Arizona's Wallow Fire Scorches Nearly 400,000 Acres (PHOTOS)
(Photo: Reuters/Joshua Lott)
Smoke from the Wallow Wildfire rises over Round Valley High School Stadium in Springerville, Arizona June 7, 2011. A stubborn wildfire in eastern Arizona that has forced the evacuation of as many as 3,000 people flared out of control for a 10th day on Tuesday and advanced on two more mountain towns near New Mexico. At midday Tuesday, fire officials said the so-called Wallow Fire had charred more than 311,000 acres (126,000 hectares) since it erupted on May 29, and now ranks as the second-largest wildfire in Arizona's history.
6 photo slide
(Photo: Reuters/Joshua Lott)
Wayne Lutz takes a break from raking dead grass as he tries to protect his house from the Wallow Wildfire in Eagar, Arizona June 7, 2011. A stubborn wildfire in eastern Arizona that has forced the evacuation of as many as 3,000 people flared out of control for a 10th day on Tuesday and advanced on two more mountain towns near New Mexico. At midday Tuesday, fire officials said the so-called Wallow Fire had charred more than 311,000 acres (126,000 hectares) since it erupted on May 29, and now ranks as the second-largest wildfire in Arizona's history.
(Photo: Reuters/Joshua Lott)
Firefighters wait to receive orders while they take a break from the Wallow Wildfire as smoke fills the sky in Luna, New Mexico June 6, 2011. The wildfire that has charred more than 350 square miles (906 sq km) in eastern Arizona forced the evacuation of a third town on Monday and crept near populated areas along the New Mexico border as it raged out of control for a ninth day. The so-called Wallow Fire, burning about 250 miles (400 km) northeast of Phoenix and stretching to near the Arizona-New Mexico border, ranks as the third-largest fire on record in Arizona.
(Photo: Reuters/Joshua Lott)
Raney Pate, 11, hugs her dog Abby as she prepares to evacuate Wallow Wildfire with her other pets as smoke fills the sky in Springerville, Arizona June 7, 2011. The wildfire that has charred more than 350 square miles (906 sq km) in eastern Arizona forced the evacuation of Springerville and Eagar Tuesday as the fire crept near populated areas along the New Mexico border as it raged out of control for a tenth day. The so-called Wallow Fire, burning about 250 miles (400 km) northeast of Phoenix and stretching to near the Arizona-New Mexico border, ranks as the third-largest fire on record in Arizona.
(Photo: Reuters/Joshua Lott)
Linda Beal carries her belonging from her home as she prepares to evacuate from the Wallow Wildfire in Springerville, Arizona June 7, 2011. A stubborn wildfire in eastern Arizona that has forced the evacuation of as many as 3,000 people flared out of control for a 10th day on Tuesday and advanced on two more mountain towns near New Mexico. At midday Tuesday, fire officials said the so-called Wallow Fire had charred more than 311,000 acres (126,000 hectares) since it erupted on May 29, and now ranks as the second-largest wildfire in Arizona's history.
(Photo: Reuters/Joshua Lott)
Robert Joseph rides his all terrain vehicles along U.S. Route 180 as smoke from the Wallow Wildfire fills the sky in Luna, New Mexico June 6, 2011. Firefighters battling the raging wildfire in eastern Arizona made slight progress in preventing the spread of a blaze that has charred over 200,000 acres of prime forest, officials said on Monday. The fire which started in Arizona last week is now threating Western New Mexico. More than 1,300 firefighters from across the nation are trying to contain the fire to protect several small mountain communities and stop the stubborn wildfire, burning about 250 miles northeast of Phoenix.
Arizona's raging Wallow Fire refuses to submit to firefighting efforts, washing tens of thousands of new acres in flames for a total of nearly 400,000 acres burned.
Officials say that as of Tuesday evening the stubborn Wallow Fire has scorched about 389,000 acres of land in eastern Arizona. Strong winds have frustrated the efforts of some 2,500 firefighters from controlling the Wallow Fire, which is said to move in unpredictably patterns. Flames are carried by strong wings and ignite fires miles away, reported The Arizona Republic. And winds divert the intended path of water poured by helicopters on the fire.
The Wallow Fire is currently the second largest wildfire in Arizona's history. The largest state fire is called the Rodeo-Chedeski Fire, which burned 467,000 acres in 2002.
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