HikeArizona.COM

A little dry spell and here they are again!

I've been flying for several days and am unaware if these fires have made the local media. If not, the first is on the rim just north of Payson and just west of the old Dude Fire site. For anybody doubting the impact of these fires, I would date the Dude fire at 10 - 12 years ago and the affected area still looks bare from above.

The second is also on the rim just west of Sedona.

We were in Jerome today; very smokey and coming out on 89A the smoke rising from the fire near Pine was clearly visible. Supposed to be under 200 acres.

The Forest Service is predicting a fall "fire season," which is very unusual. I think we all need to get ready for some big changes in our forests (and our lifestyles) if we don't see some significant rain soon. If the bark beetles and other blights don't get the forest first, there are going to be more fires to contend with. It is kind of scary but nature is just doing her thing. That is, as much as she can do with all the human impact we have had on the environment.

It was unnerving seeing the fire up on the Rim last week, after what happened earlier this summer. If there are any more big ones, there is little man/money power left to see it through. The deserts are faring much worse. Haven't seen them this dry ever before, and I have lived here almost 22 years. I think they can bounce back better than the forest, though. once they do get rain. If they do.

Us girls saw this fire on our "Girls Hike" last weekend. It looked so teeny, its hard to believe it is still going - so scary.

Dancing for rain beginning again. (Joe, plz make me a dancing Kokopelli - Thx)

You can keep track of various fires here:

( dead link removed )

It is updated daily. There is current info on the two fires noted in this topic.

Hre in GOld Beach, Oregon, we are smack dab in the middle of the 494,000 acre, $108,000,000 Biscuit fire ( dead link removed ). As a matter of fact, the "fire guys" havbe virtually taken over our favorite internet hangout here at the Southwest Oregon Community College. As I write this there a half dozen camo-garbed National Guardsman sitting aside me and the rest of the terminals are occupied by knarly looking fire guys in yellow shirts and green pants. Staff on this fire peaked around 6,800 people. It's been a real eye-opener watching such a huge logistical operation unfold. The Forest Service is basically out of money so they probably won't hit the Arizona fires too hard unless they get real big and/or threaten some "life or property."

J&S in GOld Beach

( dead link removed ) This one is for southwest fires. The smoke in Flagstaff is so bad today I can hardly see the mountain--just a ghost. When I look across the street I can see it in the air. We have been smelling it for days. I am crossing my eyes that whatever plot Dubya has for forest thinning is a good one.......

I was in Flag this morning as well as yesterday and it was "snowing" little ashes.

What's been going on with the Trick and the Pack Rat fires? I got the latest update off the net and it looks like both of them are posing some real problems. They said the Pack Rat fire showed "extreme" fire behavior today and that the Trick fire had burned into the Sycamore Wilderness, normally a buzz word for "oh, well, we won't fight that one much anymore." (Fire guys absolutely LOVE dozers and other mechanical gizmos that are normally off limits in wilderness areas.) We wouldn't have checked but we were sitting here in the Gold Beach computer room with a bunch of fire guys working the Biscuit Fire and they were gossiping about whether they'd get sent down to AZ for one of those fires. What trails are being threatened by them and what do you all here?

J&S

Shades of Show Low and Heber...did the rain yesterday help any? Any rain up there today/tonight?

What about the bark beetles? I am more worried about them than the fires. If you go to the Tonto Creek area you will see what I mean!