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Post by Andorinha on Jun 22, 2020 19:17:30 GMT -6
One firefighter reported today with "medical concerns," no further information. Fires burning mainly east and north of Summerhaven. The ridge above us in SaddleBrooke still burns slowly, producing little smokes as it eats through the scrub. Spectacular lace-work of orange at night. To the north, the town of Oracle is still on alert, as crews widen the back-burn lines south of the town. No reported loss of structures. One of my SaddleBrooke climbing buddies has a nice video log of the fire over the last week: www.youtube.com/watch?v=PVRDSTZWW68Another video records the Front Range component of the Big Horn fire, just above Tucson proper: www.youtube.com/watch?v=nNe_SPyJHTs
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Post by fanuidhol on Jun 22, 2020 19:39:15 GMT -6
Hope the firefighter is ok. Nice videos. Do you have seasonal rains come in the fall or sooner? Would hope to get some green back before monsoons create mudslides.
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Post by Andorinha on Jun 24, 2020 6:02:31 GMT -6
Up early this morning... Samaniego Ridge directly to our east is still festooned with numerous small points of disconnected fire. The windless skies make for a moderately thick layer of smoke settling in our valley, pungent/ interesting smell and flavor to the air. Apparently the Front Range portion of the fire is active again, entering Finger Rock, and Pontatoc canyons, forcing more evacuations. The Peak Fire still threatens Summerhaven, though the firefighters say their lines are holding well. No information about Mount Bigelow and Marshal Gulch, no news on the medical condition of the firefighter who was receiving treatment two days ago. The town of Oracle, directly north of us, is still under evacuation alert, but the fire-break lines around the town are holding up well. I've heard they now have about 1,000 people working the various aspects of this fire. 65,000+ acres, 30% containment. kvoa.com/homepage/2020/06/24/bighorn-fire-burning-high-but-not-low/Officially we are in the "monsoon period," but have no rain, nor forecast of it. Usually we get local thunderstorms with varying amounts of rain starting the first two weeks of July. Yes, landslides will be a real problem once the rains do start!
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Post by fanuidhol on Jun 24, 2020 6:10:41 GMT -6
At 640 acres per square mile, that makes it over 100 square miles. If my math is right.... My hopes and prayers are still with everyone there. Hang in there, Andy.
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Post by Andorinha on Jun 25, 2020 9:46:29 GMT -6
Your math is correct, or was. Now up to 84,000 acres after a big run of flames to the north along Oracle Ridge (not visible from our house, but the smoke columns were massive!) leading towards the town of Oracle. Apparently the fire-brakes held the fires south of the town, still no reports of lost homes. Just about the time we start thinking the fire is on its last legs, it does something nasty again. Our valley is smoke-filled again, hoping the afternoon breezes will push the fumes back into the scrub wilderness. Oro Valley authorities are taking the flood dangers seriously, even though there is no sign of rain in the next 10 days. When the waters do fall, our stream, about a mile from our house, will present a genuine gully-washer. Luckily, our community (with the exception of one neighborhood) is about 50 to 300 feet above the stream bed. There are some 25 houses built right down by the stream, maybe 20 feet above the wash, they may have some trouble, though the wash widens just there to disperse the flows. Glad I bought up on a hill! www.kold.com/2020/06/24/floods-follow-fires-how-leaders-are-preparing-monsoon-season-with-bighorn-fire/
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Post by fanuidhol on Jun 25, 2020 13:30:05 GMT -6
Gosh. You need the rain to help quash the fire but, it may flood and do damage. You guys are stuck between a rock and a hard place.
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Post by Andorinha on Jun 25, 2020 21:34:07 GMT -6
From AZ Central:
"More than 1,000 fire personnel were deployed to fight the Bighorn Fire, which has grown to 81,702 acres in the Catalina Mountains northwest of Tucson as of Thursday morning. The fire remains 33% contained. Fire activity was high Wednesday due to high temperatures, according to authorities, which enabled the blaze to grow by more than 15,000 acres since Tuesday. It grew another 6,000 overnight Wednesday. Evacuation orders remain in place for residents of Mt. Bigelow & Lower Soldier HOA, Summerhaven, Willow Canyon, and the lower Catalina Highway/Lower Mt. Lemmon from Organization Ridge Road to South Willow Canyon. Oracle, portions of East Golder Ranch, the Catalina Foothills between Alvernon Way and Sabino Canyon Road, north of Skyline Drive and Peppersauce Canyon to Highjinks Road and Campo Bonito all remain on 'SET' evacuation status."
Our valley has largely cleared itself of the smoke that covered us earlier this morning. As other more urgent areas (Summerhaven Mount Lemmon, and Oracle town) have been successfully cordoned, so far, some of the crews were shifting to other, less imperiled zones. Tha Samaniego front and SaddleBrooke communities, received more attention throughout Thursday. We got to see several red slurry drops about a mile east of us, and watched as backfires were lit to reduce the fuel around SaddleBrooke. Wife got to chat with some of the crew members. They will be working our area for a few days now -- great people!
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Post by Stormrider on Jun 26, 2020 10:56:42 GMT -6
Still only 33% contained. Hoping for some rain to help but not so much to cause other problems.
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Post by Andorinha on Jun 26, 2020 18:49:01 GMT -6
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Post by fanuidhol on Jun 27, 2020 10:13:20 GMT -6
88,000 acres. Geez. Glad your area has been “treated” by the firefighters. Have you heard anything about the 1 firefighter that had a medical problem?
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Post by Andorinha on Jun 27, 2020 20:53:41 GMT -6
One of my climbing buddies said he thought the medical concern was heat exhaustion, but we've seen no further news on this. I'm assuming/ hoping that means it was easily treatable, and no further complications?
Clouds, real ones with a bit of moisture, formed above the western slopes this afternoon, we could even see a bit of light rain falling along the Samaniego Ridge -- not much, but every bit helps. Monsoons are still 150 miles east of us in New Mexico, so this is just a local, mountain shower. The fire-front has burned down to the eastern side of the Catalina Range, entering the San Pedro valley, Reddington Pass area. A few ranches, mining concerns out there, but the small towns, like San Manuel seem to be north of the presumed burn track. This Reddington Pass zone is scrubland/ desert, less fuel, no big, choking clouds, easier for firefighters to stay ahead of the fire and contain its spread.
Some fires are still burning in the summit valleys, but Mount Bigelow and Marshall Gulch are still OK. Summerhaven, the Observatories, and the high-peaks cabin areas are still evacuated, but no structures lost!
No smoke in our valley today, here on the western flank of the Catalinas, and only a few spots of fire visible for the 10 mile length of the ridges out here.
GREAT job, firefighters!
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Post by Andorinha on Jun 28, 2020 8:31:52 GMT -6
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Post by fanuidhol on Jun 28, 2020 11:26:10 GMT -6
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Post by Andorinha on Jun 30, 2020 9:24:46 GMT -6
Fires still burning, even on the western flanks of the range, but scattered hotspots only, visible at night -- most of the fuel is already gone here. From our house we can see smokes, individual columns, and not too thick, coming from the high peaks, or just beyond Summerhaven, to its east. Most of the "action" has moved almost 10 miles further east toward Redington, no new evacuations reported. Six "fire incident" injuries reported as minor wounds to firefighters, nothing listed as serious -- hope that stays the same. No reports of lost structures or livestock. Really great work! The management teams have been giving us a daily report at 6 PM, I'll have more information then.
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Post by fanuidhol on Jun 30, 2020 10:51:23 GMT -6
Good to hear that injuries are not serious and no structures and livestock losses. Hope that continues and that the fire burns out soon.
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