Arizona wildfire threatens sacred mesquite bosque

By  JUSTIN DOMBROWSKI

When Arizona's fire season kicked into high gear in early spring, the desert areas in particular faced an additional threat. Following a 7–11-year cycle of increased moisture over winter months, Arizona's lower elevations were overrun with dense areas of tall grass, increasing fire intensity in areas with normally sparse vegetation to carry a fire.

PHOTOS COURTESY DIANE WILLIAMS/BLM The Bosque Fire, which ultimately burned more than 4,000 acres, prompted fire officials to close Parker Poston Road.

As conditions quickly dried out in the spring, the state experienced an increase in the number, size and force of fires. "In the desert and lower elevations of Arizona, we have a bumper crop of grass this year that is knee-high [and consists] of mostly non-native, tall grass," says Cliff Pearlberg, natural resource manager for the Arizona State Land Department. "The ecosystem is not in a natural balance due to the non-native grasses, and we're seeing fires with different than normal conditions. We're having more fires with greater intensity because of the higher fire fuel load."

On April 7, the Bosque Fire took off one mile north of Ehrenberg in western Arizona, burning through salt cedar, mesquite and arrowweed fuels along the Colorado River.

Additionally, the fire burned in the largest and oldest mesquite bosque left in the nation — an important cultural resource to the Mohave Indians.

"This fire had a very strong cultural significance to the Mohave Indians," says Wendell Peacock, the Arizona Central West Zone Incident Management Team information officer.

Approximately five miles north of the fire's origin, patches of fire burn through the mesquite Bosque.

"They use it in a great number of their ceremonies." The Colorado River Indian Tribes (CRIT) use the mesquite bosque for other sacred purposes as well.

Because the fire was burning in the bosque, firefighters had to adjust their strategies to both protect the mesquite and control the fire, which, at one point, projected 100' flames. Although Arizona firefighters commonly use large burnouts and dozer work on their fires, they scaled back these strategies to prevent further damage to the mesquite. "If it's sacred to [the Mohave Indians], it's sacred to us," Peacock adds. "It's equivalent to a church burning."

The salt cedar is a non-native tree that has encroached on the mesquite bosque. The fire actually caused greater damage to the salt cedar because of its lower fuel moisture and greater susceptibility to burn. Because of the incomplete burn in the bosque, firefighters worked to protect unburned islands of mesquite in the interior of the fire, further adding to containment challenges.

Additionally, the fire burned near highway I-10 and in an area of increased tourism due to the spring break season. Diane Williams, public affairs officer for the Bureau of Land Management, Lake Havasu field office, explains why the Colorado River area is unique. "[Out  here], we can expect thousands of visitors from California every weekend," she says. "Many visitors come from Orange and San Bernadino counties along with Nevada and other areas."  

Fanned by high winds, low humidity and the heavy carrier fuel of the dense grasses, the fire sparked a voluntary evacuation of a nearby mobile home park. Fire officials also shut down Parker Poston Road. A Type 2 incident management team helped manage the fire. In total, more than 300 firefighters, including six handcrews, 15 engines, two dozers, seven water tenders, a Type 1 helicopter, a Type 3 helicopter and a single engine air tanker (SEAT) battled the fire.

The fire, which eventually consumed 4,258 acres, took one week to contain and over a month to finally extinguish. It cost more than $1 million to fight, and a Burned Area Emergency Response (BAER) team was called in to look at rehabilitation needs after the fire. Although the fire is still under investigation, fire officials suspect that an escaped campfire caused it.

As the sun sets on April 8, smoke from the Bosque Fire fills the air in Quartzsite, Ariz., 20 miles east of the fire's origin.

Because of the intense heat in the Arizona deserts, many firefighters from other areas are not prepared. "It's important to stay hydrated — drinking a gallon of water per hour is not far-fetched in the Arizona heat," Pearlberg says. Access and egress issues pose another challenge, as the ground is hard initially but softens once driven on, thereby eliminating firefighters' possible escape routes. 

Another challenge for firefighters is the need to protect cultural areas like the mesquite bosque, but fire officials in Arizona have taken proactive steps in this area. "When we get crews in, it's important to get the cultural aspects across," says Ed Ayala, fire program manager for the Colorado River and Fort Yuma Agencies of the Bureau of Indian Affairs.

On the Bosque Fire, fire officials used tribes' resource advisors who had worked with fire managers on pre-attack planning and identifying cultural sites. They then worked with firefighters to adjust tactics while maintaining firefighter safety. As the fire season continues in Arizona, firefighters from around the country are gaining a stronger understanding of the cultural resources, as local fire managers continue to prioritize safety within the lessons of the land.

Some information for this article was taken from Today's News-Herald.

Justin Dombrowski can be reached at dombrowskij@gmail.com.