Deja vu...

In the summer of 2006 the Rodeo-Chediski Fire burned 468,638 acres forcing the evacuation of  3 mountain towns, including my hometown of Pinetop, AZ. I pulled out my journal to see what I wrote down about the that time and in true teenage fashion my entry was short and not very detailed. I think I actually remember more now than I wrote down then.

I won't go into details of the actual fire but just a few memories I have of the week surrounding that time.

• The first time we saw the smoke it was driving down to take my little sister to a softball game. We could all see a small plume out of town.
• The fire spread really fast. There were rumors of evacuation but nothing happened until later in the week.
• Because of the evacuation rumors we had started collecting things through out the house to put in the motor home to save. And my gather things I mean frantically pulling pictures off the walls, find journal, paperwork, and nearly anything that wasn't nailed down got stuffed away in the motor home, my truck, my mom's car, dad's car and the jeep. My dad drove my truck to Snowflake to my aunt's house loaded with all his tools. I guess when you have a few days to pack away your life, the more and more stuff you can gather. We all agreed when we were allowed to come home, we took to much stuff. Stuff is replaceable. 
• We where told to leave our houses late on a Saturday night. I drove my dad's truck and the song on the radio was Garth Brooks "Standing Outside the Fire". I know the song isn't about a forest fire but listening to it and seeing the glow of red fire and breathing in the smoke actually made me laugh. Really, did that have to be the song that was on?
• We spent the night at my aunts house, then a few days with my older sister and her husband, then my parents got a hotel so we could swim in the pool.
• We watched the news constantly. Waiting for updates, hoping the fire wouldn't reach our homes.
• Through the effort of the brave men and women who fought the fire and the grace of God our homes were all spared and we were able to come home. It was such a relief to come home. 

This is Woodland lake, the park just across the street from my parent house. 

You can see the red glowing sun through the smoke.

The view of the plumes from my parents front yard.

A trail of cars leaving after getting an evacuation notice.

Now fast forward 9 years....

The Wallow Fire is burning out of control in our beautiful mountains. Luckily for the time being the fire isn't threatening my parents town, but it has forced the evacuation of a few small towns in eastern Arizona. My heart goes out to those people. It is not a good feeling knowing you have to leave and there is the possibility that you may never return to the home you knew and loved. When we got evacuated I was so sad, not for the land that was being destroyed but for all the lives that would have been ruined it the fire had gone through Show Low and Pinetop. This fire is destroying such a beautiful part of Arizona. A piece that means so much to me and my family. We spent so much time up in these areas camping, fishing, hiking and long Sunday drives. 

Please don't let it get to Big Lake...

I know that one of the hazards of living in the forest is forest fires, just wish is wasn't here.