The Horseshoe 2 Wildfire in the Coronado National Forest and Chiricahua National Monument

The Horseshoe 2 Wildfire in the Coronado National Forest and Chiricahua National Monument

The Horseshoe 2 wildfire has been buring since Mother's Day - located in SE Arizona in the Coronado National Forest.  As of June 11, it has burned approximately 134,615 acres and is 45 percent contained.  23 Structures have been destroyed.   Costs so far near $35 million.

The manpower working in the area is amazing:  apx. 1,153 people including 52 fire engines, 34 water tenders, and 7 helicopters.

Currently the fire has advanced in the Jesse James Canyon in the Chiricahua National Monument and the upper end of Rhyolite Canyon Saturday. Whitetail, West Turkey Creek, and Pinery Creek areas have been evacuated. Because of extreme fire danger, the Coronado National Forest and Chiricahua National Monument are closed.

The Chiricahua National Monument is one of my personal favorite scenery spots in all of AZ. It's hard to choose with The Grand Canyon, Sedona, The Petrified Forest, The Saguaro National Forest, Canyon de Chelly, Page, and so many more - but these rock formations combined with the inspirational Coronado National Forest are really something.

And now that beauty is going up in smoke. 

I worry about the animals.

My heart goes out to the owners of the structures and buildings and homes that have been lost.

My appreciation is immeasurable for those working on this blaze in the Arizona summer temperatures.

They say this fire is human - caused, although it's still under investigation.  Needless destruction.

Let's watch our campfires, our cigarette butts, our duty to protect America's natural beauty.  35 million being spent on a fire that shouldn't have happened, instead of going instead to help those dealing with the natural disasters our neighbors more Midwest and East have endured this year.

Can we all be a little more careful?