Rain around Flagstaff helped firefighters battle a wildfire that has raged for days in a scenic mountain pass but was raising the risk of flooding, officials said.
Up to 1 inch of rain allowed crews to directly attack the fire, extinguish flames and build containment lines in an area where nearly 3 square miles have burned since Sunday, said fire management team spokesman Steve Kliest.
Forecasters warned of possible flooding in Flagstaff neighborhoods with aging drainage systems below the fire. Thunderstorms Wednesday and Thursday were expected to drench fire-scarred areas of the Coconino National Forest surrounding the city, a popular mountain getaway in the largest ponderosa pine forest in the U.S.
The area had not received any significant moisture in weeks and had no previous wildfires on record. It is dense forest with lots of pine needles and grass that will burn more intensely, creating a hard clay surface that quickly sheds water.
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A team that will analyze the soil and look at ways to stabilize it was expected to arrive this week.
“It’s not an easy task, but we’re going to give it our best shot,†Coconino National Forest supervisor Laura Jo West said at a community meeting Tuesday. “I can’t guarantee results.â€
Residents ordered to evacuate more than two dozen homes this week were being allowed to return.
Ladd Vagen, his wife and two daughters were staying at a hotel. He said he’s curious to scope out the landscape when they go home Wednesday but believes the community “is in just fine shape.â€
Still, the family will be on notice they may have to flee again.
“I don’t think we’re going to unload our cars,†Vagen said. “We may unload minimally and do a better job of organizing what we’re going to take if we go back to ‘go’ status.â€
ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ has declared an emergency, freeing up funding to battle the blaze. The firefighting cost to date is $2.1 million, incident commander Rich Nieto said.
