Date: Sun, 23 Jun 2002 18:35:33 -0700
Reply-To: Jim Arnott <jrasite@EONI.COM>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Jim Arnott <jrasite@EONI.COM>
Organization: http://WetWesties.org
Subject: Aridzona Fires - Report from Rob Muir
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As many of you know, Rob Muir (son of John) lives just east of Show Low,
AZ. I wrote him yesterday and asked how it was looking. The following
is his answer.
Jim
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Jim,
Thank you for your concern re the Rodeo and Chediski fires. We
live in Vernon, AZ which is 14 miles east of Show Low. We haven't been
told to evacuate yet, but the fire is supposed to engulf Show Low before
noon today. I don't expect we have much time here. Hopefully a day of
so. The fire is moving NNE. Hundreds of home are gone now, I'm afraid.
Former football great and Phoenix arena football coach Danny White's
home went up yesterday. So new that they hadn't moved in yet. The two
fires have merged now and the front of the fire is 50 miles wide and
over 250,000 acres are involved.. The Rodeo fire was started by
somebody burning trash near an old White Mountain Apache tribe rodeo
grounds. Due to the strict rules in force, this was illegal, of course.
The Chediski (white rock in Apache,btw) fire was started by a lost
hiker who started a fire to draw attention. So both fires are
human-caused and were preventable. Because the woods have been closed
since early Spring, I haven't had my Westy out so far this year despite
all our winter plans. It just occurred to me that if the next few days
don't go well, we might be living in her. Think good thoughts and I'll
keep you posted.
Later,
Rob
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I then wrote and asked permission to forward. His reply:
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Not a problem, Jim. The fire has just reached the western edges of Show
Low after a less windy day. The Rodeo fire is moving about 4 miles in
every 12 hours. I charged the batteries on our Westy today and topped
off the fuel. We intend to retreat to a square mile of state land behind
our place that we can access through a gate in my fence. There is a lake
out there that only has water during our monsoon season and has little
vegetation on it right now. We'll circle the wagons out there and I'll
be able to ATV it up to the house to fight any spot fires until
discretion forces me back to the lake. We'll set up the Westy out there
and park my old Porsche and our commuter cars on the dry mud flats. I
think they'll be OK.
We'll keep you posted. I've attached a recent digital photo taken from
our house. The view now is just all brown smoke horizon to horizon.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Picture is at: <http://wetwesties.type2.com/RodeoFire17.jpg>
Pray for rain!
Jim