Sonoita Fire Threatens Mr Papa’s World

Our little community of Sonoita had some excitement today. A brush fire near one of the main highways through town (Hwy 82) started this morning. It appears someone in a car threw a cigarette out the window that started the fire.

With 30 mph winds swirling today, the fire spread very rapidly. Before long, it was threatening the house of our neighbor. A bunch of us from the neighborhood rushed to his house and got the hoses going on the fence line. They were not home at the time of the fire. This was a brush fire of grazing lands, so with the high winds was very fast moving. Luckily for us, the wind was not blowing in our direction.

The fire got as close as 100 yards to us as we watered the fence line. We had three little garden hoses going trying to moisten the ground and brush. If the fire came our hard our direction, there was no way we stood a chance. We were just trying to moisten the brush to keep it away from out neighbors house. Everytime the fire tried to make a run up the hill towards us, the wind pushed it back down.

About the time it got to within the hundred yards, the Sonoita Elgin Fire Department arrived and contained the perimeter around our neighborhood. We must have watched the fire burn pristine grazing lands for about 90 minutes. With the high winds, we watched the fire moving amazingly fast.

I am anxious to hear how many acres were burned, but it was at least hundreds. I know there were a bunch of structures and ranches down in the valley over a ridge where the fire went. I dont know if it got to the structures or not, but the smoke from that direction was pretty ugly.

If the wind had been blowing the other direction, I dont think we would have stuck around. We have been very careful to have a large fire break around our house where we keep it cut low and clear. With the wind, no telling what would have happened.

You can view some images of the fire by clicking on the image or visiting Mr Papa’s World Photo Gallery.