Local smoke, haze could be from several sources

By Diane Saunders
Staff Writer
Published on Monday, November 9, 2009 1:13 PM MST

The haze hanging over the Gila Valley the last few days could be from several sources.

Bob Dyson, spokesman for the Apache-Sitgreaves National Forest, said Nov. 9 that several prescribed burns at Fort Apache in the White Mountains and the Tonto National Forest could be causing the smoke. The Reno fire near Alpine could also be sending smoke to Graham County.

"It's hard to say. It depends on which way the wind is blowing," Dyson said. "There are eight prescribed burns north of you."

There also was smoke over the Gila Valley late last week. This could have been caused by a prescribed burn on the San Carlos Indian Reservation west of Safford. Additional prescribed burns are scheduled on the reservation Nov. 11 12 and 13, Dyson said.

In an unrelated matter at San Carlos, a medical helicopter crashed during a training flight Nov. 5, injuring two people on board. Because this was a training flight there were no patients on board.

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Comments

6 comment(s)

Second Hand wrote on Nov 15, 2009 1:55 PM:

" I thought it was second hand cigarette smoke that kills.

Of course that's not entirely true either. "

PRESCRIBED BURN SMOKE IS DEADLY wrote on Nov 12, 2009 10:26 AM:

" Prescribed burns are deadly to children and elderly people. In the early 1950's, everyone thought that the nuclear bomb tests in Nevada were a good idea until people begin dying from radiation poisoning. Today, we face a similar crisis. The U.S. Forest Service has convinced some people that prescribed burns and managed wildfires are good methods of maintaining forest health when they are actually two of the deadliest acts known to mankind. The smoke emitted from prescribed burns and managed wildfires is unfiltered wood smoke that is extremely dangerous to unborn fetuses, infant children and elderly people. Wood smoke pollution "

AZ wrote on Nov 10, 2009 2:06 PM:

" "Heck Ya" :: How is this short article useless? Its providing us readers with info. on where there has been smoke in the air lately. I've been wondering why and now THANKS to the Courier, I know. So THANK YOU Courier. "

Heck ya wrote on Nov 9, 2009 7:11 PM:

" ALRIGHT!!! Another useless and un-helpful article from the Courier! "

haze wrote on Nov 9, 2009 1:53 PM:

" Thanks for the heads up on when they'll be doing more burns. Every time we get brave enough to open our windows, the whole house fills with smoke...even when we were just outside making sure the air was fine! I'm sure weed burnings and such are contributing as well. "

Homegrown wrote on Nov 9, 2009 12:43 PM:

" maybe, it,s from the subsidized local cottonfarmers. i
I had to pay an extra irrigation payment, cause of them old cotton picking boy,s! "

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