Sabino, Mt. Lemmon closed by fire risk

Blazes scorch huge swathes of Arizona

Updated Jun 7, 2011, 12:42 pm

Janet Rose Jackman
TucsonSentinel.com

Wayne Clement/Guadalupe Fire Department and Apache-Sitgreaves National Forests/FlickrThe Wallow Fire near Nutrioso, June 4.
freeopinions/FlickrSmoke from the Wallow Fire, June 4.
NASASmoke from the Wallow Fire, seen from space.
Wayne Clement/Guadalupe Fire Department and Apache-Sitgreaves National Forests/FlickrThe Wallow Fire near Nutrioso, June 4.
Wayne Clement/Guadalupe Fire Department and Apache-Sitgreaves National Forests/FlickrThe Wallow Fire near Nutrioso, June 4.
Apache-Sitgreaves National Forests/FlickrCrews gather for a morning briefing on the Wallow Fire, Monday.

Sabino Canyon, Mount Lemmon and the Coronado National Forest will be shut down by fires burning in Southern Arizona.

Smoke has filled the skies across Pima and Cochise counties and people with health problems are warned to stay indoors.

In central Arizona, the towns of Alpine, Nutrioso and Greer have been evacuated ahead of the Wallow Fire, which has burned over 311,000 acres.

The fire, driven by 60 m.p.h. winds, is zero percent contained, officials said. 2,500 firefighters are battling the blaze, which has been declared the country's number-one priority for firefighting resources.

A pre-evacuation notice has been issued for Springerville, Eagar and Luna, N.M. Those towns may be evacuated within the next day.

Smoke from the Wallow Fire, now the second-largest in Arizona history, has spread as far as Iowa.

Coronado closure

The areas around Sabino Canyon, Mount Lemmon and the rest of the Coronado National Forest will be closed beginning Thursday at noon, the Forest Service said. The forest covers more than 2 million acres of Southern Arizona.

No visitors are allowed in the forest because of extreme fire danger. However, Catalina Highway remains open to Summerhaven during the day.

The national forest is expected to be closed until Southern Arizona receives rain.

Trails in the eastern section of Saguaro National Park will also be closed beginning Thursday.

There are three fires burning in southern and central Arizona. The Horsehoe Two fire, near Portal in Southeastern Arizona, has claimed more than 104,000 acres of land, and as of Monday, was 55 percent contained. The Forestry Service estimates the blaze won't be controlled until June 22.

The Murphy Fire near Tubac, which is also burning in the Coronado National Forest, has consumed more than 50,000 acres, and the Wallow fire near Alpine continues to grow.

Southern Arizona is dealing with very low humidity and high temperatures in the triple digits.

Fort Huachuca officials have closed all of the canyons on the Army base, citing the fire danger.