Tucson Region

Update: Sprinkles help firefighters defending observatory

SAFFORD - Sprinkles fell Thursday around a southeastern Arizona observatory threatened by two wildfires, helping firefighters protect multimillion-dollar telescopes but also potentially creating new problems. The raindrops on rugged Mount Graham helped raise the humidity level into the 30 and 40 percent range, much higher than it had been in recent days, said Brent Wachter, a National Weather Service meteorologist working with the firefighters. High humidity slows a wildfire's growth. High temperatures and low humidity _ about 15 percent in recent days _ had been driving the wildfires threatening the $200 million Mount Graham International Observatory and two communities of summer homes. But the changing weather also created the potential for high winds that can spread the flames and lightning strikes that can spark more fires. The Mount Graham fires were both started by lightning. "This is a bittersweet day," said Wachter. He said forecasts call for wetter weather on Friday and into the weekend in the Mount Graham area. It wasn't clear whether rain would fall in the fire areas. Firefighters focused their efforts Thursday on protecting the nearly 100 homes in Turkey Flat and Columbine on the flanks of the mountain. They also reinforced protection for the observatory. On the road leading to Turkey Flat, a group of firefighters spent part of Thursday cutting down brush in preparation for a backburn, a fire set intentionally to clear out vegetation that feeds a wildfire. "You don't want to see anybody lose valuables or possessions," said firefighter Stuart Rodeffer. "Homes are people's lives." Officials said the fires, which have charred more than 26,000 acres, had grown no closer to either community by midday Thursday. "The longer this goes, the more opportunity we have to succeed," said Paul Summerfelt, deputy incident commander for the firefighting team. The Gibson fire, estimated at 16,879 acres, was burning up a canyon and officials were worried it would reach the roughly 74 cabins at Turkey Flat. The fire also was within a quarter-mile of the observatory. The Nuttall fire, which had burned 9,941 acres, was about 1 1/2 to 2 miles from Columbine, a community of about 15 homes and cabins. The two fires were approaching the observatory from different directions, but officials were hopeful they could save the facility. It was nearly surrounded by defensive lines cut by bulldozers and reinforced with burned out areas and a sprinkler system. Crews hoped to enhance the line Thursday. The two blazes were considered 25 percent contained, according to authorities, who said the firefighting effort had cost $5.8 million thus far.