Wildfire in Arizona

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Arizona is really a beautiful state.  Yes we have our share of problems, but in general its a wonderful place to be.  When most people think of Arizona, they think of vast expanses of deserts littered with Saguaro Cactus standing tall against the colorful sunset sky.  We think of lizards, scorpions and rattlers who roam the deserts.  Arizona is known for its spiritual places such as Sedona and the culture of the many native americans that call Arizona home.  Hollywood immortalized the place as the country of Cowboys and Indians with Monument Valley as it's backdrop or the rough and tumble town of Tombstone.  Many travel from all over the world to see the Grand Canyon that is often considered as one of the Natural Wonders of the world.  For the Astronomy minded, we have Meteor Crater as one of the best preserved meteor impact sites, they say in the world.  Arizona indeed is a beautiful place to be for so many reasons.  What is often not thought of is that we also have beautiful mountain scenery, with majestic trees and thick forests.  Yes, contrary to popular belief we do have ski season too! 

 

What I find terribly sad is that we are now suffering from our second largest wildfire in our recorded history.  The fires are now spreading into neighboring New Mexico fueled by extreme winds.  The sky up North seems permanently hazed with smoke in the air.  

 

 

Article:  AZ Wildfire Spreads, Health Conditions Worsen

 

The devastation is incredible.  I traveled last weekend to the Four Corners area of my state and crossed the border just into Colorado to visit the Mesa Verde Cliff Dwelling Ruins.  Even there the smoke from the fire drifted and hazed the air.  What struck me most was visiting a part of the ruins that shows the devastation an out of control wildfire does to a forest. 

 

 

Mind you, this Fire that hit Cortez, Colorado happened in 2001.  More than 10 years later, no trees grow only wild grass and shrubs.  The forest has not recovered. 

 

But even in the sadness, there is hope as my family and I ran across a herd of wild horses.  They all seem well fed even standing amidst the ruined forest, circling a water hole drinking and playing.

 

But the thing is, that these devastating wildfires have an astronomical impact on life.  Nothing is ever the same again after these devastating fires consume the land.