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American Morning

Rodeo Wildfire Forces Thousands of Evacuations

Aired June 21, 2002 - 08:01   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
BILL HEMMER, CNN CORRESPONDENT: We want to again make mention of this major story that continues to develop here in the American Southwest, the fires that have just confounded folks throughout the week. And many people forced to evacuate at the very last moment. That out of control fire right now already scorching about 80,000 acres, and it spread quickly.

Bill Delaney is there, Show Low, Arizona, northeast of Phoenix by about 100 miles -- Bill, good morning.

BILL DELANEY, CNN CORRESPONDENT: That's right, Bill, we are here in Show Low at the Show Low High School, which is the command center for this region of about 8,000 to 15,000. Eight to 15,000 people now on a one hour notice to be ready to evacuate at any time, as some 4,000 people in this region already have. A fire so fierce they're calling it the Rodeo fire.

Firefighters yesterday for a period of time had to actually be pulled back from the fire.

Now, but the 60,000 to 80,000 acres, as you said, Bill, being consumed, primarily in the Apache-Sitgreaves National Forest. These fires with flames as high as 400 feet feeding on the beautiful pine trees of this region and feeding on some of the little towns in the region, especially Pinedale, a beautiful, rustic town full of antique stores and such, which, as far as we understand, pretty much burned to the ground within the past 24 to 36 hours, although we're not completely clear on the damage there in Pinedale.

Now, Larry Humphrey is an incident fire commander who's told us about yesterday when firefighters had to actually be pulled back from this blaze.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

LARRY HUMPHREY, INCIDENT COMMANDER: Conditions are so extreme, we've had to pull all the firefighters off. We're going to have to wait for better conditions. We're having trouble getting resources, also, but if we had all the resources in the world right now there's not a whole lot that we could do with this fire.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

DELANEY: Governor Jane Hull here in Arizona calling this very simply the worst fire in the state's history -- Bill.

HEMMER: They're going to need some help in a major way.

Bill, thanks.

Bill Delaney in Show Low, Arizona.

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