News
FIRES MEET MONSOON
By Jim Lamb, Green Valley News
Crews work to contain flames, smoke near Tubac
A monsoon Wednesday night and more showers Thursday dumped some welcome rain on the 10,000-acre White Tank wildfire just west of Tubac.
At times, flames could be seen from Interstate 19 at Tubac and smoke lingered much of the day in the area in the Tumac‡cori Mountains.
By midday Thursday, no homes on Tubac’s west side had been evacuated, although residents had been earlier warned they might have to leave their houses.
Santa Cruz County Sheriff Tony Estrada said the threatened evacuation was more because of smoke than fire dangers.
Heavy rain-laden clouds developed over Green Valley, Tubac and Tumac‡cori on Thursday afternoon, and some rain was reported there.
Hail was seen in Sahuarita.
The White Tank fire in the Tumac‡coris and the nearby Nuevo fire of about 2,500 acres were believed to be human caused, possibly started from campfires of illegal aliens who cross the desert on their way into the United States.
Estrada said the area near the threatened Cero Pelon and Alisso Springs developments is a favorite travel route for narcotics and people-smugglers.
Tubac Fire Chief Kevin Keeley said there were “three new starts” in the fire area Thursday morning. He said crews were “aggressively working” on one of them.
“There have been no evacuations and none are anticipated,” he said.
He had crews working in the area overnight.
There were about 240 firefighters, seven engines, two bulldozers and a water tender at the scene.
The National Weather Service said conditions were almost ripe for the summer rainy season, also called the monsoon.
High barometric pressure was moving into the Four Corners area in northeastern Arizona and counter-clockwise winds from it help drag moisture from the Gulf of Mexico into northern Mexico and much of Arizona.
The Weather Service predicted heavy thunderstorms Thursday night, then slight chance of thunderstorms through next Monday.
The Weather Service this year decided henceforth to declare the monsoon season’s official start as June 15. It will officially end Sept. 30.
Get ready for weeds in the garden.
Traditionally, the summer monsoon started when the dew point was above 54 degrees for three consecutive days. That’s when dew forms on plants. It occurs when the air can’t hold any more water vapor, and it precipitates on plants and elsewhere. At week’s end Tucson’s dew point was about 50 degrees.
The term “monsoon” comes from the Arabic “mausim” meaning “season” or “wind shift.”
The wettest monsoon on record was 1984 when 9.56 inches fell. Last year, 2007, was the fifth driest when only 0.74 inch was recorded.
jlamb@gvnews.com | 547-9749
A monsoon Wednesday night and more showers Thursday dumped some welcome rain on the 10,000-acre White Tank wildfire just west of Tubac.
At times, flames could be seen from Interstate 19 at Tubac and smoke lingered much of the day in the area in the Tumac‡cori Mountains.
By midday Thursday, no homes on Tubac’s west side had been evacuated, although residents had been earlier warned they might have to leave their houses.
Santa Cruz County Sheriff Tony Estrada said the threatened evacuation was more because of smoke than fire dangers.
Heavy rain-laden clouds developed over Green Valley, Tubac and Tumac‡cori on Thursday afternoon, and some rain was reported there.
Hail was seen in Sahuarita.
The White Tank fire in the Tumac‡coris and the nearby Nuevo fire of about 2,500 acres were believed to be human caused, possibly started from campfires of illegal aliens who cross the desert on their way into the United States.
Estrada said the area near the threatened Cero Pelon and Alisso Springs developments is a favorite travel route for narcotics and people-smugglers.
Tubac Fire Chief Kevin Keeley said there were “three new starts” in the fire area Thursday morning. He said crews were “aggressively working” on one of them.
“There have been no evacuations and none are anticipated,” he said.
He had crews working in the area overnight.
There were about 240 firefighters, seven engines, two bulldozers and a water tender at the scene.
The National Weather Service said conditions were almost ripe for the summer rainy season, also called the monsoon.
High barometric pressure was moving into the Four Corners area in northeastern Arizona and counter-clockwise winds from it help drag moisture from the Gulf of Mexico into northern Mexico and much of Arizona.
The Weather Service predicted heavy thunderstorms Thursday night, then slight chance of thunderstorms through next Monday.
The Weather Service this year decided henceforth to declare the monsoon season’s official start as June 15. It will officially end Sept. 30.
Get ready for weeds in the garden.
Traditionally, the summer monsoon started when the dew point was above 54 degrees for three consecutive days. That’s when dew forms on plants. It occurs when the air can’t hold any more water vapor, and it precipitates on plants and elsewhere. At week’s end Tucson’s dew point was about 50 degrees.
The term “monsoon” comes from the Arabic “mausim” meaning “season” or “wind shift.”
The wettest monsoon on record was 1984 when 9.56 inches fell. Last year, 2007, was the fifth driest when only 0.74 inch was recorded.
jlamb@gvnews.com | 547-9749
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