2020 Fire Season

[outdoor_lover]

It's officially started. This area just can't seem to catch a break and stupid people are determined to take down what hasn't burned already. Quoted from Tonto NF's FB Page.

"WILDFIRE ALERT: The Whitlow Fire is burning in the Hewitt Station area north of Hwy 60. The fire is reported at approximately 50 acres, burning in grass and brush. 2 engines, 1 crew, and 3 aircraft units are on scene. Additional resources are responding. The fire is currently under investigation. Please avoid the Hewitt Station area to allow firefighters to safely access the incident and work towards containment. Updates will be posted throughout the day. Fire season is here, and everyone needs to be extremely careful with all risks of wildfire ignition. "

[chumley]

@herdbull
I witnessed the smoke and aerial drops yesterday. Also, save some mileage and fill up in Superior. It' the same price as Miami, and you don't have to deal with all the construction traffic between the two.

[FOTG]

@chumley
pictures or the fire never happened

[herdbull]

@herdbull

So... just 'cuz you can't see it now doesn't mean it didn't happen.

Jeepers, was just tryin to add a little humor to all the doom and gloom, worlds gonna end BS everyone is cramming down our throats with C-19. Still nothing visible even though all the pics make it look spectacular.

[CannondaleKid]

@herdbull
Sorry, I suppose some kind of humorous emoji would have been appropriate...
Hmmm, let's see, is this good??

[herdbull]

Also, save some mileage and fill up in Superior. It' the same price as Miami, and you don't have to deal with all the construction traffic between the two.

yeah but I'll take the 15 degree temp change you get once you get to Top of the World. Felt good on the bike. Construction wasn't bad when we went through.

[chumley]

@herdbull
The elevation up there must have increased by about 3,000 feet more than I remember. Damn mining!

[herdbull]

@chumley
LOL. Probably. 93 in AJ, broke into the 70's for a few miles once up there.

[DixieFlyer]

@00blackout So safe to say from the area another target practice/orv caused fire? Sigh

I was hiking today with someone who is a ranger with the Globe Ranger District and he told me that this fire was caused by target practice

[outdoor_lover]

@DixieFlyer
Based on where the fire was, not at all surprising.

[outdoor_lover]

Update on the Whitlow Fire from another Page. You can go to that "other" page and see the Photos.

WHITLOW FIRE FINAL UPDATE:
The Whitlow Fire is now 100% contained at 842 acres. The Whitlow Fire ignited at 12:15 pm on 4/21/2020, located in the Hewitt Station area north of Hwy 60 near Queen Valley. The initial investigation results indicated the fire was caused by recreational target shooting. Firefighters will continue to monitor and patrol the fire area for the next few weeks, as part of routine patrols in the Hewitt Station area. The Tonto National Forest appreciates the suppression assistance from the Arizona Department of Forestry and Fire Management and Queen Valley Fire Department. The Whitlow Fire is a strong indicator that we are very much in our fire season, and we all need to be careful with ignition sources of wildland fire. As a reminder, all National Forests in AZ have a campfire and charcoal BBQ ban in effect. If you see a fire, call 911.

[sam_hikes]

Hopefully it will be quieter after 5pm today since there is a new ban for several AZ forests.

[Pivo]

Today driving up the Catalina Highway, popular shooting area. Target Shooters probably getting cited for shooting in the National Forest during fire restrictions.

[ photo ]

[cactuscat]

Arizona Department of Forestry and Fire Management is going Stage 2 statewide (except Coconino south of GC) tomorrow, May 12.

[joebartels]

Stage 2 Fire Restrictions for reference

[cactuscat]

Arizona Department of Forestry and Fire Management – State Trust and Unincorporated Private Lands

The following activities are prohibited on all state-owned and managed lands, except south of the Grand Canyon in Coconino County:

Building, maintaining, attending or using a fire, campfire, charcoal, coal or wood stove. (Propane and pressurized liquid or gas stoves, grills or lanterns that include shut-off valves are permitted when used in an area of at least six feet or more cleared of flammable material such as grass and brush.)
Smoking, except within an enclosed vehicle or building.
Operating any internal combustion engine, chainsaw usage restricted from 9am-8pm, welding or operating acetylene or other torch with open flame, using explosives.
Discharging a firearm except while engaged in a lawful hunt pursuant to state, federal, or tribal laws and regulations.
Recreational target shooting and fireworks are prohibited on state lands year-round.

[DixieFlyer]

The Tonto NF is also implementing Stage 2 restrictions starting tomorrow: https://www.fs.usda.gov/detail/tonto/ne ... EPRD737198

I wonder if we will see stage 3 before long?

[joebartels]

Added https://dffm.az.gov/fire-restrictions to all AZ Guide pages

[chumley]

DDFM is an odd entity that has pushed very misleading maps in the past few years that imply fire restrictions cover nearly everything statewide, while in fact it only covers State Trust and unincorporated land. I'd have to look into it specifically, but the percentage of hiking and camping that occurs on this land has to be minuscule. The vast majority of the hiking populace has no idea what STL land even is. But, I'm all for people thinking they can't have a fire even if they can. The problem being when they figure out that they can, they then learn to ignore or disregard all fire bans in the future because they don't understand why this one was not relevant to them, while the next one actually is relevant.

[nonot]

@DixieFlyer
Most years they seem try to tighten fire restrictions before Memorial Day and before the 4th of July , if there is any borderline justification for doing so. I might expect stage 3, if it occurs, to be a mid/late June announcement. (People protested a year or two ago since they changed it the same week, so I'd like to think now they try to get the word out at least 2 weeks before the holiday.)

[joebartels]

Replaced with the SW Region notice for AZ forest pages.
Odd it's called a "Closure Order" but it seems applicable and the FS sites link it.
Have the State Parks linked. Working on BLM.

I'd like to have applicable AZ fire restrictions linked on the guide pages.
If AZ areas change, please keep me posted. Most areas can be modified to suit.