After the Big Horn Forest Fire — Image by kenne
As the first returners, ferns, and mosses are some of the greenery we see after a fire.
They have rhizomes, horizontal stems tucked away underground that stay protected and often survive moderate fires.
— kenne
The Big Horn Fire Above Sabino Canyon, June 2020 — Photo-Artistry by kenne
Marshall Gulch Parking Area
Aspen Trail (June 15, 2015)
Last year’s fires were followed by the driest year
On record, delaying the reclamation process
And trail clearing to provide for safe hiking
On the grayest powder covering the trails.
Images by kenne
Sabino Creek — Ash From The Bighorn Fire — Image by kenne
— from Day of the Dead In June by Lucha Corpi
A Morning Walk Along The Tanque Verde Wash — Images by kenne
Our community of Tanuri Ridge backs up to the Tanque Verde Wash. The wash continues to eat away at our property line.
Soon, this part of the trail will be washed away, along with the “branch art” monuments along the Tanque Verde banks.
Recent mountain rains in the Catalinas are beginning to bring ash from the Big Horn Fire to the wash.
— kenne
Yesterday (08/05/20), I drove up the Catalina Highway to Mt. Lemmon. The highway was opened to the general public last Saturday morning for the first time since the Bighorn Fire began in early June. The mountain town of Summerheaven, successfully protected from the fire, is now open for business, although still having to follow HOVID-19 business regulations in Arizona.
Oracle Ridge and Mt. Lemmon Fire Station
Before entering Summerheaven, there are two ridges going north; Red Ridge and Oracle Ridge. Both ridges were severely burned during the 2003 Aspen Fire that destroyed almost all the homes in Summerheaven. Over the years since the Aspen Fire, the forest canopy has still not returned on these ridges. However, a lot of ground cover containing some bushes and small trees had returned. On June 17th, the two ridges were again burned. On June 19th, I posted two time-delay videos of the fire coming through the area pictured in the above photo. The fire station and most of the pines behind it were spared — not true of the storage building and new growth since the 2003 fire. It has now been 50 days since the fire occurred. Note how green the scared area has become with the return of ferns on the mountain slopes.
Except for the highway and Summerheaven, the public is not allowed to go anywhere in the National Forest. From what I was able to observe from the highway, most of the hiking trails with trailheads near the highway are ok, at least partially. Parts of Lower Butterfly Trail and Green Mountain Trail don’t look good from a distance.
My guess is that the trails in the forest around Summerheaven were burned like the two ridges north of Summerheaven. From a review of burn scar maps, the Marshall Gulch area to the north and west, which would include Carter Canyon, has been badly burned. For those of you who hike this area, It’s possible a lot of the Marshall and Mint Springs trails were destroyed. We may not know until November.
Since Sabino Creek originates along the Marshall Gulch Trail, the monsoon rains can result in a lot of potential flash flooding coming down through Sabino Canyon. So far, the rain amounts are very below average, but we are still in the monsoon season.
— kenne
Slideshow
Images Taken From Catalina Highway by kenne
July Sunset — Images by kenne
Bighorn Fire (Sabino Canyon Smoke) — Images by Marty Horowitz
Pearl-Bordered Fritillary Butterflies On Mt. Lemmon (07/08/13) — Image by kenne
I’m posting this Image from July 2013, because of the Bighorn Fire,
it’s not likely to see them this summer on Mt. Lemmon.
— kenne
Smoke and Haze In the Catalina Foothills — Photo-Artistry by kenne
— kenne
Bighorn Fire, July 1, 2020 (Tanuri Drive/River Road entrance to Tanuri Ridge) — Photo-Artistry by kenne
— kenne
Bighorn Fire — Photo-Artistry by kenne
— kenne
Ventana Canyon is where we first hiked in the Catalinas in ten years ago.
Since then, I’ve hiked the trail into the canyon a least twice a year.
This image was taken last night (June 19, 2020).
This image is what it looked like this morning. Before dawn, you could still see the fireline.
I decided to drive up Craycroft Road to get a closer look. As the sun got higher in the east
I was able to get this image. It’s a good thing I had a mask, the smoke and smell were pronounced.
(Because of COVID-19, the county has mandated everyone wear a mask in public.)
— Images by kenne
Becoming is Superior to Being 