August 20, 2012

1:30 pm

Alpine and Tal Wi Wi area currenty experiencing flooding of roads and washes.  Please drive with caution as roads are very slick.  Be patient and do not drive through water crossing roads.  Wait until the water recedes.

The NWS had issued a flood advisory for this area:

HEAVY RAIN HAS FALLEN OVER ESCUDILLA MOUNTAIN AND WATER WILL PRIMARILY FLOW DOWN THE DRAINAGES NEAR ALPINE DIVIDE CAMPGROUND…TAL-WI-WI TANK… AND THE CREEK ALONG HIGHWAY 191/180 INTO JUDD LAKE.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS…
THIS INCLUDES THE FOLLOWING STREAMS AND DRAINAGES… NUTRIOSO CREEK…PADDY CREEK…ROMERO CREEK…STONE CREEK…SAN FRANCISCO RIVER AND TURKEY CREEK.
EXCESSIVE RUNOFF WILL CAUSE FLOODING OF CREEKS…ROADS…AND NORMALLY DRY WASHES. THE HEAVY RAINS WILL LIKELY TRIGGER ROCKSLIDES… MUDSLIDES…AND DEBRIS FLOWS IN STEEP TERRAIN…ESPECIALLY NEAR RECENT BURN AREAS.

More information will be provided as it becomes available.

Hunters are advised that the “Mistake Peak Fire” in the Tonto National Forest (in the Mistake Peak/Greenback Valley area in Game Management Unit 23 South, about 11 miles east of Punkin Center, Ariz.), has resulted in some road closures that could potentially affect vehicle access for bear and archery deer hunts that begin on Aug. 24.

The fire, first reported on Aug. 8, has burned 2,700 acres as of Aug. 13 and is 15 percent contained, according to a Forest Service news release. About 120 fire personnel are working the fire.

The fire was moving north and east and has transitioned from grass/brush fuels to Ponderosa pine timber which will burn for a longer duration. Firefighters continue to clear vegetation beside key roads to serve as existing containment boundaries. Smoke may be visible.

Road closures in the area include:
• Forest Roads 236 and 236-A.
• Forest Road 71 is closed at the FR 609 and FR 236 junction.
• Forest Roads 486 and 416.
• Forest Road 609 is closed at the junction with FR 236 and FR 486.
Depending on conditions at the time, these road closures could potentially affect vehicle access for bear and archery deer hunts that begin Aug. 24.

Game and Fish officials pointed out that the fire is only affecting a portion of Unit 23 South specifically, and there are still plenty of areas in the unit unaffected by this fire.

For more information, including a map of the fire area, visit http://www.inciweb.org/incident/3141/ or http://www.fs.usda.gov/detail/tonto/news-events/?cid=STELPRDB5385773.

A THUNDERSTORM…MOVING EAST AT 5 MPH…WILL AFFECT PINETOP-LAKESIDE…UNTIL 415 PM MST. OCCASIONAL LIGHTNING IS EXPECTED AND HAIL UP TO PENNY SIZED IS POSSIBLE. THIS STORM WILL PRODUCE HAIL UP TO THE SIZE OF ONE HALF TO THREE QUARTERS OF AN INCH…WITH HAIL POSSIBLY COVERING THE GROUND AND ROAD SURFACES.
RADAR IS ESTIMATING RAINFALL RATES BETWEEN ONE HALF AND ONE INCH PER HOUR WITH THIS STORM. HEAVY RAIN WILL CAUSE REDUCTIONS IN VISIBILITY AND PONDING OF WATER ON ROADWAYS. SLOW DOWN AND BE PREPARED FOR SUDDEN DROPS IN VISIBILITY AND POOR TRACTION.