The forest service does controlled burns in nice weather to help keep down forest fires durning the year. They were doing controlled burns west of Mayer and south of Prescott Monday and Tuesday. Tuesday their burn got out of control. It's burning about 10 miles from us. The air is full of smoke and our eyes are burning from it. You can see the smoke everywhere. They say it's not moving fast and should be under control soon. No houses are threatened, just a forest service building. Due to the drought, pine bark beetles destroyed a lot of trees which the environmentalists wouldn't allow to be logged so there is a lot of dry material to be burned. It's been very dry here with only a small amount of rain or snow this winter. 650 acres have burned so far. I hope they get it out soon. But, even if they get it out, they will just start it again tomorrow as another controlled burn. Dooley
I hope they contain it soon Dooley. I seem to remember you mentioning controlled burns and forest fires last year. If they are doing controlled burns now then summer must be a nightmare?
Oh Dooley, fire terrifies me! Especially because these "controlled fires" can easily become uncontrolable. I would be nervous too with it being so dry there. I hope the smoke clears for you soon.
Oh dear it really is frightening when a fire runs out of control. Let's hope they can get it contained and put out soon.
The fire is circled but they are letting the middle burn itself out. The smoke smell is still in the air but not as strong as when we left for work. It was not smoky up the hill so I guess the wind was blowing it all our way. There was another fire north of Prescott that burned 1,250 acres. Last I heard both were under control. They said the speed and heat of the fire surprised them because it's more like a hot summer fire instead of a spring fire. Now, they will watch more closely. One wonders if they know what it is that they are doing. Summers are worse because campers and hikers often don't get their fires totally out and cause wildfires. Sometimes dry lightning causes them, too. With everything so dry it burns fast and furious. Dooley
Relieved to read that they've got the burn back under control, Dooley. Hope the breeze shifts and clears your air.
It said in the paper this morning that they will not be doing any more controlled burns until fall. They usually stop at the end of April or middle of May before summer conditions take over. But, it's early this year. They said they have no data on such conditions arriving so early in the year. It burned 725 acres total. The other fire was not as big as reported. Someone got their period in the wrong place. it was 12.5 acres. So, no smoke today. Dooley
