Containment at 29 percent - firefighters will try to hold fire lines with wind gusts up to 45 mph
Last night's news wasn't good for the more than four thousand firefighters at the Wallow Fire who continue their burnout operations and maintain the firelines that now have the fire 29 percent contained. A red flag weather warning for Thursday and Friday from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. has winds at 15 to 25 mph with gusts from 35 to 45 mph.
A relative low humidity in the area of the Wallow Fire is from five to 12 percent. Fire officials say the weather conditions will challenge the containment lines. As of Thursday, June 16, officials say critical fire weather conditions can be expected through Sunday. The Wallow Fire is now reported to be at 487,016 acres.
Some 350 evacuees from Nutrioso, Escudilla and White Mountain Acres were allowed to go home Wednesday, June 15, and met new challenges: poor air quality, spoiling food in their refrigerators and freezers, and elk on or near the road creating safety hazards for motorists (and firefighting vehicles).
Fire officials say that as winds continue Thursday and Friday, returning evacuees and all others within the vicinity of the fire need to be aware of rekindling fires.
The lifting of the evacuation orders was for residents only and those returning to their homes had to go to the rodeo grounds and obtain a pass from the Apache County Sheriff's Office.
And while these residents found reasons to rejoice, still others remain on evacuation orders - evacuations remain for residents from Sunrise, Greer, Blue River and Alpine and hundreds of residents in eastern New Mexico remain on pre-evacuation alert.
Two people have been questioned in the human caused Wallow Fire, but no arrests have been made. Law enforcement officials say they will release more information on the investigation in a week or two.
State's three fires have consumed 735,000 acres of forest and grassland.
The Wallow Fire is one of three now burning in the state. A total 735,000 acres of forest and grassland has burned across the state with the Wallow Fire (said to be the largest in the state's history and the largest in the nation this year), the Monument Fire, and the Horseshoe 2 Fire.
The latest fire, the Monument Fire, eight or nine miles outside of Sierra Vista in southeast Arizona, started Sunday, June 12. Forty homes have been destroyed and residents have been evacuated in and around the communities of Hereford and Palominas. The Monument Fire has now consumed 9,300 acres and is reported to be 17 percent contained.
Arizona Department of Public Safety announces another road closure
Due to the Monument Fire burning in southern Arizona, the Arizona Department of Public Safety has closed State Route 92 between milepost 329, south of Sierra Vista and milepost 341. DPS is advising motorists to use alternate routes such as State Route 90 and State Route 80.
For local traffic only..State Route 92 is open from the junction of State Route 90 to the town of Sierra Vista.
The Horseshoe 2 Fire near Portal has been burning since May 8
The Horseshoe Fire near Portal started May 8 in the Douglas Ranger District and is reported to be human caused and under investigation.
With dry fuels and windy conditions, extreme fire behavior was unprecedented - the fire grew to 9,000 acres on the first day. Portal area residents were evacuated the first night and nine residences burned.
The Chiricahua National Monument remains closed.
The Horseshoe 2 Fire, now at 184,198 acres, is 60 percent contained. Although the estimated containment date has been set for June 22, growth potential of the fire is extreme with high temperatures continuing in the area and humidity reported to be four percent.
Last night's news wasn't good for the more than four thousand firefighters at the Wallow Fire who continue their burnout operations and maintain the firelines that now have the fire 29 percent contained. A red flag weather warning for Thursday and Friday from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. has winds at 15 to 25 mph with gusts from 35 to 45 mph.
A relative low humidity in the area of the Wallow Fire is from five to 12 percent. Fire officials say the weather conditions will challenge the containment lines. As of Thursday, June 16, officials say critical fire weather conditions can be expected through Sunday. The Wallow Fire is now reported to be at 487,016 acres.
Some 350 evacuees from Nutrioso, Escudilla and White Mountain Acres were allowed to go home Wednesday, June 15, and met new challenges: poor air quality, spoiling food in their refrigerators and freezers, and elk on or near the road creating safety hazards for motorists (and firefighting vehicles).
Fire officials say that as winds continue Thursday and Friday, returning evacuees and all others within the vicinity of the fire need to be aware of rekindling fires.
The lifting of the evacuation orders was for residents only and those returning to their homes had to go to the rodeo grounds and obtain a pass from the Apache County Sheriff's Office.
And while these residents found reasons to rejoice, still others remain on evacuation orders - evacuations remain for residents from Sunrise, Greer, Blue River and Alpine and hundreds of residents in eastern New Mexico remain on pre-evacuation alert.
Two people have been questioned in the human caused Wallow Fire, but no arrests have been made. Law enforcement officials say they will release more information on the investigation in a week or two.
State's three fires have consumed 735,000 acres of forest and grassland.
The Wallow Fire is one of three now burning in the state. A total 735,000 acres of forest and grassland has burned across the state with the Wallow Fire (said to be the largest in the state's history and the largest in the nation this year), the Monument Fire, and the Horseshoe 2 Fire.
The latest fire, the Monument Fire, eight or nine miles outside of Sierra Vista in southeast Arizona, started Sunday, June 12. Forty homes have been destroyed and residents have been evacuated in and around the communities of Hereford and Palominas. The Monument Fire has now consumed 9,300 acres and is reported to be 17 percent contained.
Arizona Department of Public Safety announces another road closure
Due to the Monument Fire burning in southern Arizona, the Arizona Department of Public Safety has closed State Route 92 between milepost 329, south of Sierra Vista and milepost 341. DPS is advising motorists to use alternate routes such as State Route 90 and State Route 80.
For local traffic only..State Route 92 is open from the junction of State Route 90 to the town of Sierra Vista.
The Horseshoe 2 Fire near Portal has been burning since May 8
The Horseshoe Fire near Portal started May 8 in the Douglas Ranger District and is reported to be human caused and under investigation.
With dry fuels and windy conditions, extreme fire behavior was unprecedented - the fire grew to 9,000 acres on the first day. Portal area residents were evacuated the first night and nine residences burned.
The Chiricahua National Monument remains closed.
The Horseshoe 2 Fire, now at 184,198 acres, is 60 percent contained. Although the estimated containment date has been set for June 22, growth potential of the fire is extreme with high temperatures continuing in the area and humidity reported to be four percent.
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