AZ Gov. Katie Hobbs meets with officials in charge of Greer fire as it reaches 16,000 acres
Wearing a state forestry 'fire' cap and a black jacket bearing the state seal, Hobbs toured the area where strong winds have fueled the fire's rapid growth over the past five days.
The same morning, Hobbs released an emergency fund of $200,000 to help support the state's response to the fire.
Hobbs also ordered the State of Arizona Emergency Response and Recovery Plan to send resources to the fire.
At the time of Hobbs' visit, the fire remained at 0% containment.
The meeting concluded with Hobbs thanking firefighters for their ongoing service, and crediting good planning across numerous official agencies for responding quickly to the fire.
"Everything we heard today is such a testament to the partnership and the coordination that doesn't just happen in the middle of a catastrophic incident," said Hobbs.
She also vowed support for those who lost homes as a result of the fire.
"I'm committed to helping ensure those families have the resources they need post-fire, she said."
She added that this fire would help inform operations for the rest of wildfire season in Arizona. "I know we're all expecting a bad season," Hobbs added.
Hobbs began her visit with a briefing at an American Legion hall, where she received a comprehensive update on the wildfire from various state and local officials.
Lance Elmore, operations section chief for the fire, explained that crews had successfully used nearby roads and highways to create fire lines and help prevent the blaze from spreading into untouched forest areas.
Part of his role also involved assessing nearby structures for their potential risk of being affected by the fire.
"We do have a structure group that's been out in the south of Eager... accessing houses and making triage," said Elmore.
Eric Johnson, a fire behavior analyst with the incident management team, noted the fire could grow due to the heavy winds, but cited constructive firefighting efforts at reducing that risk.
Winds could push the fire east through the Little Colorado River Canyon, which Johnson described as difficult to access terrain.
He added that further spread of the fire in the canyon could push it directly into the town of Eager.
"This weekend's wind is going to be a test for all the firefighting efforts that have gone on until this point," said Johnson.
Heavy winds could carry embers from the fire miles away and start new spot fires that quickly increase its size.
But Johnson added that some relief would come early next week with a small chance of rain in the area.
After officials wrapped up their operational update, Hobbs was invited to ask questions.
She asked the crews about their biggest challenge in battling the fire: "You've all talked about how well everything is working... I'm just curious, what is the biggest challenge being faced right now?"
Officials had a clear response. The weather.
She referenced the emergency order and asked if there were any unmet needs in the firefighting efforts, also acknowledging the possibility of a worst-case scenario in which the fire could advance toward Eagar and Springerville.
"I don't want to jinx anything, so I'm going to knock of this plastic table and pretend it's wood," Hobbs said.
Sgt. Andrew Orona of the Apache County Sheriff's Office said deputies have an evacuation plan ready in case the fire moves toward nearby communities.
"I've put more time into evacuation maps than you can imagine," Orona said.
He outlined designated zones across the region, with each deputy assigned to individually handle evacuations in their area. He also worked closely with fire officials to continuously monitor the fire's threat to nearby communities.
"I don't want to get caught behind if something does happen," Orona added.
Brannon Eager, town manager from the town of Eager, addressed the question and expressed concerns that the fire had already burned through a 70-year-old gravity fed water supply for the town.
He said that water supply was used for firefighting efforts.
"That water source from that water line is a big deal to us," said Eager
He added that the communities irrigation system for farms could also be impacted by the wildfire, as crews driving heavy equipment may have damaged other water supply lines.
Reach reporter Rey Covarrubias Jr. at rcovarrubias@gannett.com. Follow him on X, Threads and Bluesky @ReyCJrAZ.
This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: What fire officials told AZ Gov. Katie Hobbs about Greer fire
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
CBS News
16 minutes ago
- CBS News
FEMA begins preliminary damage assessments in Chicago after July floods
Some Chicago homeowners are still dealing the aftermath of the torrential rain that caused flooding at the end of July. It's why the Federal Emergency Management Agency joined state, county, and city officials this week to go door-to-door in the Garfield Ridge neighborhood to survey the damage in one of the areas hit hardest by the storms. Weeks later, some in Garfield Ridge were still dealing with cleanup from the flooding, so city, county, state, and federal partners began performing a preliminary damage assessment on Wednesday to get a sampling of the damage. "We're out on the street today," Illinois Emergency Management Agency recovery division chief Greg Nimmo. "We're giving it everything we've got." The preliminary damage assessment is the first step of a flood damage review before a state and local review that goes to the governor's office before making a formal request for federal disaster recovery assistance from the White House; all following the major storms that soaked Chicago for three consecutive days in late July. "This is a necessary and preliminary step in order for the state to request federal assistance," said FEMA public affairs specialist Kim Keblish. "FEMA's mission is helping people before, during, and after disasters; and that's exactly what we're doing today." Tony Biliskov said, in 52 years living in Garfield Ridge, "we learned don't put anything on the basement floor." Biliskov and many others in Garfield Ridge suffered water damage in their homes, after water backed up into their basements from the city's overloaded sewer system. "I had maybe about four inches of water in the basement," Biliskov said. It's a problem he's all too familiar with. "We used to get flooding all the time," he said. Earlier this week, the city rolled out a new program installing 50 special flood sensors across the city to provide real-time alerts of flash flooding. Experts have said for years that climate change is bringing more extreme weather and more rain. With some Chicago neighborhoods bearing the brunt of the rainfall totals, flooding impacts parts of the city differently. It's one reason the damage survey work is so important. "This is a process. You know it's not a 'We come to your door and, by golly, you're going get a check tomorrow' kind of thing," Nimmo said. The damage survey continues through Sunday.
Yahoo
3 hours ago
- Yahoo
PGA Tour suspends BMW Championship 1st round at Caves Valley because of weather
The first round of the BMW Championship at Caves Valley Golf Club in Owings Mills was suspended because of rain at 2:35 p.m., the PGA Tour announced. It's unclear how long the delay in play will last. Inclement weather held off for much of the day, as 13 players finished their first rounds before thunderstorms rolled into the region. Viktor Hovland shot a 3-under par 67 to take the clubhouse lead while avoiding any rain. Scottie Scheffler, who leads the FedEx Cup standings entering the second leg of the three-event playoffs, was among those with golf left to play when the horn was sounded to call players inside. His round was paused through 14 holes, with him sitting at 1-under par. Friday's weather forecast calls for a 40% chance of afternoon thunderstorms. Saturday and Sunday's weather forecasts call for more intense heat — Sunday's high is 93 with humidity expected to be over 60% — but the chance of rain each day is 20% or below, according to the National Weather Service. This article will be updated. Have a news tip? Contact sports editor Bennett Conlin at bconlin@ 410-332-6200 and
CBS News
3 hours ago
- CBS News
Wildfire forces closure of westbound lanes of Colorado's I-70 between Parachute and Rifle
A wildfire has forced the closure of westbound lanes of I-70 between Parachute and Rifle in Colorado's Western Slope.
