After Fire And Rain, Oak Creek Canyon Holds Steady

By Laurel Morales
August 20, 2014
Much
Laurel Morales
Much of Oak Creek Canyon remains without sign of fire. Most of the west side of the canyon has burned in three separate fires including May's Slide Fire. Chaparral in the canyon tends to grow back quickly.

So far the monsoon season rains have been slow and steady on Oak Creek Canyon. That’s good news for the people who live next to the Slide Fire burn area

Three months ago the Slide Fire ignited, burning more than 21,000 acres. More than 1,200 firefighters kept the blaze from harming homes and people. Now those people have been waiting for potential mudslides.

Sedona Fire Chief Kris Kazian said residents sandbagged, put up barriers, evacuated three times and waited.

"As we continue to get rainfall and have not had any major incidents one of my biggest concerns would be apathy and concerns that well maybe it’s rained and nothing happened," Kazian said. "It’s rained and nothing happened. It’s rained and nothing happened."

Kazian said residents have to keep their guard up. He said all it takes is one storm that produces a deluge in a short amount of time.