Thousands of people evacuated due to fire in Arizona | evacuation

FLAGSTAFF, Arizona—For the second time in less than two months, thousands of Flagstaff residents have fled their homes in the face of another devastating wildfire.

“We overlap. God says: ‘Here they are. Do what you have to do,” said Percy Piestewa, whose family lost their property in the Tunnel fire in mid-April.

That fire burned nearly 20,000 acres of the Coconino National Forest 14 miles northeast of Flagstaff, an area that overlaps the scar from the 2010 Schulz wildfire.

“The [incendio del túnel] took all our sheds, our boat trailer, everything that was on the north side. But those are the dangers of fire,” Piestewa told The Epoch Times.

“There are dangers in floods. There are dangers in life. You have to be flexible.”

Fortunately for Piestewa and his relative Brandon Whiterock, of Flagstaff, both made it out of the Pipeline Fire with their belongings unharmed.

“Luckily, we have friends in the city that we stay with now. That’s the good part about living in Flagstaff for over 10 years,” Whiterock told The Epoch Times.

The tunnel fire went directly through his family’s property in the Timberline area, burning five sheds, he added.

He considers that his family was lucky that the fire did not burn down their house.

The area is more susceptible to wildfires due to dry weather, so I “was expecting something to happen” when the Pipeline fire broke out.

“We’ve already packed up and gotten our animals out of the way,” Whiterock said. “Honestly, what matters are the people. I’m glad no one was hurt.”

“Housing sucks in the short term, but in the long term, it’s about people’s lives.”

On June 14, plumes of smoke from the Pipeline fire cast a dense haze over the San Francisco mountain peaks that dominate the Flagstaff skyline.

Smoke from other nearby wildfires, the Haywire Fire and the Double Fire, could also be seen in the distance. Both fires burned nearly 2,000 acres before merging.

Authorities say the Pipeline Fire had destroyed nearly 23,000 acres, including a home and an outbuilding. The Pipeline and Haywire fires were 22 percent contained when combined.

Coconino County Sheriff’s deputies apprehended a 57-year-old man suspected of starting the fire while burning toilet paper. He is now facing charges for violation of conservation resources.

Officials said much of the burned area from the Pipeline fire contains pine trees, grass and brush. As of June 14, the 270 staff members fighting wildfires were working slowly in high winds.

About three kilometers from the Pipeline fire, an employee of the firm Casey’s Processing, Casey Poquette, recounted that the company had evacuated a few days before.

“They let us go back today. We’re far enough away that we don’t have to worry [aunque] something has to change, that’s for sure,” Poquette told The Epoch Times.

On June 14, members of the Coconino County Board of Supervisors and state and federal agencies briefed residents on fire containment efforts at a community meeting in Flagstaff.

Patrice Horstman, a member of the Board of Supervisors, acknowledged that after two major wildfires in less than two months, people are “emotionally drained.”

“The fire is not over. There’s still work to be done out there,” said Stephen Fillmore, commander of the California Interagency Incident Team crew managing the fire.

James Pettit, manager of the Coconino National Forest, indicated that Phase 2 restrictions banning bonfires are currently in effect.

However, he reported that the US Forest Service would need government approval to implement the Stage 3 restrictions to close the public forest.

“It takes a wind event” to start a wildfire, Pettit said. “When a wind event occurs, it pulls a lot of tools out of our toolbox so it closes.”

Brian Klimowski, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Flagstaff, predicted that weekend weather conditions would be wetter, less windy and less favorable to wildfires.

Officials expressed concern mainly about possible flooding in the burn zones with the arrival of the monsoon season in late June.

Coconino County Sheriff’s Office Chief Bret Axlund said 1,584 residents remain in active SET status to prepare for evacuation and 3,779 homes have been evacuated since the fire started.

Due to the Haywire fire, 281 residents of 338 households were evacuated.

Kim Musselman, director of Coconino County Health and Human Services, described the physical and mental health resources available to affected residents.

“This just adds another phase of trauma,” Musselman said.

The Red Cross established an evacuation center and the county’s Humane Shelter began taking in livestock and pets after the Pipeline Fire.

On June 13, Flagstaff Mayor Paul Deasy declared a state of emergency in light of the spread of the fire.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency also authorized Arizona’s request to use federal funds to fight the fire.

Arizona State Representative Walt Blackman (R) said in a June 15 statement that his “thoughts and prayers are with the Coconino County families affected by the Pipeline Fire, as well as the brave fire crews and personnel who is working valiantly to control it.”

“In addition to closely monitoring this situation, I will contact the Governor’s office to recommend a declaration of a state of emergency if conditions worsen.”

Piestewa lamented that it only takes one careless person to affect an entire community.

“There may be 99 percent of people who follow all the rules, but it takes a determined person to decide that they don’t want to follow them. That affects the entire community,” Piestewa said.

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