Wildfire Season And The Start Of Monsoons

When my sister was visiting me just a week and a half ago, we had a fire on the Northwest side of Tucson, which my brother and his family could see from their house. Thankfully, it only burned a couple hundred acres before it was contained. At the same time, there was a fire further south in the Chiricahua Mountains. It has since been contained as well.


Now there's a fire burning in Oak Creek Canyon just south of Sedona. About 30 families have been evacuated, and as of last night this fire had consumed 2,000 acres and at least two homes (read "mansion", since one has--or rather, had--a guest house). Because of shifting winds, the fire has changed direction and is now moving away from homes (good news) and into more rugged territory (bad news--it's harder to fight). They've got 300 fire fighters up there trying to gain control.

Paradise has been scorched.

Back here in Tucson, we had storms sort of roll through yesterday evening. I say sort of because I got no rain where I live. Just clouds and the barest rumblings of thunder. (Our forecast yesterday and today call for "dry" thunderstorms.) But less than ten miles south of me there was a microburst (storm) that took out 7 utility poles.

Before I moved to Arizona, I'd never seen this kind of weather. It's beautiful, in a different way--watching the clouds build up over the mountains, sometimes completely obscuring them. Looking out and seeing it raining 25 miles away while standing under clear blue skies.

Every year we have people who have to be rescued from the washes because, despite clear warnings, they drive their vehicles through when the wash is flooded. The depth of the water and strength of the current is just about always underestimated by these folks, who end up having to pay for the expense of their rescue. (This happens because of our "Stupid Motorist" law. No kidding. That's what it's called. Apropos, oui?) And, unfortunately, it seems every year one or two people die because of flash flooding. It's difficult to realize how much water comes rushing down from the mountains. You don't think of it when the valley hasn't had any rain.


Of course, that changes when monsoons fully hit. Then the streets are flooded and if you live in an area that's surrounded by washes, you pretty much just have to wait it out.

It's an interesting time of year in Arizona. Wildfire season overlapped by monsoon season. Keeps us on our toes, that's for sure.