The Wallow Fire near Alpine, AZ, started on Sunday, May 29, 2011. On the fire’s first and second day—and for three of the next five days—“Red Flag” (windy and dry) conditions thrived. By the morning of the fire’s sixth day—June 2—the Wallow Fire had burned 40,000 acres—almost 63 square miles. The fire then moved north to the junction of Forest Roads 26 and 24. Adding to the severe intensity of the fire’s spread, the winds increased and relative humidity decreased.

By noon on June 2, fire behavior became even more intense as the Wallow Fire made an extended “crown fire” charge toward the community of Alpine, AZ. Within three hours, the crown fire crested the ridge above Alpine. The blaze quickly moved downslope toward numerous homes located along the southwest outskirts of town.

Soon, the crown fire threatening these Alpine homes started showering embers as far as one mile downwind—igniting numerous spot fires out ahead of the main fire.

Fuel Treatment Units slowed the Wallow fire, allowing firefighters to Safely Attack. As the main fire entered the ½ mile-wide White Mountain Stewardship Fuel Treatment units located above Alpine, the blaze dropped from up in the tree crowns down to the surface level. The fire’s rate-of-spread dramatically slowed. Thanks to the influence of these previously developed treatment units—implemented beginning in 2004—flame lengths became low enough to allow firefighters to safely attack the fire and protect homes and property.

Bottom line: without fuel treatments, many of the houses would have caught fire and burned to the ground.