Had to Evacuate Tunnel Fire AZ
Had to Evacuate Tunnel Fire AZ, I am jumping ahead on my blog post to what happened last week. Let me tell you, my nerves were on high alert as we were camping in the Coconino Mountains when all of a sudden smoke is gaining ground just south of us.
Let me start at the beginning. We have been on the road for 8 months now and I have a lot of photos still to go through from back in February. But I am jumping ahead to just last week on April 19th, we decided to head to some BLM land, (Bureau of Land Management), which is free camping just north of Flagstaff AZ, we were camping south of Flagstaff the week before.
Arizona and Texas are very dry, we have not seen rain for almost 3 months on this journey. The dust is so bad everywhere in the south when the wind blows and we decided to head north to get away from it. Even though the weather warned of high winds on this particular day. But the BLM land was only 1 1/2 hour drive north, so we figured we could get there before the winds picked up to bad.
This photo below is our drive right before the Coconino Mountains, we will be stopping just on the other side. As we pass the mountains on the left, we noticed some smoke near the mountain. I thought that can’t be good to have any kind of smoke on such a windy day.
We found a campsite not to far from the main road, one other camper was on that road as well. A beautiful spot with tall Pondarosa pine trees and lots of dry grass. There is a lot of burnt trees there already I noticed, as if a fire had gone through there not to long ago.
We set up camp and I made some lunch, as we were eating a strange looking bird landed on our jeep, it was really interested in the red brake lights on top and the red can on top of the jeep.
I have no idea what kind of bird this is, if any one does let me know.
Then my husband looked out the door and said, ” Is that dust or smoke?”. I went outside and I said this is smoke. Our phone’s started to alert of danger, I quick got into the jeep and drove down to the other campers to see what they might know of the situation. They said the fire from way over there by the west mountains had spread and it just jumped the road to where we are and they were leaving.
So I quickly went back to the RV and said we need to go now. We got to the main road and the police were already helping people to leave on the west side of the road and were blocking traffic from going south.
The map below shows a red dot, that is where we are camping and the pink and green area is the fire spreading across that area.
The winds are now gusting over 50 miles an hour, which is not safe to drive a high profile vehicle in. So I found a spot about 30 min north of the fire to stop and wait out the wind before going any farther. This is where I took the photos from shown below.
They ended up blocking traffic right where we were parked at and we ended up staying there all night. Exhausted and stressed to say the least, 2 other campers stayed the night there as well.
I looked out the window a lot that night, checking to see that the fire did not start to spread north towards us. By morning the smoke was still heavy across the landscape and the fire as of today has burned over 20,000 acres. I have not heard the source of this fire yet.
This could be a bad year for fires, we all need to take care and be mindful of our environment around us. One gentleman we talked to that lives around here said, ” This place used to be paradise when he was growing up here and now it is a rat race”.
Had to Evacuate Tunnel Fire AZ
61 Replies to “Had to Evacuate Tunnel Fire AZ”
How scary! I’m glad you’re okay. I’m so so terrified for summer, it’s going to be an awful fire season.
How terrifying! Glad you got out of there! It hurts me to look at that bird. To me, it looks like it barely escaped the fire. It looks like his head feathers have fused together. That poor little creature.
Thank you Janet, that is what I thought when I saw the photo of the bird. It’s feathers did not look right. But it was flying ok and jumping all around our jeep. So that is a good sign.
What a scary situation! Glad to hear you were able to make it out of the path. I’ve been hearing a lot of reports on how dry it is in the south – in a bit of irony, we are bracing for cold and rain the rest of the week through the weekend. Hard to tell on the bird ID. Possibly going through a molt or a bad case of mites – guess in light of situation, maybe fire damage, but I find that unlikely as they have the ability to get out of the way if they need to. My first guess, was a painted bunting, but the bill is completely wrong. Lean more to the Oriole family for sure.
Yes, that was a scary one..that fire moved so fast. But it was 50 mile an hour winds. That bird did like the red lights on the jeep, and then perched on the red gas can on top. It’s feathers looked so strange, like they were all stuck together. But I am thinking an orioles also.
Those plumes of smoke are really something – thank goodness for your husband’s nose and your quick detection of the smoke. It’s great your phones can alert you of danger no matter where you are. Thank goodness you were able to get out of danger in record time. Continued safe travels to you and your husband and pets.
Thank you Linda, yes don’t want to be near that again.
I’m glad you got out in time … I saw your photos and heard the accounts on the news, so I can imagine your fear.
OMG 😱
I know, it was nerve wracking. 😬
What an adventure I’m glad you two are still safe. wow
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Laughter solves many problems
Yes, I don’t care to be near a fire like that again. We have gone 3000 some miles already and are heading north from here.
No I would say not 🤢
Shalom. I live in Flagstaff. I have been tracking the fire, via community updates and local news, since early last week. Although you might already know, the fire started last Sunday (APR 17) afternoon, and burnt 100 acres. No embers our smoldering was present, and a perimeter was sealed around the fire. However, when they checked the next day, there were flames that went past the perimeter. The fire doubled overnight. People in that area were put on set status, and 12 minutes later on go (evacuate) status. This was an extremely fast-moving fire. I am glad that the two of you are safe. Shalom, Tzvi P.S. The cause is still under investigation. P.S.S. Link to my blogpost update on the Tunnel Fire: https://wp.me/paYcVo-Ng
Thank you, yes, we saw the smoke when we went by on the west side of the highway and I thought that can’t be good. Those winds were so strong we had to pull over a few miles north of the fire to stay the night and we continued on the next morning. I have never seen smoke that bad, it was very nerve racking to think about being stuck in a fire like that. I will check out your link. Thank you.
Amazing! Stay safe!
Thank you Marland. 😊
You’re welcome!
I always read, but rarely comment. I’m wondering if that bird was an Oriole with smoke or fire damage?
Glad you made it out safely. Those fires spread FAST.
Thank you, I am thinking the same thing with the bird. It’s feathers on top of his head were kind of clumped together. Bit it seemed to be flying ok. It hung around checking everything that was red and then left. It was nerve racking for me, I have never been close to a wild fire. I read your post all the time as well. You are getting close to your retirement. Hopefully it goes smoothly until then.
Thanks for the update Sandra and that y’all are safe. Great pictures. Hope you’re having a great trip north. Blessings
Thank you very much RJ, yes we are doing well and am glad to be getting in the north country where there is grass and trees again. Have a wonderful day.
So glad you got out before it caught up with you. I hope you can find out something about that bird.And like the man said, it has become a rat race.
Thank you Don, yes we may have been stuck done there another week before making it out of AZ if we had waited. I am thinking that bird is in the Oriole family of birds. He sure looked strange tough.
That sounds so scary. Take care, Sandra.
Thank you, yes my nerves were shot trying to get out of there. 🙂
I’m glad you were safe. Those photos of billowing smoke are pretty impressive. Yes, the bird might have been an oriole, but usually they are more yellow, I think. Don’t know if this link works for you.. https://www.google.com/search?q=picture+of+young+oriole
Thank you Jan, I know that bird was a strange color. I was assuming it was in the oriole family.
This is pretty terrifying!
Stay safe!
Thank you Greg 🙂
Glad you made it out safely.it’s a bad, bad fire.
I live south of Flag, in the SE corner of Arizona in a fabulous birding area. Migration season is slowing down, but head on down here for fall migration! I’m near the Huachucas and the San Pedro River (a top migration area in the US), and just a few hours from the Chiricahuas.
My camping area is full now, but I usually have a spot for visitors.
Thank you for the birding tip. We have never been to Arizona before and wasn’t sure where to go to find birds at all. I will put your area on my map. I have not seen any birds where we went. We are making our way north now heading to Montana, but I hope to back here again. Thank you for telling me about your area, I was beginning to think all of Arizona was just dust. The rivers were all dried up on this route.
This is the dry season, for sure. The San Pedro is dry in some spots now, but when the rains begin, it’s amazing!
I would love to see this area after some rains. We traveled through now to avoid winter up north. But we are missing all the flowering cactus and such.
That was really scary to read about. So glad your ok …
Take care!
Thank you Anita.
Once more, the effect of climate change and long dry periods…. Take good care and be prudent in such areas.
Yes, the landscapes are different these days. I have never been to this part of the country. They really need rain there and lots of it.
Glad you left. The bird could be an Oriol.
Thank you Sherry, I thought it must be in the oriole family also. Strange coloring on that one.
Wow !
Divine protection for you and all!
Thank you Gerry.
That was pretty sacry. Glad you made out safely.
Yes, a little to close on that one.
I didn’t know you traveled so much and this time the fire was there. You were lucky. Strange little bird. Always beautiful photos on the go.
Thank you, we decided to try avoiding winter this year and staying down south. 😊
Glad you are safe. Wind and fire are such a wicked combination.
Thank you, the winds have been so strong lately.
Fire is so scary Sandra, we know to well in our country how quickly they blow into a firestorm. Our country is still recovering from Spring fires which burnt for months into Summer and devastated 2.5 million hectares in our state alone of forest. The mysterious bird might be an immature Oriole, morphing into adult plumage.
Thank goodness for all the firefighters who work non stop. My cousin is a pilot that drops water on fires. He said the fires are starting to early this year.
Be safe both of you please. I felt so tense reading this.
Thank you David, I have never been that close to something like that. There is no time to hesitate that is for sure.
In the fire season here we sometimes travel the highway and the trees are still burning along the highway. Last year the temperatures climbed to 46 Celcius, the previous highs I have seen were just 41. And it stayed 46 for a week. Thank heaven I have a lake one kilometre from home.
Yes, this place already had a lot of burned trees that looked pretty fresh with the black bark everywhere. Most of there rivers and creeks are all dried up down there as well. Hope they get rain soon.
Drought is a problem in many places. I wonder how some states like California have enough water.
I know, they talk about how they have to conserve water because there isn’t enough. Yet the pecan farms are irrigating all they need to so they say.
I think almonds are a big water nut also.
Glad you made it out! Few people have the sense to leave.
Yes, there is no sense to wait when you can see how fast it is moving. Those strong winds can change direction at any time..