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These are just a few pics I snapped with the camera phone on the way home tonight. They show what are normally bright, clear, blue skies that are now yellow, thick and smoky due to the nearly 500 sq. mile wide fire going on 100 miles to our south and the intense (107+ last three days) heat. If I get time and don't die from the heat I'll try to take some with a better camera.
posted
Sorry to hear about that, Scott. Is the fire spreading in your direction?
-------------------- The Semi-Great Gildersleeve - writing, super-heroes, and this 'n' that
From: The Stasis Zone | Registered: Jul 2003
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It is heading in our direction and is only 10% contained. Over 500 square miles now, was 478 last night. The largest wildfire in UT prior to this one was only 158 square miles. Winds are shifting right now so they've called out more firefighters. Over 311,000 acres have been burned.
From: Utah | Registered: Jul 2003
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Any idea when or if you'll have to evacuate?
-------------------- The Semi-Great Gildersleeve - writing, super-heroes, and this 'n' that
From: The Stasis Zone | Registered: Jul 2003
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Hopefully we won't have to. To reach us the fire would have to go through the State Pen. While some of the folks out there might deserve a fiery end I wouldn't wish that on them.
Here are a few more pics, snapped by motorists and those fighting the fire.
I'm glad that you're probably out of harm's way, though. Looks like those state pens are good for something.
-------------------- The Semi-Great Gildersleeve - writing, super-heroes, and this 'n' that
From: The Stasis Zone | Registered: Jul 2003
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The fires are bad this year. I just moved from Albuqerue to Tucson. Both areas struggle with fires. We have a big observatory with six very expensive telescopes on top of a mountain called Kit Peak that are currently being threatened by a fire which is still about a mile away. We're hoping that the monsoons will start in the next couple of days. They are overdue. Scott, Does Utah get any rains from the monsoons? I've only been in the Southwest for four years now, and never experienced monsoons before I moved to Albuquerque. I'm not sure how far north they go.
-------------------- No regrets, Coyote.
From: Missouri | Registered: Oct 2003
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Hi Jerry, This is Scott's wife, and no, we do not have monsoons. We are in a serious draught and they have said we won't expect any measurable moisture until September. This place is a desert, and thankfully it isn't usually this dry and horrible. But we have been in a dry cycle for so many years that this year it's hitting extra hard. Right now there is a fire in Utah County and Carbon County, which is a huge coal mining and natural gas mining area. The fires are threatening the area, and this fire is being given #1 National priority. IF the fire gets to the mines, coal production would be crippled, and who knows how long the fires would burn, centuries???? If the fires reach the natural gas production plants, or major pipelines, the Intermountain West, the western US, and California will suffer. There are only about 250 firefighters available on-scene right now and double that are needed. With so many fires happening at once, it is a nightmare for everyone involved.
From: Utah (non-Mormon!!!) | Registered: Jul 2003
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Faraway Lad
Senator of the UP. Permanent Ambassador to the Court of Saint James
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Those are dramatic and powerful photo's. I hope you are kept safe guys and dont have to worry about evacuation and stuff.
Has anyone started to dig fire breaks between the towns and the fires yet?
-------------------- Faithfull
From: Newcastle upon Tyne England | Registered: Jul 2003
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Those pictures bring back awful memories from a few years ago here. Thankfully we haven't seen anything like that since but this year has been extremely dry and we have yet to experience any tropical weather events (not that I'm hoping for any of those either! )
Fingers crossed and best wishes winging your way. Be safe Scott & Caroline!
-------------------- "Hey Jim! Get Mon out of the Zone!! And...when do we get Condo back?"
From: Paragon City on patrol | Registered: Jul 2003
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Thanks for responding Saturn Girl. It sounds serious. That's a huge fire. I don't think people understand how overwhelmed the poor firefighters are. Hopefully we will get some moisture down here to free up some firefighters to send your way. Stay safe.
-------------------- No regrets, Coyote.
From: Missouri | Registered: Oct 2003
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