Shultz Fire, Flagstaff, AZ

I hope you watch the entire slide show to understand our emotions thru the day.
www.flickr.com/photos/​29005507@N07/sets/7215​7624327498232...

It is Sunday, Fathers Day, and a beautiful morning.
I decided to hike up to Shultz Tank, which is a small mountain lake about 3 1/2 miles from Little Elden Horse camp, outside Flagstaff, AZ. I took off about a 1/2 hour before my wife and other horse back riders. The plan was to meet at the lake and have lunch and take some photos . About 2/3 the way to the lake the riders caught up to me and passed me on the trail. I took some photos of them passing me and continued my trek to the lake stopping every so often to take some photos.
Every once in a while I would get a glimps of some smoke and then saw the fire trucks driving up the road below me. I got within a half or mile or so of the lake and saw the riders coming back. My wife said to turn around and head back to camp as there was a fire ahead and we could not get to the lake. I dropped down to the road and started hoofing it back to camp. As I was walking down the road I was stopped by park service and was told to get back to camp we needed to evacuate. And that is what we did. As of this morning the Shultz Fire is still 0 % contained and has burned 9000 acres of land. The only good news we recieved this morning was that all hikers and known persons on the mountain were safe and accounted for.

Awful stuff. Glad they caught the guy that started it.

It is my understanding they caught the guy that started the first fire, but don't know how this (the 2nd fire) was started or who is responsible.

Thanks to all who view the slide show

We were camping in the Coyote Buttes area near Page and drove back on Monday (21st). Just outside of Page there was a sign saying that Hwy 89 was closed 100 miles ahead. We ended up having to detour through the Grand Canyon park and then take Hwy 180 to Flagstaff. The semis on that winding road were so slow and the traffic so bad that it added almost 3 hours to our trip. I'm glad the park ranger didn't make us pay the $25 entrance fee to the park. Hwy 180 had some amazing views of the wall of smoke.

Thanks for the pictures!

I fear this will be a very bad fire season. One of the unfortunate side effects of having a very wet, lush winter and spring.