Wildfire!

As of today, Sunday June 26th, officials say the Monument Fire south of Sierra Vista is 75% contained. Total containment is not expected until mid-July, but it seems certain the danger has passed. For the first time in two weeks no smoke can be seen wafting over the profile of the Huachuca Range to the West.

Cross survived ~ Chapel burned

The most anyone can venture regarding the origin of the fire is that it can be blamed on extremely dry conditions and someone's carelessness. Anyone except John McCain, who used the occasion to advance his own political agenda by publicly suggesting that the fire may have been started by illegal aliens. Shame on you, Senator!

Lone Star Cafe survived ~ Ricardo's burned

The fire started around 1:00 PM on Sunday, June 12th. On Monday and Tuesday all that could be seen during the daylight hours were billows of grey smoke, but at night the flames etched across the face of the mountains, creeping like open sore, a cancer. It was an eerie and ominous sight, reminiscent of scenes from the movie Blade Runner.

Plastic fencing doesn't survive well

By Wednesday, the fire was still ten miles away, high up in mountain terrain that made it difficult to combat. And then came the winds. My section of Hereford, six miles from Highway 92 was put under a pre-evacuation order. On Thursday, a Border Patrol agent enlisted to supplement the police informed me in no uncertain terms that I should pack up and evacuate as soon as possible.

Devastation everywhere

Whatever the cause of the fire, its effect was compounded exponentially by the wind. At near gale force the wind worked like a huge bellows, fueling and pushing the fire-line faster than a man can run.

According to one report a 10-ft wall of flames leapt over a line of firefighters who were trying to prevent the fire from crossing Highway 92 near Ash Canyon. Instead of fighting the conflagration head on, they found themselves chasing after it.

I  was permitted to return after five days. The aftermath: fifty-seven homes and five businesses destroyed, forty-seven square miles charred, 10,000 people evacuated, millions spent fighting the fire. Luckily no serious injuries or deaths. I am very thankful to have been spared the devastation you see in these pictures.

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