That's my house on the left, and that's the Bighorn Fire on the ridge across the highway from my neighborhood. The fire was sparked Friday night by lightning.
It's too close for comfort, although right now the wind is blowing it (and the smoke) away from me and into the Catalina Mountains and Coronado National Forest north and east of me. As of Sunday afternoon, it had covered 1,000 acres and was zero percent contained.
Yesterday around sunset I walked a few blocks from the house and took these photos. So far there have been no evacuation orders, but the city did ask residents to sign up for Code Red alerts, which I did.
Last night I could see both the fire and the moon at the same time from my backyard.
All weekend there have been planes and helicopters circling the area dropping fire retardant and water because the terrain is too steep to fight the fire on foot. Here are some news photos that were taken later at night when the fire was more visible:
My new house is in Oro Valley and that mountain behind my house is Pusch Ridge. I was so happy when I bought the house that I could see the wilderness ridge from my yard, but I never imagined that it would be engulfed in flames within weeks of my moving in.
Have a safe day
6 comments:
Welcome to Tuscon!!! that is so very scary, keep safe and have a bag packed just in case!
Very scary, and way to reminiscent of the fires we have had on the S.F. Peaks here. I pray that the firefighting team can get it contained quickly, but glad you have a bag at the ready just in case. I remember in 2010 watching the fire moving across the peaks in our direction, picking up speed and suddenly realized we needed to get the cats in their carriers, and put them, our bags and us in the vehicles and get out of there. Sure hope it doesn't come to that for you!
So sorry to hear that this is happening. It must be difficult to do anything with such a threat so close. I will hold you and your neighbors in my heart and hope that the firefighting efforts will be successful. Stay safe and be prepared. Sending virtual hugs!
YIKES! I hope the fire crews get this contained and you are soon safe and sound. I hope for the best, second what everyone else has suggested: be ready to skedaddle in a hurry just in case.
Holy Smoke! Seriously, hope the fire/wind keeps blowing the opposite way for you. But at least you are aware and will be notified to the the progress. It's still a beautiful place. We are having severe storms today with 80+ mile winds and rain...there's always something Mother Nature throws at us isn't there!! Be safe!
As a kid, this was one of my worries as we lived on the side of a narrow forested canyon and knew there were often fires burning somewhere beyond the opposite side of the canyon. Dad and I would sit out on the front stoop at night, facing that way, and I really thought what you are experiencing now might be what I would see, flames rising up over the ridge and headed for us. And then where would we go? Where would we evacuate to? Heady thoughts for a grade schooler. But just as heady for an adult. Too close for comfort indeed.
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