Subject: [NEXTEL-1] Blazes interfere with radio transmissions

From: [email-masked]
Date: Tue, 24 Jun 2003 09:24:56 -0400

Blazes interfere with radio transmissions

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Saturday, June 21, 2003

Blazes interfere with radio transmissions

Aaron J. Latham / Staff

Aspen Fire flames muscled in on towers atop Radio Ridge in the Santa Catalina Mountains Friday. Intense heat damaged equipment at the DPS tower late Thursday; if the signal fails, a temporary tower may go up.

Mail delivery

* Until anyone is allowed back to Summerhaven, Postmaster Mark Hopkins will distribute Summerhaven's mail from the Fort Lowell Station of the U.S. Post Office at 6460 E. Grant Road from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday.

"They can get their mail actually until 5 p.m. Monday through Friday, but I'll only be there until 2 p.m.," said Hopkins, who knows just about every mailbox owner on the mountain by sight. "So after 2 p.m. they'll have to show identification."

Alternate sites compensate for weakened signals

By Susanna Cañizo

ARIZONA DAILY STAR

Radio service for various Southern Arizona agencies, including the Department of Public Safety and the Pima County Sheriff's Department, was disrupted by the Aspen Fire on Mount Lemmon.

Some agencies suffered from lost or weakened radio signals due to the blaze, while others rushed to the mountain to remove their expensive equipment.

In addition to its impact on Radio Ridge, the fire damaged power lines in Summerhaven and destroyed a road maintenance center.

The fire's impact on radio operations and utilities included:

* Equipment at the Department of Public Safety's radio tower was damaged by intense heat Thursday night. As of Friday afternoon, the radio signal was still functioning, although it was weaker. DPS spokesman Frank Valenzuela said Oracle, a large part of Pinal County and areas in the Catalina Foothills could lose coverage if the signal is lost. He said a temporary tower could be erected on Mount Lemmon if the signal fails.

* Pima County removed most of its radio equipment, which is used by the Sheriff's Department and public works employees, from Mount Lemmon on Thursday. Radio communications manager Larry Sayers said transmitters in the Tucson Mountains and near Green Valley are compensating for the loss of the signal atop Mount Lemmon. There are small areas where service isn't available, which Sayers didn't identify due to security concerns.

* The National Weather Service removed its radio equipment Thursday. Meteorologist John Glueck said any weather-related alerts that are usually broadcast over the radio will be called in to local radio stations and law enforcement agencies.

* Local radio station KGMG "Mega" 106.3 FM has been out of service since Thursday evening. Most Tucsonans can listen to KGMG on 104.9 FM as another signal is transmitted from a tower on Tucson's North Side.

* The Border Patrol has radio equipment atop Mount Lemmon, but spokesman Frank Amarillas wouldn't comment on its status, citing security concerns. "If it becomes damaged during the course of the fire, we do have alternate transmission sites," he said.

* Radio equipment for the Pima County Office of Emergency Management and Homeland Security was still transmitting a signal Friday afternoon. Coordinator Mike Walsh said backup transmitters can provide coverage if the signal fails: "We have redundancies built into our program."

* Power lines in Summerhaven sustained "lots of damage," according to Ron Brown, manager of operations for Trico Electric Cooperative.

He had no estimate of how much it will cost to repair them because company workers haven't been able to visit the area to assess the damage. "Power is off on the whole mountain, and it will remain off until we get the OK to turn it on," he said.

* A road maintenance center near Summerhaven was destroyed, but county workers were able to remove snowplows and other equipment on Thursday. Annabelle Quihuis, spokeswoman for the county's Transportation Department, said two generators and smaller tools were lost, along with the 2,000-square-foot building.

* Contact reporter Susanna Cañizo at 573-4176 or at [email-masked].

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Slide shows

June 23, 2003: The Aspen Fire continues to gobble up trees but destroys no more buildings overnight. Firefighters are able to keep flames away from the Steward Observatory.

Launch slide show»»

June 22, 2003: The 11,400-acre Aspen Fire continued its march north Sunday, prompting a pre-emptive evacuation from the Triangle Y Summer camp near Oracle and a defensive stand to keep the fire away from a nearby observatory and communications towers.

Launch slide show»»

Fire's progress: Daily maps of the Aspen Fire's progression

Launch slide show»»

See other recent wildfire slide shows »»

Video & audio extras

Updated: See a report by StarNet news partner TV3,
Phoenix, showing some aerial video of the Aspen Fire, and excerpts from a
Monday news briefing about the day's developments:

Launch video »»

Audio update: Mitch Tobin describes the scene Friday from Aspen Vista Overlook.

Launch report »»

A major blaze like the Aspen Fire is fought with a combination of high technology and old-fashioned hard work. See how it's done —

more »»

ANOTHER VIEW

View a satellite image of Southern Arizona from the National Weather Service. If conditions are right, you will see smoke from the Aspen Fire in the northeast corner of Pima County.

The Arizona Webcam looks north across the UA campus toward the Catalinas.

Air Info Now updates its site with photos of both the Catalina and Rincon mountains.

Click to our links page to find more useful resources related to the fire.

YOUR HEALTH

View an interactive production by the Pima County Department of Environmental Quality and learn how pollution affects your lungs. Choose "small particles" if you want to know the effect wildfires may have on your breathing.

FLASH PRESENTATION

There are various types of forest fires. Learn the differences and what methods are used to fight each one.

The wildfires of 2002 gave us some unforgettable photographs; here are some of the best.

See all wildfire slide shows »»

FLASH PRESENTATION

Asthmatics can experience health problems from wildfire smoke. Learn more about what asthma is and how to treat attacks.

Visit our links page to find more useful resources related to wildfires.