We drove a slightly different route driving back home: instead of using 1-10 all the way to Benson, we took the more scenic route along the Mexican border. Just before I-10 enters Arizona we veered south on NM90 into Portal, a two-lane road that hugs the eastern slopes of the Chiricahua.
"There's a fire up there!" said Kevin. Sure enough, high in the peaks we saw white smoke rising. Was this the same fire that was burning in this area well over three weeks ago?
When we approached the turn-off to Portal, AZ we saw a small tent village on the east side of the road. Then we spotted fire trucks and a small community of trailers, temper-tents and fold-down tables and chairs. It reminded me of the staging areas the US military uses in Kuwait. This was the actual Incident Command Post (ICP) combating this fire.
Except this place also had pink porta-pots.
We opted to stop and ask questions about this event. A liaison offer, agent Clawson, was glad to answer all our questions.
This is a new fire, he said, one that started about five days ago by humans. (Hmm, wanna bet illegals started this one again?). It's in the Horseshoe Canyon and thus called the Horseshoe Fire. Right now around 1800 acres are burning. "Before this is over I expect about 33,000 acres to burn, as it's high up in rugged terrain" Clawson added. Over 800 crew from across the Southwest, to include Oregon, Washington, Nevada are here working 12-16 hour shifts wearing about 40 pounds of fire-fighting gear. We didn't see any planes flying overhead, or anyone rushing out with another waterload. In fact, several fighters were relaxing under a canopy playing cards. Fighting fires is not easy and they deserve breaks. They have plenty of food and water keeping them healthy.
An attendant inside the Desert Museum, next door to the ICP, told me the fire is in very brittle shrubbery so dry it "needed to burn." "I haven't seen that area burn in 20 years." The area around Horseshoe Canyon, however, is a renowned birding area and of high priority for the fire fighters.
Thus our drive home was colored not so much with the usual USBP vans and trucks along this route, but Forest Service and area fire fighting vehicles along the road. Fifteen miles from the ICP is where the rancher Rob Kentz was murdered by Mexican drug traffickers about two months ago.
"This is not a very safe area" added Clawson before we thanked his crew for their efforts and drove on.
http://www.inciweb.org/incident/1966/
http://www.svherald.com/content/news/2010/05/29/horseshoe-fire-grows-yellow-jacket-fire-nearly-controlled
This fire is luckily not growing as fast as predicted.
ReplyDeleteUpdate from an hour ago:
Current Situation
Total Personnel 444
Size 2,200 acres
Percent Contained 25%
Estimated Containment Date Tuesday June 15th, 2010 approx. 12:00 AM
Fuels Involved Timber, grass and understory.
Fire Behavior Backing understory with short upslope runs.
Significant Events Release 9 crews misc overhead since mid afternoon. Arial ignition was conducted this afternoon on the NE flank of the fire. A long term implementation plans has been completed.
Wildfire near Ariz.-N.M. border tops 2,300 acres
ReplyDeleteStoryBy Brian J. Pedersen Arizona Daily Star | Posted: Monday, June 7, 2010 10:33 am
A wildfire burning near the Arizona-New Mexico border for nearly two weeks has grown to 2,370 acres and isn't expected to be contained for another week, officials said.
The Horseshoe Fire is only 25 percent contained since first being spotted May 26 in an area of the Coronado National Forest about five miles south of the community of Portal, according to a U.S. Forest Service news release.
More than 320 personnel are fighting the blaze, which has cost more than $6.4 million to fight and has led to four injuries, the release said.
Much of the containment effort has been focused on keeping the fire from crossing South Fork Cave Creek on the northwest side, the release said.
http://www.kvoa.com/news/horseshoe-fire-still-burning-25-containment/
We're only five days away from the 15 June containment date and it's still only 25% contained.
ReplyDelete__
Date: June 10, 2010
10:00 a.m.
Fire Update: Horseshoe Fire
Fire Information: 520-609-5316
Website Info: www.inciweb. org
Fire Facts
Date started: May 26, 2010
Cause: Human, under investigation
Location: 5 miles S of the town of Portal, AZ
Size: 2,470 acres
Percent Contained: 25%
Estimated Containment Date: June 15, 2010
Number of Personnel: 225
Aircraft: helicopters 1 large, 1 medium, 1 small
Equipment: 2 engines, 2 water tenders
Cost to Date: $ 7,346,633
Resources Threatened: residences, watersheds & wilderness
Injuries to Date: 4
GENERAL INFORMATION:
The Northern Rockies/Southwest Area Fire Management Type 2 Team assumed
command of the Horseshoe Fire this morning at 6:00 a.m. The Incident
Command Post is located next to the Chiricahua Desert Museum in Rodeo, NM
at the junction of NM Hwy 80 & Portal Road 533, which is located seven
miles east of Portal, AZ. The fire is currently burning on lands
administered by the Coronado National Forest within the Chiricahua
Wilderness approximately five miles south of the town of Portal, AZ.
OPEN: Cave Creek Road (Forest Rd. 42) is now OPEN to the public.
CLOSED ROADS: The South Fork of the Cave Creek, Herb Martyr Campground, and
Forest Road 420 that ends at Rustler Park (the road is blocked at the
Ranger Station) remain CLOSED.
CLOSED CAMPGROUNDS: Herb Martyr, Idlewilde, John Hand, Stewart, South Fork,
and Sunny Flat
FIRE ACTIVITY:
Smoke will be showing from the NE and southerly portion of the fire.
Chipping is being completed around the Portal Guard Station. Prep
continuing on the south side of Horseshoe Canyon Rd. Winds will be from
the southwest 10-15 mph with gusts around 25 mph. The fire grew
approximately 200 acres on the NE side.
The public is reminded to drive carefully around the communities of Portal
and Rodeo due to the movement of heavy equipment, fire crews and opening of
the Forest Rd. 42. Thank you for your continued support and cooperation.
This is fire season in the southwest, continue working on your defensible
space around your homes and make a plan, be prepared for evacuation, don't
forget important papers, pills, and pets, just in case. For additional information
go to firewise.org and ready.gov.
source: News Release, Northern Rockies/Southwest Area Fire Management Team