Doce Fire in Prescott National Forest

Who: Residents of west Prescott, Arizona

View of the smoke from the Doce fire in Prescott, AZ from my backyard.

What: The Doce Fire

Where: Reportedly started near the Doce Pit (sometimes called the Dosie Pit) in the Prescott National Forest 

When: Today

Why: The source is unknown according to The Daily Courier, but was likely human-caused. No lightning strikes were reported in this area and the U.S. Forest Service has no reports of fallen power lines in this area.

Here in the Prescott area, we're experiencing high winds (as usual) and low humidity (also as usual). The Daily Courier and KPHO report approximately 250 firefighters are on the ground.

There have been evacuations for several hundred homes in the area, but it appears the fire is spreading closer to more densely populated areas in west Prescott. So far it's at 5,000 acres and spreading. The American Red Cross has set up a shelter at Yavapai College along East Sheldon Street for evacuees. I was reading through the comments on The Daily Courier article and was heartened by the outpouring of offers to help take in pets and livestock, or help get the elderly or ill from their houses. 

Mighty Spouse and I are looking into what we can do and how we can help evacuees this week. This would be terrifying to experience first-hand.

Wildfiretoday.com is also covering the fire from an engineering and forest preservation perspective. 

View of the smoke from the Doce Fire in west Prescott, AZ from my front yard.

It's intriguing that this occurred during Emergency Preparedness Week in National Safety Month. Mighty Spouse and I have our emergency kits prepared and ready - we repacked them before we moved up here from Phoenix. We have enough food, water, entertainment, money, and pet supplies/carriers to last three days if needed.

Fore more information about personal and family emergency preparedness, visit the FEMA website, ready.gov. The basic recommendations are:

1.) Be Informed - Do you know what hazards and emergencies you could face?
2.) Make a Plan - Do you know how to contact your loved ones? Do you have an evacuation plan? Do you know the best routes from home to work to where your family will gather?
3.) Build a Kit - For at least 72 hours of survival, and don't forget medications or your pets' needs. 
4.) Get Involved - Volunteer, be part of the community planning process, join a Citizen Corps. 

More updates on the fire and how you can help in future posts.