[AZFolks]

We were evacuated last night when the fire jumped the line of containment at Hop Canyon, to the West of Show Low. The traffic out of the area was heavy but orderly. Here is the skinny: the Rodeo fire is believed to have been started by someone in the Cibecue area. The other one (I cannot remember the spelling), was started by a hiker who started a fire to alert rescuers where she was. Please, lets stop the back biting. None of us (the residents of the affected area) blame the Apache Nation for a event which they could not control and the white man is not responsible for it either. Any other position is not tenable unless one is an idealogue pushing an agenda. Such negative comments about the Apaches and/or the "white man" are inappropriate at this time. In addition, no one I know is out playing vigilante. We are a community of good people in a bad situation and do not need any inflammatory rhetoric at this time. Lets just keep our powder dry and hope this fire is contained. The fire is pressing North and East driven by SW winds. I was amazed how much stronger they are as one approaches the fire. If you are looking at the map, Heber and Overgard are on 260 West of Show Low heading toward toward Payson. The fire, as it moves more East will encounter a different terrain as the area is Pinyon Pine and Oak, not the heavily treed areas with Ponderosa Pine.

[KirklandJunction]

Sorry to hear of your evacuation. Yeah, I've been in Hop Canyon.
Sorry, also, I sounded like back biting. My intent was to share some of what I hear. I don't condone most of it, and sometimes I'm too eager to share what is to me obvious childish foolish stupid rude stuff. Doggie in the window. Like the person just here whining about where is our military.

I do, however, ridicule the Prescott College teacher who lost house, everything down to melted plumbing, and then opined that he so loved the indiginous greenery that he couldn't bare to clear brush next to his house. Yes, he applied for federal disaster loans.

Chedeski is federal attempt to spell Apache word for "white rock" if I remember. Chedeski Peak is about 7400 ft, nw of Cibecue. Popular rugged road goes nw, up to the Rim. There is/was/hasbeen a Observation Tower just north of the peak. You probably already know that. Used to be a beautiful area. Not many tourists this fall, I'd imagine.

Hope you return OK. With a lot of good luck, your worst future will be trying to get dust and ash out of every nook and cranny. Everywhere. Good luck.

[McGavin999]

Sorry to hear that you've been evacuated but I'm glad you got out OK. This is a terrible tragedy, that's some of the most beautiful land in Arizona.

I hope the Gulf Stream alters this year and we get our share of rain for a change. It's been dry as a bone for a couple of years now.

Isn't it about time for that 25 year flood?

[Angelique]

Not only I, but everyone has remarked on how your community has been so cooperative and very stoic under such horrible circumstances. My heart goes out to you and your family, and all of you remain in my prayers.

[dittomom]

Sorry to hear you had to evacuate. Please stay safe. I cannot imagine how hard it must be to have to pick up and leave your home, not knowing what it will be like when you return.

[Jim Noble]

Prayers for you all from NH. My oldest just graduated from U of A and is now back home, we've been through Show Low and the rim towns many times on the way from Tucson to I-40, and have met many wonderful folks there.

Best of luck to all AZ freepers.

[Lael]

The fire is pressing North and East driven by SW winds. I was amazed how much stronger they are as one approaches the fire.

What you folks are experiencing is technically known as a Sweep Conflagration, a phenomenon last seen during the Gen. Curtis LeMay's Great Night Fire Raid on Tokyo in early 1945. It happens when a large base fire breaks out in a situation where there is an already existing strong wind.

It is VERY different from a Firestorm where the winds are generated by the thermal upthrust and flow inward toward the center of the fire. Thus, Hamburg, and even Dresden, were self limiting phenomena. By contrast, the only thing able to stop the Great Tokyo fire was the sea itself. The rivers BOILED in the path of the fire.

The only reason I have gone into this at length is that in a Sweep Conflagration, emphasis MUST be placed on saturating structures with Retardants, as opposed to cutting firebreaks. Red hot winds themselves are capable of starting additional fires even in the absence of sparks and cinders!!

By the way, there have been offers of families in the Phoenix area to double and triple up to house the folks burned out by this horror. And yes, our prayers are with you!!