The Wallow Fire.

[Alpinefly]

Over 500,000 acres burned in the Wallow Fire. We have another fire a little Southwest of Tucson (The Monument Fire), around Sierra Vista, that has burned a lot of homes (and businesses). We could not even see the Rincon Mountains, the Tucson Mountains, and barely Mount Lemmon that are right by us because the smoke was so bad (burned my eyes and had to take a few puffs off both my inhalers). Pray for rain soon. We need it since it is so hot and dry. The wind will not be as bad today, so hopefully the fire fighters can get a handle on this disaster.

[adam]

Hey, take a look at the Big Lake Facebook page...

There are areas of the fire that just didn't get wiped out.

Fire is bad but fire is natural. It is my area too, just trying to look at the other side. I don't want people to lose their homes, nothing like that. This fire is un-natural as it was a man made fire...

Hang in there man, explore other areas, but keep going and don't stop doing what you love to do.

I'm still sad about all the destruction, very sad...

[Alpinefly]

Yes, it was nice looking on the Big Lake page that a lot of the spots were not destroyed (like our cherished spot #15 in Cutthroat campground). The Wallow Fire has burned over 500,300 acres at this point and is a bit over 80 % containment.
A big hope that the monsoon rains come (and without dry lightning). Right now, I sit at my vise and continue to tie, with the hope of a fishing trip soon. Apache Trout Restoration Project will be pretty much back at square one. There certainly will be a lot of stream work needed and a lot of volunteers to do this from all the local Trout Unlimited groups. We can not help when fire has natural causes (like dry lightning). We can prevent wildfires caused by careless humans. Stop to think when you flick a ciggarette butt out your car window, or even the safety of your campfire when you are camping. It is our responsibility to take care of the beauty we were given, and allowed to experience.

[adam]

I flew over the area on Thursday, it was nothing like I had imagined from the air, I'll have to see when I go fishing next month after the Monsoon starts.

I took pictures, you can hardly detect that there was a fire, the forest for the most part is green, it is surreal. I know there is damage but I am unsure most about stream damage. I am getting messages from others about Yosemite and Yellowstone fires, how the forest bounces back and such.

I'm not so sure the Apache Trout restoration is back to square one and I'm not so sure that your forest has been burned flat out. The fire has intensity levels and there are fire intensity maps that detail just how bad it was burned.

I'm looking on the bright side, if there is one here...

My forest is not dead and forgotten, whoa is not me.

I'll be headed back up there and I will explore new areas and I will no longer write about it until I see it with my own eyes.

Amazing how the White Mountain Apache Tribal land has not had such burning, thinning the forest, may not be such a bad thing.

Anyway, enough doomsday for me, New Mexico has some major fires going on there, I passed two big fires on my way home.

New Mexico forests are now taking a hit, we are not alone.

[Alpinefly]

https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/ftp/InciWeb...-215436-0.jpeg

This is the link to the current intensity burn map.

[Alpinefly]

You can get to the intensity map much better from the azflyandtie site (under Wallow Fire). We are having a lot of nice needed soaking rain. Big Lake, & Crescent Lake is opening up the 8th. Mount Lemmon is opened back up (Tucson). With the rains, will come some erosion, and some ash wash into streams & lakes. Like Adam, I am trying to keep with the good side of it all (vibes). Certainly, some places did not get touched, some fared better then others. I amcertainly ready to get back to some fishing !!!

[adam]

Me too.

I will report what I find soon enough.