly]

According to inciweb the actual fire is within Arizona boundaries, just in New Mexico they are burning out some forest so there is a lack of fuel for the fire. I still think the fire is within Arizona boundaries.

[chumley]

I'm attaching the official map as of midnight last night/this morning. The acreage breakdown according to inciweb is as follows:

USFS - 413,237 ac.
Fort Apache Indian reservation - 12,345 ac.
San Carlos Indian Reservation - 7,835 ac.
State of Az. - 4,234 ac.
Private - 6,338 ac.

But those only add up to 443,989... not 452,155.

The map clearly shows burnouts in New Mexico (burnouts ARE included in the total acreage of the fire), so there's likely to be some discrepancies vs the State figures.

[azbackpackr]

The fact it has burned so many riparian areas is of great concern.

Not too smoky today, except early a.m. I even have laundry on the line. People riding around on bikes, etc.

There is a LOT of hiking remaining nearby if it doesn't burn next. Correjo Crossing, Green's Peak, Pole Knoll, St. Peter's Dome, G&F White Mtn. Grasslands Area, Wenima Wildlife Area, all unburned SO FAR. All these can be found on HAZ.

[PaleoRob]

That's great that the grasslands and Wenima haven't burned.

[Thoreau]

Nope, I'm definitely not in the media. Just someone with too much spare time =)

Glad to hear the air is clearer. It had actually changed a bit even in the sort time I was out there as the wind calmed a little bit and wasn't coming in strong. Let's just keep hoping it continues to improve from here on out!

[red_dog]

Inciweb just updated the acreage to 469,407

[Moovyoaz]

Inciweb just updated the acreage to 469,407

The Wallow Fire is now the largest in Az history: 734 sq mi/469,407ac /17 days only 18% contained
The Rodeo-Chediski Fire 6/02 was 732 sq mi/468,638 ac/19 days

[chumley]

The amazing thing to me is that even as they seemed to get a handle on things, the number of personnel involved kept growing. There are now 4,734 people on this fire. That's an incredible number. Add that to the other fires in AZ and there are currently 6,549 men and women officially fighting fires in our state today. Wow.

[azbackpackr]

Well. At least someone is makin' a buck today. I sure ain't.

Anyone see me on Phoenix TV 3 last night? My first ever (and hopefully, last) live interview on TV. Very short, and pretty dumb. They only asked me about my house and how I felt about coming back. They did not ask me about anything that actually matters to me. South Fork, Fish Creek, Bear Wallow, Escudilla, Rudd Creek, Water Canyon, Black River, old historic cabins, wildlife, healthy watersheds, etc. etc. Also, I am just not good "on stage." I sort of freeze up. Never have liked being on stage.

I spoke to Mike Nuttall, the Springerville Chief of Police, and his wife, Mary, an Eagar firefighter. I have known them for many years. Mike went to Big Lake, Nutrioso and Alpine a couple of days ago. He said Big Lake is amazing. When you are at the lake, at the store or campgrounds or over by the lake, you can't even tell there was a fire. However, his voice broke when he described the nearby Indian Springs Trail, incinerated. He showed me a photo in his camera of the Big Lake fire tower, which burned. (Someone on here disbelieved me several days ago when I said it had burned. It burned. I had heard it via a Forest Service friend, but didn't want to say that.) Mike Nuttall also said that there are a great many unburned areas, which I had also heard from several other people who have been up there.

The big mountain, called South Mountain, that overhangs Alpine, is totally torched, I heard from another friend who was able to sneak in there with her husband who had a pass. I have not had any really clear info regarding Escudilla. I could see it today on my bike ride, from Springerville. But from that distance could not tell much.

[haggster]

The big mountain, called South Mountain, that overhangs Alpine, is totally torched, I heard from another friend who was able to sneak in there with her husband who had a pass.

Check out this gallery, https://picasaweb.google.com/wesmcb/WallowFire2011#. About half way down are some pictures of South Mountain. Pretty sad. I am anxious to see Escudilla.

[azbackpackr]

Will check out later. Community meeting coming up. (RE: that photoset: the McBride kids rode on my school bus.) Small small town...

[Thoreau]

#66 in that photoset isn't crescent lake is it?

[joebartels]

The infrared satellite data coming in has dropped substantially over the past day.
Hot spots were in the 5,000 range and now down below 3,500
http://hikearizona.com/t2011/06/15/O_23 ... 427-18.jpg

[nonot]

Other than a small spot south of Greer it appears the only fire activity left is southeast of escudilla and it looks like the entire blue range could burn. Other than that this thing looks like it's burned itself out, unless a major windstorm stokes it back up.

[chumley]

If you look at the map I posted above (viewtopic.php?f=45&t=6212&start=260#p72086) you'll see that the Blue range is protected by the previous KP, Chitty, Paradise, Thomas and Grant fires. (Though it seems to have had it's way through the previous Steeple burn).

I have a feeling that they are letting this move in a "managed" way in this area. Fire doesn't move downhill very aggressively and they have the resources necessary to stop it if they wanted to.

Just my opinion though, no facts or comments from command to support that.