Our luck has run out........

[ibglowin]

Went to Santa fe today to do some shopping around noon. Made a few stops and looked up at the mountains and boom this had blown up out of nowhere. I think it had only been burning for 2-3 hours when we took this photo this afternoon around 4:00. Winds were howling all day out of the West around 25-35 mph. Hope we don't give AZ a run for the money. This fire is just below the Santa fe Ski area which is off to the right in this picture. We have had no rain this Spring at all. No snow really this Winter. To say we are dry does not do it justice. Humidity is about 3% in the afternoon. Its so dry we have no weeds. Its just crunchy dead stuff and the dirt is just dust.

Bob, could you please send some water? We would take all you got brother.....

 

[lieu]

Hey Mike
Can you guestimate how big that is? The biggest brush fire that I have ever fought was around 10 to 15 acres if my memory serves me right. I prefer to fight structure fires. (not that I like to see peoples homes burn but it is inevidable and when it happens I like to be there to fight the fire.)
I would assume that this fire is alot bigger than 10 to 15 acres.

 

[ibglowin]

They estimated it at 200 acres already on the evening news. Its already crowning....

 

[Wade E]

Hope youget some rain down there. Im tired of the rain down here! Today was the first day in awhile that it didnt rain on my parade!

 

[Dean]

Mike, I'd GLADLY send you some of our rain! I was teaching advanced rider training today in the pouring rain to a bunch of motorcycle enthusiasts today, and we sure could have used the dry weather. We've had nothing but rain and cold this spring.

 

[Waldo]

We have not had any rain here in over 2 weeks now, My yard is already getting crunchy and brown.

 

[Runningwolf]

I'm with Lieu with having too much rain this year. Sure wish we could send some your way in a gentle way.

 

[ibglowin]

Thanks guys, no surprise its now up to 1000 acres. 0% contained. Winds died down last night and it cooled off nicely this AM. It was 53 here at the house so it has to be in the mid 40's up there. Winds will be back with vengeance this afternoon gusting up to 35 MPH. They are supposed to hit hard today with 8 slurry bombers and several helicopters.

 

[Rocky]

Mike, How far is this from your home? Hang in there, Fella!

 

[ibglowin]

Bout 30 miles as the crow fly's but its headed east (winds are out of the west) plus there is a big valley between us so we are not in any danger. We have our own mountain range (Jemez Mountains) that burned back in 2000. Forest Service set a "controlled burn" in the Spring no less (worst time of the year) , dry and windy WTF were they thinking.....

It was called the Cerro Grande Fire. It almost burned down the town and the lab and, well lets just say a wildfire and a plutonium processing facility should never meet. They evacuated all of us about 2:00AM one morning as the fire was headed towards several nuclear facilities.

The wind changed directions at the last moment and wiped out the northern fringe of the townsite. It did come down the canyons and towards several tech areas but we escaped if you can call it that with several hundred families losing their homes to the fire but no real damage to the laboratory.

I will post some pics this afternoon. I am sure its going to blow up big time this afternoon with the predicted winds.

 

[Rocky]

Mike, are you out of danger for sure? I hope so.

 

[ibglowin]

Oh yea, there is 30 miles of desert valley between us and that mountain. The wind blew all day yesterday with some gust up to 50mph. I went to Overlook Park about 1 mile from my house to take a picture across the valley but the wind was blowing so hard the smoke was just a giant hazy grey spread out across the Sangre de Christo mountains so it wouldn't really show up well. We had a cool front push through over night and the temps are supposed to be down about 10 degrees from yesterday. Hopefully with less wind and cooler temps they can start to get a handle on it. Last report was 0% contained. Its headed into the Pecos wilderness away from any structures but there is miles and miles of mixed conifer forest so lots of forest to burn up.......

 

[fivebk]

Mike, I'd send you all the water you could handle if I could!!!! I now have 4-5 feet of water inside my house and it could be there untill Dec. Come take all you want it's free for the taking. Guess it's time to start looking for a new place to live.

BOB

 

[ibglowin]

Bob, that is just plain terrible. Thoughts and prayers are still with you all for sure. I sure hope it doesn't last that long.

 

[fivebk]

Thanks Mike

BOB

 

[robie]

Here in Colorado, we have several large fires going, mainly down toward New Mexico.
Fortunately, it started raining last night and is still raining in my area. Hope it is giving all those firemen a helping hand.

 

[ibglowin]

Took some pics yesterday as it blew up again big time with high winds and temps around these parts now in the mid 90's in the Santa fe area. Its over 5000 acres and not contained at all still. Two sets of shots. One at 3:30PM and then again at almost 7:00PM. Almost looks like a small mushroom cloud from a tactical nuke of sorts......

7:00PM Pics

That tiny river in the forground in some of the pics is whats left of the Rio Grande river with no snow melt and no rain......

Temps are expected to go even higher today and the wind is back already this AM.

 

[Rocky]

Great shots, Mike. What is the snow-capped mountain in the background?

 

[ibglowin]

Ha, wish that was snow..... That is solid rock above the tree line.

Santa Fe Baldy

 

[Rocky]

Thanks for the link, Mike. Interesting. You live in a very beautiful part of the Country.