Driven by strong winds through a drought-stricken remote terrain, wildfires burning north of Flagstaff, Arizona, exploded in size on Monday, and officials estimated that more than 24,000 acres (9,700 hectares) had blackened Tuesday morning.
Firefighting crews have faced intense conditions that have caused extreme fire behavior and sent huge plumes of smoke swirling into the sky.
“Because of the strong winds, no air assets could really fly safely,” incident commander Aaron Graeser told a news conference Monday night. “We don’t have air assets to be successful, there are always people on the ground regardless. However, it can certainly buy us some tactical and operational advantage when we have it.”
On Tuesday, the winds had calmed down and the planes were moving again, offering hope that the fire could be advanced as long as conditions were more favorable.
But the largest fire, known as the Pipeline, which was lit on Sunday, and two smaller fires that started near Monday and then joined, are still at 0% containment. Graeser said evacuations and protection of the structure were top priorities for the approximately 600 firefighters on the ground. About 2,500 homes have been evacuated and two structures burned, the Coconino County Sheriff’s Office said.
“On a day like today, with the winds doing what they were doing, with the fuel conditions we have,” Graeser said, “the number 1 value at risk is the public we serve.”
The fire was also raging in the wilderness of Coconino Peaks and tribal lands and cultural sites in the north, Graeser said.
Residents of the city stared at the mountains as the smoke blew through the air and the winds howled, some frightened, others nervous in the hope that the humidity of the forecast at the end of this week would bring a some relief.
The pipeline fire is spreading into the wilderness of Coconino Peaks and tribal lands and sites to the north. Photo: Rob Schumacher / The Republic / Reuters
“We’re definitely dry,” Flagstaff resident Colin Challifour said Monday afternoon. “The forests are dry. It’s unfortunate. You don’t like to see it. “
Strong winds also carried smoke into the sky, creating unhealthy air quality throughout the region, even reaching Colorado and other surrounding areas. “Although the winds will be weaker today than yesterday, strong southwest winds are still expected to continue to cause active fire behavior and increased smoke production,” the environmental quality department said. of Arizona in an update Tuesday morning, warning residents to stay inside, close windows and use air filtration systems if possible.
The climate crisis has set the stage for increasing the intensity of forest fires, providing warmer temperatures that carry away moisture from dry landscapes. Forest fires erupted earlier this spring in several western states in the United States, where the climate crisis and ongoing drought are fueling the frequency and intensity of forest and pasture fires.
The views from O’Leary’s webcam at 360 Overwatch tonight at 8:28 pm give us an idea of how far this fire has spread … from the top to the valley below. The views we are used to will be black in the morning. That is why we obey the prohibitions on burning! #PipelineFire #azwx pic.twitter.com/YRhcKbajpM
– NWS Flagstaff (@NWSFlagstaff) June 14, 2022
The number of square miles burned so far this year is more than double the 10-year national average, and states like New Mexico have already set records with devastating wildfires that destroyed hundreds of homes while causing environmental damage. ‘expected to affect water supplies.
Nationwide, more than 6,200 forest firefighters are battling nearly three dozen uncontrolled fires that had charred more than 1 million acres (405,000 hectares), according to the National Interagency Fire Center.
Even in Alaska, meteorologists have warned that many fires in the south of the state have grown exceptionally over the past week, which is unusual. Southwest Alaska typically experiences shorter periods of high fire risk because intermittent rain can provide relief, but since mid-May the region has been hot and windy, drying out vegetation.
The favorable weather on Monday helped slow the progression of a tundra forest fire about three miles (4.8 km) away from a village in Yup’ik. Moderate temperatures and a change in the wind that had been driving the fire to St Mary’s will allow firefighters to directly attack the flames and increase protections for the community.
In California, evacuations of some 300 remote homes were ordered near a forest fire that broke out over the weekend in the woods in northeastern Los Angeles, near the Pacific Crest Trail in the San Gabriel Mountains. . It had burned about 990 acres (400 acres) of dry pines and bushes by Monday and was 27 percent contained, fire spokeswoman Dana Dierkes said.
A second fire in northern California’s Tehama County destroyed 10 buildings, damaged four others and threatened about 160 structures, firefighters said. It was 30% content as of Tuesday afternoon.
A spring fire outside Flagstaff, called a tunnel fire, destroyed more than two dozen homes before it was contained earlier this month. Many residents who evacuated at the time were forced to leave their homes for the second time, barely having time to settle in before a new fire broke out.
The causes of the recent fires in California were under investigation.
Lightning is suspected in one of the fires in northern Arizona, but authorities still do not know what caused the largest forest fire.
With almost no rainfall last month, Arizona marked one of its driest May records, according to the state’s water resources department. High fire risks are expected to continue until the southwest monsoon, which normally rains during the late summer months, provides insulation. Until then, neighbors remain on alert as officials work to contain the conflagrations that are currently burning.
“I know that after the tunnel fire and the impacts of it, that wasn’t welcome,” Graeser said. “However, rest assured that there are many men and women on guard tonight who will continue to protect this community.”
The Associated Press contributed to the information