#WallowFire Update June 21, 2011 8:00 a.m.

#WallowFire Update June 21, 2011 8:00 a.m.


Location: Apache, Navajo, Graham, and Greenlee Counties, White Mountain Apache Reservation, San Carlos Apache Reservation,  Arizona;
Catron County, New Mexico
Date Started: 05/29/2011
Cause: Human - under investigation
Size:  527,774 acres total
Percent Contained: 56%
Resources: 15 Helicopter; 5 Air Tankers available; 202 Engines; 73 Water Tenders; 19 Dozers
Injuries to Date: 12
Total Personnel: 3,483
Includes 11 hotshot crews; 50 handcrews
Residences: 1,551 threatened; 32 destroyed;5 damaged
Commercial Property: 162 threatened; 4 destroyed
Outbuildings: 452 threatened; 36 destroyed; 1 damaged
Vehicles: 1 destroyed

Fire Update

• Greer is open to the public. SR 373 that connects the town of Greer with SR 260 west of Eagar is NOW OPEN. 
• Sunrise Resort reopened yesterday. 
• The weather today will be sunny with a high near 81. Localized southwest up-canyon winds will influence the fire today with peak gusts between 12 and 15 mph. There will be some areas of smoke before 11am. 
• Last night’s infrared flight showed that there was scattered heat from the southwest flank into the area of the Stray Horse Work Center. On the southern flank the fire has crossed Raspberry Creek about a half mile to the south and continues into Crooks Mesa and McKittrick Creek. In the Cedar Springs area there was a lot of heat and growth. The fire has not crossed the FS 281 road but is a half mile from Blue Camp. The fire on the eastern flank in N.M. northwest of Luna, moved some to the northwest but did not move any closer to the Tucson Electric Power distribution lines. 
• Burned Area Emergency Response (BAER) Team members will continue working in the fire area today evaluating damage and beginning the planning process for mitigation. They will be evaluating soil and vegetation impacts. To learn more about BAER Teams, go to these sites: http://tinyurl.com/6xd42mf , http://tinyurl.com/5v9p2h5
• Power has been fully restored to Reserve and Luna, N.M. and in Alpine and Nutrioso, AZ. Power remains out in areas north of the Blue River. 
• Firefighters are continuing mop-up and fireline repair activities throughout the fire. With lighter winds, crews were able to make good progress and safely access areas of the fire that have been inaccessible due to high winds and dangerous snags. Rehabilitation activities include using chippers to treat the slash that was created by fireline construction operations. 
• Crews have completed construction of control lines on the south end of the fire between McBride Canyon and Highway 191. Burnout operations have begun north of this line and will continue as conditions allow. Seeding of repaired firelines has been completed on the Fort Apache Indian Reservation.

The National Weather Service on potential flooding: The Wallow Fire burned vast portions of the White Mountains including areas of steep terrain which will make numerous locations vulnerable to flash floods and debris flows even in moderate intensity (10 – 15 minutes) rains.  Some area streams and rivers are likely to see flows beyond anything seen in decades if typical or above average rains occur. This summer, all residents near streams, rivers, or steep burned hillsides should be alert to flooding and debris flows. Residents should be aware that area roadways may become impassible due to mud, rock and debris slides or due to streams and washes overwhelming existing culverts and bridges.
 Public Safety: Smoke from the ongoing wildfires in AZ will continue to impact residents in the Wallow Fire area including southwestern N.M. For more information, link to the smoke outlook for the most recent forecast posted at: http://ge.​tt/9hCpAI5.

• A Crisis Intervention Line (928) 333-2683 is available for residents suffering from the stress of living with fire danger. 

·         An Individual Assistance Service Center (IASC) is open daily 10:00 am to 4:00 pm at the Round Valley Public Library, 179 S Main,  Eagar for all evacuated Arizonans to access information to assist in their personal recovery from the fire.
·         For more safety information see:  http://tinyurl.com/6zvcrck.
·         Apache County and local Fire Departments have begun identifying locations for staging of sandbags in anticipation of the monsoon season. More information will be provided as locations are confirmed.
 Community Meetings:
·         6 p.m. Today, Community Center in Alpine hosted by the Alpine Fire Chief. 
 Current Evacuations:
·         Evacuations remain in effect in areas north of the Blue River, AZ. and Luna, N.M.      Evacuee Information:·         An evacuation center is open at the High School in Reserve, N.M. for Luna residents.    ·         Evacuees from areas north of the Blue River may pick up their mail at the Alpine Post Office.  Pre-Evacuation Alert:·         A pre-evacuation alert continues in Apache County for Greens Peak, Hidden Meadows Lodge and surrounding areas.·         Residents in these communities are asked to remain prepared for evacuation.
Road Closures according to Arizona Department of Transportation: http://www.azdot.gov·         US 180 is closed from the junction with N.M. 12 to the AZ. state line (mileposts 20-0).
·         US 180 is closed east of Alpine to the New Mexico state line (mileposts 430-433).
·         US 191 is closed between Alpine and north of Clifton (milepost 176-253).
·         SR 261 (mileposts 395-413) and SR 273 (mileposts 383-394), main roads to Big Lake & Crescent Lake are closed.
Closures and Restrictions:·         Apache – Sitgreaves National Forest: The Springerville, Alpine, Clifton and Lakeside Ranger Districts of the Forest remain under a forest closure until further notice. A closure order is in effect for portions of the Sitgreaves side of the National Forest. Contact the Arizona fire restrictions hotline for information at (877) 864-6985 or www.publiclands.org/firenews/AZ.php.
·         Gila National Forest: A closure is in effect for the western portion of the Gila National Forest.  Call (575) 388-8201,
               TTY (575) 388-8497 or see http://www.fs.usda.gov/gila.
·         Fort Apache Indian Reservation:  Partial area closures are in effect for the eastside of the Fort Apache Indian Reservation.
                See http://www.wmat.nsn.us/.
Public Information: The public may call the following numbers for area specific fire information:·         Spanish fire information: (877)-632-6678.
·         Springerville, Eagar, and Greer: (928) 333-3412, (702) 308-3238, (702) 308-3357 or (702) 308-8227; 8 a.m. - 8 p.m.
·         Luna and Reserve, N.M., Alpine, AZ:  (575) 533-6928.South and west, including San Carlos and Fort Apache Indian Reservations: (877) 701-8201 or (928) 205-9884.
·         Information is also available at: Website Info: www.inciweb.org  Articles: http://tinyurl.com/6zvcrckTwitter: www.twitter.com/AS_NF    Flickr (photos): www.flickr.com/apachesitgreavesnf.