THREE-DOZEN WILDFIRES BURNING IN PARTS OF ARIZONA,

NEW MEXICO, COLORADO, CALIFORNIA, TEXAS, AND

GEORGIA

June 2011

Walter Hays, Global Alliance for Disaster Reduction, University of

North Carolina, USA

JUNE HAS TURNED OUT TO BE “2011’s FIRE SEASON” IN THE WEST

Exacerbated by high temperatures, high winds, and recent drought, more than 1.2 million acres have been burned.

Some of Arizona’s eleven wildfires that burned over one-half million acres, may have been started by illegal immigrants.

EVACUATIONS

• About 10,000 Arizonans were forced to evacuate their homes as wildfires consumed large parts of the state.

• Some people refused to evacuate.

ARIZONA: JUNE 8, 2011

ARIZONA’S WATER WHEEL FIRE

ARIZONA’S WATER WHEEL FIRE

TAKING A BRIEF BREAK

ARIZONA’S WILD HORSE FIRE

SETTTING A “BURN OUT” ZONE TO ELIMINATE FUEL

ARIZONA’S MONUMENT FIRE: JUNE 16

WORKING THE MONUMENT WILDFIRE

• About 1,000 firefighters from across the USA were on the lines, and hundreds of state and local police and others were simultaneously facilitating evacuation and meeting the needs of the people.

ARIZONA’S MONUMENT FIRE: JUNE 19

SKY CRANE DROPPING WATER NEAR RATAN, NM; JUNE 17

HIGH WINDS

• Winds of 30 mph that gusted to 50 mph on the ridges hindered firefighting from the air as well as on the ground, increasing the time needed to achieve significant containment.