Saudi, Greek ministers co-chair inaugural meeting of Strategic Culture Committee    Saudia Group signs deal with Airbus for flyadeal's first wide-body aircraft    Saudi non-oil exports surge 14.3 percent to SR26.11bn in February    Israeli strikes across Gaza kill at least 26, Palestinian officials say    Modi pledges to hunt Kashmir attackers 'to the ends of the Earth'    Trump's trade war olive branch met with derision and mistrust inside China    Ministry of Justice launches centralized court model to enhance judicial efficiency    Kyiv hit by deadly Russian missile and drone attack    Saudi Arabia elected chair of Asia region of World Meteorological Organization    Saudi Media Regulation Authority to take legal action against unregistered media practitioners    Musk to reduce Doge role after Tesla profits plunge    IMF lowers its growth forecast for Saudi economy to 3% in 2025    Saudi Theater Commission launches its Work and Learn Project in UK    The season has begun — and one comment shook us all    Jennifer Lopez dazzles in Jeddah with a Formula 1 performance    Saudi Arabia open to expanded 64-team World Cup in 2034, says sports minister    Average life expectancy in Saudi Arabia rises to78.8 years    Super Max Verstappen scorches to pole with record lap in Jeddah    Film Commission launches 'Cinema' initiative to enhance content    Famed Philippine film star Nora Aunor dies at 71    Pakistani star's Bollywood return excites fans and riles far right    Veteran Bollywood actor Manoj Kumar dies at 87    Bollywood actress vindicated over boyfriend's death after media hounding    Grand Mufti rules against posting prayers and preaching in mosques on social media    Exotic Taif Roses Simulation Performed at Taif Rose Festival    Asian shares mixed Tuesday    Weather Forecast for Tuesday    Saudi Tourism Authority Participates in Arabian Travel Market Exhibition in Dubai    Minister of Industry Announces 50 Investment Opportunities Worth over SAR 96 Billion in Machinery, Equipment Sector    HRH Crown Prince Offers Condolences to Crown Prince of Kuwait on Death of Sheikh Fawaz Salman Abdullah Al-Ali Al-Malek Al-Sabah    HRH Crown Prince Congratulates Santiago Peña on Winning Presidential Election in Paraguay    SDAIA Launches 1st Phase of 'Elevate Program' to Train 1,000 Women on Data, AI    41 Saudi Citizens and 171 Others from Brotherly and Friendly Countries Arrive in Saudi Arabia from Sudan    Saudi Arabia Hosts 1st Meeting of Arab Authorities Controlling Medicines    General Directorate of Narcotics Control Foils Attempt to Smuggle over 5 Million Amphetamine Pills    NAVI Javelins Crowned as Champions of Women's Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (CS:GO) Competitions    Saudi Karate Team Wins Four Medals in World Youth League Championship    Third Edition of FIFA Forward Program Kicks off in Riyadh    Evacuated from Sudan, 187 Nationals from Several Countries Arrive in Jeddah    SPA Documents Thajjud Prayer at Prophet's Mosque in Madinah    SFDA Recommends to Test Blood Sugar at Home Two or Three Hours after Meals    SFDA Offers Various Recommendations for Safe Food Frying    SFDA Provides Five Tips for Using Home Blood Pressure Monitor    SFDA: Instant Soup Contains Large Amounts of Salt    Mawani: New shipping service to connect Jubail Commercial Port to 11 global ports    Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques Delivers Speech to Pilgrims, Citizens, Residents and Muslims around the World    Sheikh Al-Issa in Arafah's Sermon: Allaah Blessed You by Making It Easy for You to Carry out This Obligation. Thus, Ensure Following the Guidance of Your Prophet    Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques addresses citizens and all Muslims on the occasion of the Holy month of Ramadan    







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FIREFIGHTERS IN WESTERN STATES WORK TO CONTROL BLAZES
Published in Saudi Press Agency on 21 - 06 - 2006


FIREFIGHTERS STRUGGLED WEDNESDAY TO
STOP A 2,450-ACRE (980-HECTARE) WILDFIRE FROM JUMPING A
HIGHWAY IN SCENIC OAK CREEK CANYON AND ROARING INTO AN AREA
OF EVACUATED HOMES AND RESORTS, ACCORDING TO AP.
NEARLY 600 FIREFIGHTERS WERE ON THE LINES WEDNESDAY,
BACKED BY AT LEAST A DOZEN AIRCRAFT AND NEARLY THREE-DOZEN
FIRE TRUCKS, BUT THE BLAZE WAS ONLY 5 PERCENT CONTAINED IN
THE STEEP, RUGGED TERRAIN.
FLAMES APPROACHED THE CANYON'S TWO-LANE HIGHWAY IN PLACES
DURING THE NIGHT BUT CREWS WERE ABLE TO LIGHT BACKFIRES TO
REMOVE FUEL FROM ITS PATH, OFFICIALS SAID WEDNESDAY
MORNING.
«THIS IS A GOOD START. WE'VE GOT A REAL GOOD CHANCE OF
HOLDING THE LINE,» SAID LARRY SEARS, THE DIVISIONAL
COMMANDER WHO LEAD THE BACKFIRE OPERATION TEAM.
THE FIRE WAS APPROACHING THE AREA OF SLIDE ROCK STATE
PARK, A POPULAR RECREATION SPOT THAT DRAWS HUNDREDS OF
THOUSANDS OF VISITORS A YEAR.
IF IT JUMPS THE HIGHWAY «THEN IT'S A WHOLE NEW BALL GAME
FOR TRYING TO CATCH THE FIRE,» SAID SEARS. OFFICIALS SAID
THE FIRE COULD BE DRAWN UP THE OTHER SIDE OF THE CANYON AND
INTO THICK WILDERNESS.
THE FIRE STARTED SUNDAY AS A CAMPFIRE AND SPREAD QUICKLY,
FORCING THE EVACUATION OF ABOUT 400 HOMES AND BUSINESSES IN
THE CANYON MORE THAN 90 MILES (145 KILOMETERS) NORTH OF
PHOENIX. RESIDENTS OF 180 HOMES ON THE NORTH SIDE OF
SEDONA, WHO WERE EVACUATED SUNDAY, WERE GOING TO BE ALLOWED
TO RETURN WEDNESDAY, SAID INCIDENT COMMANDER PAUL BROYLES.
ELSEWHERE, CREWS IN COLORADO BATTLED AN 8,960-ACRE
(3,580-HECTARE) WILDFIRE THAT FORCED THE EVACUATION OF MORE
THAN 300 HOMES. U.S. 160 THROUGH THE AREA WAS CLOSED
WEDNESDAY FOR A THIRD DAY.
LIGHTER WIND, LOWER TEMPERATURES AND SLIGHTLY HIGHER
HUMIDITY WERE FORECAST FOR THE AREA. «IT WILL BE A COOL,
MOIST SURGE» MOVING IN WEDNESDAY NIGHT, SAID NATIONAL
WEATHER SERVICE METEOROLOGIST KATHY TORGERSON.
THE COLORADO FIRE, IGNITED BY LIGHTNING AND REPORTED
SUNDAY, WAS ABOUT 150 MILES (241 KILOMETERS) SOUTH OF
DENVER.
IN SANTA MARIA, CALIFORNIA, FIREFIGHTERS BATTLED A
10,000-ACRE (4000-HECTARE) BLAZE THAT HAD STOPPED SHORT OF
A CRITICAL RIDGE LINE IN LOS PADRES NATIONAL FOREST.
WILDFIRES HAVE CHARRED MORE THAN 3.1 MILLION ACRES (1.24
MILLION HECTARES) NATIONWIDE SO FAR THIS YEAR, WELL AHEAD
OF THE AVERAGE OF ABOUT 900,000 ACRES (360000 HECTARES) BY
THIS TIME, THE NATIONAL INTERAGENCY FIRE CENTER REPORTED.
HUGE GRASS FIRES THAT SWEPT TEXAS AND OKLAHOMA THIS SPRING
ACCOUNT FOR MUCH OF THE INCREASE.


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