Ft. Huachuca Wildfire update

Yesterday was a hard day.  My nerves were on edge as the winds went crazy here in Ft. Huachuca.  

On a normal day, the high winds in the 100 degree weather would have been welcomed with open arms.  The winds felt wonderful.

But on this day, the wind was the enemy.

With winds gusting up to 50mph, the fire spread like... well like WILDFIRE!  The planes were downed for most of the day for the safety of the pilots.  The winds were just too strong.  And boy did that fire take advantage of those downed planes!

Up to this point, the only thing we've been able to see from our home here on base was the smoke coming from behind the mountains.  Yesterday, the winds caused huge plumes of smoke to fill the sky again and flames were able to be seen coming over the top of the Huachuca Mountains.

I'd never admit this to my husband, but I began to panic.  I glued myself to the internet as the posts on Facebook updated every second and the police scanners kept everyone informed of what was happening.

Yesterday, people lost homes and businesses.  Reading to the desperation of people wondering if their homes were still standing and worried for family and friends safety was so heartbreaking...

Many of my neighbors laugh when I tell them, but my bags are packed and ready to go.  I have never been in a wildfire zone and although we are not in the pre-evacuation zone YET and the fire is still 10 miles away, I'm not taking any chances of losing or forgetting something important to me if they do call for us to leave.  These things seem to be unpredictable and, no, the winds are not blowing the Monument Fire in our direction, but when I can see flames from my house, I need to be ready to go at the drop of a dime! 

The Ft. Huachuca Wildfire

There's something to said about watching approximately 2400 acres go up in flames right in front of you. I could not believe the rush of adrenaline I had from the fear of seeing a fire start right before my eyes today.  With the Monument Fire only about 10 to 12 miles from the post, it was all I could do to keep from passing out when I saw smoke in front of the mountains closest to us instead of climbing to the peak of the ridge behind it.  

I started throwing everything I didn't want to live without in boxes and suit cases around mid afternoon today.  I'd already packed important documents, like birth certificates and tax papers, and pictures and memorable things that you just can't get back.

The clothes, well I figured I had time.  

Who woulda thunk another fire would start out of nowhere right here on base!

They put the fire out, but not before scaring me and the rest of the post half to death.  My subdivision was the closest to the fire.  

Like I said, I. watched. it. start!  

We would have been the first to go.  I glued myself to Facebook and watched the thousands of comments and updates on the fire on the Fort Huachuca page.  Thank goodness for Facebook.  It helped me to keep a level head knowing that someone was monitoring the fire's progress and keeping the families of updated.

Once the adrenaline came down, I felt like I could pass out from exhaustion!

So now, we've decided not to unpack the boxes as of yet.  The Antelope Fire, as it was named, is 100% contained and is of no threat.  In a way, it may have been a blessing in disguise as it put a barrier between us and the Monument fire by charring all of the grasslands in between us and the fire.

I've had dreams about the fire coming on base for the last few nights and haven't been able to sleep well.  I'm sure tonight will be no different.  The kids, however, seem to be taking it with a grain of salt.  They say they don't want to evacuate, but to them, they fires is more of a spectator's sport as they sit on the fence and watch it with their friends.  All they need is a bowl of popcorn!

Last night, they asked that the tenants of few other subdivisions here on base start preparing for pre-evacuation by turning on their sprinkle systems and clearing debris from their gutters.  Those areas are surrounded by more mountain than we are though, although we are actually closed to the fire.

As of now, we are okay.  This is so new to me, as I have never had to deal with wildfires.  I'm thinking I'll take the humidity of the east coast over these terrifying fires ANYDAY!

Fire near Ft. Huachuca.

I've got a lot to say today so I'm participating in Seven Clown Circus's Wordful Wednesday.  If you've got a blog, participate!  Go over and read what others who just have to talk have to say today!  Dream of fire kept me tossing and turning last night.  The wildfire has me worried.

It's only about 10 miles from our house here on base and that's quite scary! 

The Monument Fire, as they call it, started on Sunday afternoon.  I noticed it when I went outside to check on the kids that were playing around the bend in the street.  So I took a few steps to make sure that they were all together and off in the distance I looked behind my neighbor's house and say a cloud of smoke. 

Uh oh.  A new fire. I thought.  We already have one off in the distance which has been burning for about a month and a half.  The Horseshoe 2 first started back at the beginning of May.  Being that this is my first time in dry land, all of this wildfire stuff is new to me!  I was already planning my escape plan!  The fire was off in the distance and I could see it burning over the mountains.  To me that was close enough to run!

This one, however is much closer. 

Yesterday, I was on the phone with my mom on my way to the mall and she asked me about this new fire.  I told her that I'm riding in the direction of the fire and it really didn't look that bad.

I went in the mall to by Hubs' Father's Day gift, came back out about 20minutes later and my mouth dropped open at the site of a massive cloud of smoke in the mountains!

There were people stopped and staring all through the parking lot.  

The fire looked terrifyingly huge!

Okay, so I don't know why, but I was compelled to get a closer look.  We drove towards the outside of the city limits because honestly I'd never seem anything like this.  Of course, a sista like me was only gonna go so far!

But I had to snap some shots!

Scary, huh?  This sudden burst of smoke was apparently caused by a "fire storm", a period of winds from 40 to 50 mph.  Wind is the enemy right now!

Today the smoke has died down, but we're at about 5200 acres burned the last I checked. 

It's not in the least bit contained at this point, but they are working like crazy to get it under control. 

I'm just hoping the winds stay away!

Edited to say:  We are fine.  Although the fire is close, Fort Huachuca is to the north of the fire and right now the fire seems to be burning to the east.  But the winds are unpredictable, so we are still on alert.