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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 )

Greer is still intact (for now) http://74.36.168.38:8000/adrv/fullonair.html

Holy Smoke!

You know it's a bad fire when we, in Minnesota, can tell it by the sunsets and sunrises. One of the local forcasters told us of the smoke smell in the air is due to the fires in Arizona.

Meanwhile the Northern tier of states are preparing for floods the likes of which haven't been seen by most long-time residents. If only there was a way of shipping some of that water to those areas that are burning.

It just ain't fair.

KTAR has a reporter in the Green's Peak fire tower with live radio reports and also photos on the website. Plus there's an incredible photo taken from a plane on their website. Really shows you the effect of the fire ... looks to be developing it's own thunderhead!

http://ktar.com/?nid=237&sid=1422239&pid=0

I am in Round Valley now (Springerville-Eagar, for those of you not familiar with our local names). I am sure that Greer is toast. It is hard to believe what I am seeing up there on the mountain. Still can't see the flames. Just looked at that Google Earth Modis map. Heard that it is at least as far as Nelson Reservoir, which means Sipe is toast. It is almost to Mexican Hay, which means my South Fork will be toast. I am sure that there are a lot of homes lost, but no one is telling anyone that yet. Nutrioso is toast also.

What are the two people thinking now, the ones who left those two campfires burning? I think that one of them had to be a backpacker, down in Bear Wallow, and then there was the other fire, the one that the fisherman with the two dogs supposedly started.

Traffic is streaming out of town, like so many Dust Bowl refugees, with their horses, dogs, chickens, 4 wheelers, and all manner of old travel trailers overloaded.

The call to evacuate has not come yet. At first they said it would be early afternoon. Now maybe it won't be until tomorrow. Who knows? The folks at my job were kind and I will stay overnight if necessary.

A bit of trail magic, thanks to the trailrunner in Wilderness of Rocks on Sunday who gave me his extra albuterol inhaler for my husband. Much appreciated. Kyle was his name.

My cat is in the car already, in a carrier. She is not too happy. I am in front of a restaurant that has free wifi right now. I have to go back home now. Talk at you all later. I am taking photos. Will post them in a few days.

311,481 acres 4 hours ago. Escudilla burned north of Terry Flat, and there's a spot on the map south of Turner Peak.

Saguaro NP East and Coronado National Forest closing also.

azbackpackr wrote:I am sure that Greer is toast.

Greer is still just "bread."

NPR was reporting that 2,000 Round Valley residents were ordered to evacuate around 5pm. Also on KPHO right now.

This is just tragic...............

News report this evening said 384k acres, that they plan to back burn everything south of Eager between 261 and 191. Hoping to set flattop on fire as a buffer (fight fire with fire).

(Edit: and they only evacuated Eager south of the 260, but not the north due to no immediate danger)

Fire lines on the east side of Escudilla are currently holding, and that back burn fishhook thing they are doing on the west side (on the rez) is not being done under the supervision of the main command center.

My house is only one block south of 260 in Eagar. so we were evacuated. I think it was partly because the big heavy smoke cloud was about ready to fall down on us. The fire was coming down Water Canyon, I think. I think it was in South Fork as well. Backburning Old Flat Top is probably a good idea.

Every single foot of land I worked on in the A-S appears to have burned with the latest fire map. Every Spotted Owl snag and grassy meadow, every Goshawk nest tree and rocky crag.

azbackpackr wrote:My house is only one block south of 260 in Eagar. so we were evacuated.

I hope it doesn't suffer any damage.

The wind forecast seems to be improving day-by-day this week, but with no monsoon moisture in sight, and still ZERO percent containment on this fire, I'm wondering exactly when it will stop. A third Type-1 crew arrives tomorrow. R-C had 4.

I currently have a Therapy Dog International certified dog. I want to head up there to help provide some sort of help to the people staying at Blue Ridge. My wife is from Show Low and most of her family still lives there. I feel a strong connection to the community even though I am not directly from there. I think everyone who shares a true love for the outdoors has some kind of connection to one another. I will be calling the Red Cross around 9A.M. to see if they will allow me to come up there and visit. Currently at work. I will be visiting Wends/Thurs/Fri if everything goes according to plan and the Red Cross will allow me to visit. I will keep you posted and let you know if I am heading up there. Any tips form people who have driven through Pinetop/Show Low how is the traffic going into town?

2011-06-08 4am Modis Hot Spot Map
http://hikearizona.com/t2011/06/08/O_23 ... 427-16.jpg

K9Shep wrote:I currently have a Therapy Dog International certified dog. I want to head up there to help provide some sort of help

That is very kind of you! I heard a lot of people were not using the shelter, since they have family to stay with, so you should call first. In fact, I heard with the first evacuations of around 1,000 people from Alpine, etc., only 6 stayed at the shelter.

The nature of this population: mostly native Arizonans with a lot of family in the state. They may have several dogs with them, and their worries mostly may have to do with how to best care for their horses and cattle. I have heard over and over again, if you want to help the people of the White Mountains, donate some hay. Hay is very expensive right now. About $16 a bale!

Can't comment on the traffic. We came to Flagstaff and did not go via Show Low.

Well if there are any feed stores open I will see what I can do. From what I have read on news websites and what not there is about 60-100 people at Blue Ridge. Perfect start, maybe while there I can get in touch with someone who will set me up with something in Springerville or somewhere where I can visit with the fire fighters. My only worry is that the Red Cross won’t let me because I am not a certified volunteer with them. If that’s the case maybe I will take my truck tent to Blue Ridge parking lot, set up the truck tent, and post a sign saying free love from a therapy dog. Sucks how much dam red tape there is nowadays if you want to do it right. Any have any word on gas shortages?

joe bartels wrote:2011-06-08 4am Modis Hot Spot Map
http://hikearizona.com/t2011/06/08/O_23 ... 427-16.jpg

Thanks for this map!

The northerly hot spots nearest 261, where you can see the residential roads nearby: That area did receive a "healthy forest" thinning. Other areas not labeled, which are crucial in many ways, include Water Canyon and Sipe Ranch. The Overland Trail parallels 261 to the east, roughly following Water Canyon to Pat Knoll and Crescent Lake.

Between Mexican Hay Lake and River Reservoir you can see the canyon of South Fork (Trail #97) of the Little Colorado, which I am also very worried about. That area received some treatment up on the ridges, but not too much along the creek, if at all. The map shows no evidence they have started any backburning of Flat Top, which is easy to see in the upper right hand corner of the map.

So, we sit here in Flag and await developments.

K9Shep wrote:Well if there are any feed stores open I will see what I can do. From what I have read on news websites and what not there is about 60-100 people at Blue Ridge. Perfect start, maybe while there I can get in touch with someone who will set me up with something in Springerville or somewhere where I can visit with the fire fighters. My only worry is that the Red Cross won’t let me because I am not a certified volunteer with them. If that’s the case maybe I will take my truck tent to Blue Ridge parking lot, set up the truck tent, and post a sign saying free love from a therapy dog. Sucks how much dam red tape there is nowadays if you want to do it right. Any have any word on gas shortages?

No word on gas shortages. The gas stations were all going to stay open in Round Valley and I am pretty sure they mean to keep bringing the gas trucks in. Can't let all those petty bureaucrats and fancy haircut news reporters go without fuel, you know.