Wallow Fire

Churches and individual Christians have been aiding relief efforts to those affected by the Arizona wildfires this week, with one parishioner eye witness observing, "that’s beautiful faith.”

Residents of Sierra Vista were given an evacuation order Sunday as fire crews battled to halt the fire’s march towards the town. Local churches are taking donations for fire victims, and according to KGUN-TV Tuscan bishop Gerald Kicanas said: “We pray for an end to the fire, we pray for the safety of our firefighters and we pray that the monsoon rains will come and free us from these terrible fires that have been so devastating.”

Parishioner Tom Felix also reported that seeing the community's spirit and support overwhelmed him. He told KGUN-TV: “Coming here ... and just seeing everybody, my goodness that's beautiful faith.” more >>

Two people are being questioned about the abandoned campfire that authorities believe started the devastating Arizona Wallow Fire, a spokesman said Tuesday evening.

The Arizona Wallow Fire became the largest in the state’s history on Tuesday having burned through 469,000 acres of woodland, and causing nearly 10,000 people to evacuate their homes.

Spokesman for the multiple agencies battling the fire Kelly Wood reported that investigations are now centered on two people, who were being questioned about the campfire that could have ignited the huge Wallow Fire. The identities of the two being questioned have not been released. more >>

New Mexico is battling two major fires on opposite ends of the state – in the southwest, Arizona’s gigantic Wallow Fire, and in the northeast, a Colorado-border wildfire. The embattled state is also fighting a third fire in the southeast that closed down Carlsbad Caverns National Park.

The Wallow Fire, close to becoming the largest wildfire in Arizona’s history, has caused local New Mexico officials to warn Luna residents that they might be ordered to evacuate at any time.

The two-week-old blaze has burned somewhere between 452,000 to 463,000 acres as of Monday night. It could surpass Arizona’s largest fire, the 2002 Rodeo-Chediski Fire, which scorched 468,000 acres, as soon as Tuesday, according to The Arizona Republic. more >>

Arizona’s Wallow Fire is massive and has been growing by tens of thousands of acres a day. But it is not expected to surpass the state’s largest wildfire, the 2002 Rodeo-Chediski fire, said a fire chief.

As of Sunday night, the Wallow Fire was 10 percent contained, up from 0 percent last Thursday. It has burned nearly 450,000 acres, or 703-square miles. By comparison, the Rodeo-Chediski wildfire, which was actually two fires that merged into one, burned 467,000 acres, or 732 square miles.

“Everything is holding,” said Jerome Macdonald, fire operations chief, to The Associated Press. “Compared to what we’ve been dealing with just two days ago … we’re feeling a lot more confident. We turned a corner.” more >>

Officials in New Mexico have warned residents that there is a risk of potentially hazardous air quality in the region as smoke continues to billow out of the Wallow fire that has hit eastern Arizona over the past weeks.

The fire, which now has spread across 672-square miles, officially crossed the state line late on Friday evening.

Residents from the border all the way through to Albuquerque and Santa Fe have been warned that they face serious respiratory hazards from the thick smoke engulfing the nearby areas. more >>

Authorities have said the Arizona Wallow Fire is likely to become the largest in the state’s history, as it continues to threaten homes and is still only five percent contained as of Friday morning.

However, favoring weather reports predicting weakening winds, which have been driving the blaze at an unstoppable speed until now, may give fire crews their best opportunity yet to contain the fire further.

Thousands have fled the path of the fire since it broke out in late May, and it has spread wildly, burning an area of greater size than Los Angeles. more >>