CruiseforCoues Report post Posted September 1, 2011 Hey everyone I just wanted to share some photos of the fire that is burning just North West of Superior in unit 24b and my Opinion on the Forst Service just allowing it to burn its self out! From what I understand the fire started possibly Sunday from lightning at which that time was a small fire, well Tuesday I was sent to Superior to work for the day as I was driving east not only could you see smoke from that fire but you could see the fire that is currently burning in the Pinal Mountains as well (controlled burn that is now out of control ) As i came down Gonzales Pass I could see what looked to be a small cloud of smoke so I thought hey this is no big deal a couple of passes from a plane or drops from a helicopter and they got it, I was wrong a friend of mine had already called forest service and they said it was being monitored because no structures were in harms way. I understand that its expensive to fight a fire and that tax payers foot the bill but when it comes to country that is as beautiful as that,there should be no second guessing, they would rather let Hundreds or possibly thousands of acres burn and get out of control rather than say hey we need to get this out before it gets away from us. I was back in Superior today and when i put my Swaroski's on my window mount to see the damage i thought to my self what a shame all that wonderful Hunting land destroyed! The pictures I took were from Tuesday and today they dont show all the damage but give you an Idea of what could have been kept from spreading and destroying more than it did. Yes I do have a tag for this Unit incase your wondering, so if you have one for this unit as well you might want to get out when the fire is gone and maybe check out to see if this fire is going to help you or hurt you. From what i good glass from the Airport in Superior most of the fire burned along the west side of the switchbacks in a NW direction and some SE of it as well. Good luck to all who have tags this year and if I sound a little childish I apologize but i just think something should have been done! The first three pictures are from tuesday Approx times were from 9:00 am til 4pm and the last three were from today around 11:30 am All these were taken thru my Swarovski 15x56 at about 4 miles away so sorry if they are hard to see Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
couesobsession Report post Posted September 2, 2011 Tell me about it. The same thing happened in the Wallow Fire. Some idiot officials decided it was is a small enough area and in a contained canyon that it would be just fine and dandy to let it burn out. What idiots! The forests were dry as tinder, and wind WAS forecasted. Couldnt see that one coming . I saw a small smoking area a few miles away from the Beeline hwy coming back from fishing not last weekend but the one before. Never heard much about it wondered what it was. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
bonecollector Report post Posted September 2, 2011 Looks like the pinals are starting to burn pretty good now too. I was up there opening day of archery season and talked to the WM and he sAid there were 2 fires up there and they are letting them both burn out! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
couesobsession Report post Posted September 2, 2011 Just checked inciweb, the fire in the Pinals is burning at around 5800'-5900' elevation, its at aroun 1k acres, Called the Frio fire. Also burning in the Superstition Wilderness if the 650 fire. Heres a good link to all active major fires in AZ right now: http://inciweb.org/state/3/ Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
CruiseforCoues Report post Posted September 2, 2011 Just checked inciweb, the fire in the Pinals is burning at around 5800'-5900' elevation, its at aroun 1k acres, Called the Frio fire. Also burning in the Superstition Wilderness if the 650 fire. Heres a good link to all active major fires in AZ right now: http://inciweb.org/state/3/ Thanks for the link i was trying to find something to track fires, as for letting a fire burn out thats kinda like but a kid in a candy store alone and telling him not to eat anything his only going to get bigger as he eats more, until someone comes and stops him! I just dont get it, but my thinking is if they let it get bigger then it will take longer to put out and their checks will be bigger come payday Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
couesobsession Report post Posted September 2, 2011 Just checked inciweb, the fire in the Pinals is burning at around 5800'-5900' elevation, its at aroun 1k acres, Called the Frio fire. Also burning in the Superstition Wilderness if the 650 fire. Heres a good link to all active major fires in AZ right now: http://inciweb.org/state/3/ Thanks for the link i was trying to find something to track fires, as for letting a fire burn out thats kinda like but a kid in a candy store alone and telling him not to eat anything his only going to get bigger as he eats more, until someone comes and stops him! I just dont get it, but my thinking is if they let it get bigger then it will take longer to put out and their checks will be bigger come payday No problem, happy to help. Inciweb is really great for staying on top of acerage, location. containment, weather conditions, and planned actions. Love that site, still wish that there wasnt a need for it Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
willhunt4coues Report post Posted September 2, 2011 The Frio fire in the Pinals is going crazy it is on the Medera peak and it is burning ALL over that mountain. I just wish the smoke would blow another direction because I am tired of it. I personally hope it comes down the mountain more and burns all that manzanita (sp) and scrub oak because well if anyone has ever seen it, it sure it a problem. We watched it a little as we came out of the pinals last night (we were about 1200 yards away) and it looked like it had a few good pines on fire. Then you could actually see where it was burning on the ground all the way around one of the ridges. Like I said I wish it would burn the bottom crap but the forest service seems to like to let it always burn in the pines which is fine but I believe this one is getting WAY too big and they need to do something now before it COMPLETELY takes over the mountain. The Iolie (sp) Ranch is extremely close to the fire I mean withing a few 100 yards. I know it will be good for the mountain and the critters when the new growth comes back but at least manage it don't let it go and thats what they are doing. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Sundevil99 Report post Posted September 2, 2011 I have a tag in the same unit and the fires look far enough away from the area we are going to hunt that it shouldn't hurt us at all. But I do think that the mentality to suppress all forest fires that we've had for the last 100 years is going to and has started to bite us in the @ss. It's so thick in some areas that they are even impassable by the animals. The only way to fix these probles is also the most painful and that is to let mother nature take it's course. I'm not saying burn 100,000 acres but once these areas burn, they won't burn for 30 or 40 years again. It's how they are managing Yellowstone now and it's working. They are letting the forest burn in sections and previous sections act as firebreaks for new fires. It's gotta happen at some point and it's just harder to watch after the last few years with all the previous large fires we've been having recently. I know the burnt areas aren't all pretty to look at but for the most part they are closer to being healthy again than they were before the fires. Just think of all the new edible growth that will have lots of protein to grow big racks in just a few years. Sometimes the long term benefit is hard to see from the short term pain. Just my $0.02. Good luck though this year. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
bonecollector Report post Posted September 2, 2011 Clay, do you know if the pinals are closed? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
rogeti Report post Posted September 2, 2011 Tell me about it. The same thing happened in the Wallow Fire. Some idiot officials decided it was is a small enough area and in a contained canyon that it would be just fine and dandy to let it burn out. What idiots! The forests were dry as tinder, and wind WAS forecasted. Couldnt see that one coming . I saw a small smoking area a few miles away from the Beeline hwy coming back from fishing not last weekend but the one before. Never heard much about it wondered what it was. Hmmmmmmm? I DIDN'T see you there that day the Wallow fire started. Were you on the 25 road with the 3 Engines watching as the copper column was laying over with 50 mph gusts? Right now im thinking of everyone that was there and that was 9 Men and women including myself and I know every one of them. One of them was the idiot official that decided that is was too dangerous to go into a canyon with no escape routes and safety zones. Im not going to burn myself up for a tree. I dunno where you got your info but you might want to check your facts. Before you go pointing fingers, brush up on your 10 fire fighting standard orders and your 18 watchout situations. Also read the report that was given out by the Forest Supervisor, the timeline provided was given to him by my fellow crew members that were interviewed by law enforcement. Just tired of hearing what happened from everyone else that wasn't there! Timeline 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
silencedmajority Report post Posted September 2, 2011 A lot of our country has to burn sometime. Started by lightning, not near any homes, maybe it is supposed to burn? Maybe I'm just crazy. I have a tag in this unit too. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
AZLance Report post Posted September 2, 2011 Burn baby Burn... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
CouesWhitetail Report post Posted September 2, 2011 Tell me about it. The same thing happened in the Wallow Fire. Some idiot officials decided it was is a small enough area and in a contained canyon that it would be just fine and dandy to let it burn out. What idiots! The forests were dry as tinder, and wind WAS forecasted. Couldnt see that one coming . I saw a small smoking area a few miles away from the Beeline hwy coming back from fishing not last weekend but the one before. Never heard much about it wondered what it was. Hmmmmmmm? I DIDN'T see you there that day the Wallow fire started. Were you on the 25 road with the 3 Engines watching as the copper column was laying over with 50 mph gusts? Right now im thinking of everyone that was there and that was 9 Men and women including myself and I know every one of them. One of them was the idiot official that decided that is was too dangerous to go into a canyon with no escape routes and safety zones. Im not going to burn myself up for a tree. I dunno where you got your info but you might want to check your facts. Before you go pointing fingers, brush up on your 10 fire fighting standard orders and your 18 watchout situations. Also read the report that was given out by the Forest Supervisor, the timeline provided was given to him by my fellow crew members that were interviewed by law enforcement. Just tired of hearing what happened from everyone else that wasn't there! Timeline +1 I am getting tired of it too....Thanks for sharing the real scoop.... People need to click on the Timeline link in his post and see what the actual response was. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
CouesWhitetail Report post Posted September 2, 2011 I am glad to see the fires being allowed to burn...we just can't burn enough acres through prescribed fire alone to get caught up in any meaningful way. The most cost effective way to get some larger acreages burned is to allow natural fires to do their thing. Those burns create better deer and elk habitat in the short and long term. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
willhunt4coues Report post Posted September 2, 2011 Pinals are still open... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
