10,000-acre Arizona wildfire rages for third day
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Pastor Dale Morgan
Jun 22, 2010, 3:12:54 PM6/22/10
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Perilous Times and Climate Change
10,000-acre Arizona wildfire rages for third day
By the CNN Wire Staff
June 22, 2010 12:36 p.m. EDT
STORY HIGHLIGHTS
* Nearby national forest implementing new fire restrictions Wednesday
* Fire is only 10 percent contained
* At least 756 properties evacuated, including homes and two national monuments
* Rugged terrain, high elevations, gusty winds hindering efforts
(CNN) -- Fueled by hot, dry conditions, a wildfire near Flagstaff in northern Arizona had grown to 10,000 acres by Tuesday morning, and it was only 10 percent contained, officials said.
CNN meteorologist Sean Morris forecasts gusty winds will hamper firefighting efforts Tuesday before subsiding overnight and calming on Wednesday morning.
Emergency Operations Center spokeswoman Stephanie Smith said the Schultz fire was started by an abandoned campfire. Officials are asking the public to come forward with any information about how the blaze started.
As flames ripped quickly through Ponderosa pine, conifer, pinyon and juniper trees, they caught some locals off guard.
The dangerous conditions spurred officials at the nearby Coconino, Kaibab and Prescott national forests to implement fire restrictions starting Wednesday "to protect public health and safety and prevent human-caused wildfires."
The restrictions will prohibit fires, campfires, charcoal, coal or wood stoves outside of developed campgrounds and limit smoking to within enclosed vehicles or buildings or in developed campgrounds. Pressurized liquid or gas stoves, lanterns, and heaters meeting safety specifications will continue to be allowed.
"You hate to see fire restrictions because we like to camp," Flagstaff resident Patti Tencza told CNN affiliate KTVK-TV on Monday. "We like fires. But you have to be responsible. To let this happen -- this much destruction -- it's just bad news."
The Coconino National Forest website says a Type One Incident Management Team is managing the situation. The U.S. Fire Administration website says that's a self-contained team of 35 to 50 highly trained personnel deployed to manage incidents of "national significance."
By late Monday, 800 people were fighting the fire, the website says. Part of the problem is the steep, rugged terrain at elevations between about 7,000 to 10,500 feet, it says.
Firefighters on night shifts were trying to reinforce the fire line on the blaze's east flank. They planned controlled burns within the fire perimeter, according to the website.
Eight air tankers and five helicopters are on site to help put out the flames, according to the Coconino County website. High winds in the area Sunday and Monday didn't help. The winds both stoked the flames and caused emergency crews to ground the air tankers for extended periods on both days.
The Schultz fire began late Sunday morning, shutting down part of U.S. Route 89 and causing the Coconino County Sheriff's Office to evacuate at least 756 properties, including two residential neighborhoods, an animal shelter and the Sunset Crater and Wupatki national monuments.
Those evacuations were still in place Tuesday morning, said Smith. The sheriff's office recommended that nearby residents put together evacuation kits. In addition, local authorities were warning residents in areas with heavy smoke to stay indoors to avoid breathing problems.
CNN iReporter Amanda Brennan, a self-described "city girl," shot photos of the Schultz fire from outside her Flagstaff home on Sunday. "This whole experience of wildfire such as this is new to me," Brennan said. "People say this is the risk of living in this type of place, but it still makes me feel sad. I'll volunteer and try to make the best out of the situation."
Smith said officials were reopening U.S. Route 89 in both directions Tuesday morning, but they may need to shut down the highway again, based on prevailing conditions.
As of late Monday, no structures had been lost.
The Red Cross has set up a shelter for evacuees at Mount Elden Middle School in Flagstaff.
CNN's Mark Morgenstein contributed to this report
10,000-acre Arizona wildfire rages for third day
By the CNN Wire Staff
June 22, 2010 12:36 p.m. EDT
STORY HIGHLIGHTS
* Nearby national forest implementing new fire restrictions Wednesday
* Fire is only 10 percent contained
* At least 756 properties evacuated, including homes and two national monuments
* Rugged terrain, high elevations, gusty winds hindering efforts
(CNN) -- Fueled by hot, dry conditions, a wildfire near Flagstaff in northern Arizona had grown to 10,000 acres by Tuesday morning, and it was only 10 percent contained, officials said.
CNN meteorologist Sean Morris forecasts gusty winds will hamper firefighting efforts Tuesday before subsiding overnight and calming on Wednesday morning.
Emergency Operations Center spokeswoman Stephanie Smith said the Schultz fire was started by an abandoned campfire. Officials are asking the public to come forward with any information about how the blaze started.
As flames ripped quickly through Ponderosa pine, conifer, pinyon and juniper trees, they caught some locals off guard.
The dangerous conditions spurred officials at the nearby Coconino, Kaibab and Prescott national forests to implement fire restrictions starting Wednesday "to protect public health and safety and prevent human-caused wildfires."
The restrictions will prohibit fires, campfires, charcoal, coal or wood stoves outside of developed campgrounds and limit smoking to within enclosed vehicles or buildings or in developed campgrounds. Pressurized liquid or gas stoves, lanterns, and heaters meeting safety specifications will continue to be allowed.
"You hate to see fire restrictions because we like to camp," Flagstaff resident Patti Tencza told CNN affiliate KTVK-TV on Monday. "We like fires. But you have to be responsible. To let this happen -- this much destruction -- it's just bad news."
The Coconino National Forest website says a Type One Incident Management Team is managing the situation. The U.S. Fire Administration website says that's a self-contained team of 35 to 50 highly trained personnel deployed to manage incidents of "national significance."
By late Monday, 800 people were fighting the fire, the website says. Part of the problem is the steep, rugged terrain at elevations between about 7,000 to 10,500 feet, it says.
Firefighters on night shifts were trying to reinforce the fire line on the blaze's east flank. They planned controlled burns within the fire perimeter, according to the website.
Eight air tankers and five helicopters are on site to help put out the flames, according to the Coconino County website. High winds in the area Sunday and Monday didn't help. The winds both stoked the flames and caused emergency crews to ground the air tankers for extended periods on both days.
The Schultz fire began late Sunday morning, shutting down part of U.S. Route 89 and causing the Coconino County Sheriff's Office to evacuate at least 756 properties, including two residential neighborhoods, an animal shelter and the Sunset Crater and Wupatki national monuments.
Those evacuations were still in place Tuesday morning, said Smith. The sheriff's office recommended that nearby residents put together evacuation kits. In addition, local authorities were warning residents in areas with heavy smoke to stay indoors to avoid breathing problems.
CNN iReporter Amanda Brennan, a self-described "city girl," shot photos of the Schultz fire from outside her Flagstaff home on Sunday. "This whole experience of wildfire such as this is new to me," Brennan said. "People say this is the risk of living in this type of place, but it still makes me feel sad. I'll volunteer and try to make the best out of the situation."
Smith said officials were reopening U.S. Route 89 in both directions Tuesday morning, but they may need to shut down the highway again, based on prevailing conditions.
As of late Monday, no structures had been lost.
The Red Cross has set up a shelter for evacuees at Mount Elden Middle School in Flagstaff.
CNN's Mark Morgenstein contributed to this report
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