by Joyce Bueter

Created on: February 26, 2010

The Ponderosa Pine tree is a wonderful work of nature.  They can grow to a height of 125’ and their diameter is approximately 4’.  They are so tall, when you stand under one of these giants and look upward, you get very dizzy.  The smell of this pine tree is exhilarating.  They only grow in higher altitudes and that seems to make the air more crisp and clear. I reside in an area near a national forest consisting of Ponderosa Pines.  The state highway runs through it and it is spectacular.  At least it was.  Some of it no longer exists

Several years ago, some negligent campers left a campfire with some hot coals still smoldering.  Needless to say, it wasn’t long until someone spotted smoke and sure enough our beautiful forest was being greedily consumed by the deadly flames.  It was too late to stop it dead in its tracks; the fire was progressing at a swift and deadly rate.

From our home we could see the plumes of smoke by day and the glow of the fire after dark was stunningly evident.  Our beautiful Ponderosa Pines were being chewed up and spit out as grey ugly ash.  The ash was distributed for miles around the area depending upon which way the wind was blowing.  The state highway had to be closed when the fire made its way to the highway and jumped to the other side threatening the nearby town and causing some 1500 people to be evacuated from their homes.   Our trip to town was normally 14 miles but turned to 40 miles with the detour we had to take during this time.  Some people, whose homes weren’t really threatened by the fire, chose to leave the area because of breathing problems caused by the smoke.

 The fire ultimately burned 1365 acres of vegetation, destroyed five homes and threatened 2000 more. The total cost of fighting this disaster turned out to be approximately $3,000,000. These statistics are those of the Prescott, AZ Fire Department.

When I drive through this area now, eight years later, I see what resembles a meadow with an occasional tall black stick-like object silhouetted against the sky.  It is not as dismal as it was at first but the beauty of the area is greatly diminished.  In my mind I often go back to a healthy forest with the coolness of a drive on a hot day due to trees blocking the hot sunlight.  I remember taking the children to the campground where we would bust open a watermelon and eat it on the way back home from shopping.  We loved to stop there and just enjoy our surroundings

 If you look closely you can see signs of recovery. I know someday the forest will come back beautiful and possibly stronger than ever and it makes me happy to know that, however, I will never see it. It won’t be in my lifetime

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