New mural on building in Phoenix honors legacy of former fire chief

PHOTOS: Former Phoenix Fire Chief Alan Brunacini has influenced tens of thousands of firefighters around the world. A mural painted on the side of a central Phoenix building on Osborn Road near Seventh Street honors the life and legacy of Brunacini, who served as the city’s fire chief from 1978 to 2006. The mural features a firefighter wearing bright yellow turnouts working on a fire hydrant with hundreds of feet of yellow fire hose painted along the base of the building. The hose leads to the “Charlie” side of the building, which is fire lingo for the back of the structure. That’s where you get a full visual of the legacy and personality of the man who was known for firefighter safety and being nice.
KTAR FM 92.3 Glendale

House struck by lightning in north Phoenix

A house was rocked by lightning Friday morning as a monsoon storm rolled through the Valley. Crews with the Phoenix Fire Department responded to a report of a house fire in north Phoenix near Cave Creek Road and Peoria Avenue. When they arrived they found a single story home with no flames showing. It was later discovered that the house might have been struck by a bolt of lightning. When firefighters entered the home to investigate they found light smoke with a small active fire in the attic. The fire was quickly put out and prevented additional damage to the rest of the house. Fire officials say nobody was living in the home at the time. A further investigation is underway.
KNXV-TV ABC 15 Phoenix

Region: Several wildfires burning on Navajo Nation

Fire Managers with the Bureau of Indian Affairs are monitoring several lightning-sparked wildfires on the Navajo Nation. One fire is burning atop a ridge northeast of Navajo, New Mexico and is not accessible to firefighters. Another fire northeast of the Chuska Mountains has received heavy rainfall within the last 24 hours and no smoke is visible at this time. Two others are burning in Whiteclay and Wheatfields on the Navajo Nation in Arizona. Thunderstorms and heavy precipitation in the areas have created muddy roads which are delaying response time for fire resources. BIA managers predict the fire spread will be low due to high humidity and rainfall. However, all residents are encouraged to avoid the wildfire areas, as well as access roads and trails.
KNAU-FM 88.7 Flagstaff

Driver rescued in Scottsdale after getting stuck in flooded wash

VIDEO: Crews had to rescue a driver who got stuck in a flooded Scottsdale wash Thursday night, after a powerful monsoon storm dumped heavy rain across the Valley. The car got stuck around 10 p.m. near Osborn and Miller roads in south Scottsdale. Arizona's Family reporter Briana Whitney pulled up to the scene just as rescuers reached the man. The water was up to the car's hubcaps, and the driver was sitting on top of the car, waiting for help to arrive. Arizona's Family was there as crews waded their way through the thigh-deep water to get to the car. They reached him and were able to help him down from the car. They then escorted him back across the flooded wash to dry land. We spoke exclusively to the driver, Robert, who was rescued. "I got stuck in the storm," he told us. "It was raining real bad." Robert told us he tried to wait it out for a little while, but then realized he needed help. "It just got deeper and deeper and deeper," he said.
KASW-CW6 & KTVK-3TV (azfamily.com)

Hikers struck by lightning at the Grand Canyon’s Bright Angel Trailhead, others hurt

Grand Canyon National Park officials say two hikers were struck by lightning near the Bright Angel Trailhead on Tuesday afternoon. A 30-year-old man and a 28-year-old woman were found unresponsive along the trail just before 3 p.m., officials say. The man reportedly regained consciousness without intervention, but crews had to perform CPR and other life-saving interventions on the woman to save her life. Both patients were taken to the hospital for treatment. The woman is said to be in stable condition at a burn center. Park officials say “significant storm activity” made air transport of the victims unavailable and they had to be taken to the hospital by ground.
KNXV-TV ABC 15 Phoenix

Bouncing back from the Bighorn Fire: As Mount Lemmon recovers, residents discuss strategies to reduce future risks

The summer of 2020 was hot, even for Tucson. But even hotter were the flames hungrily advancing through the landscape of the Santa Catalina Mountains overlooking the city. The Bighorn Fire, named for the mountain on which it was ignited by a lightning strike, burned for several weeks. By the time it was fully contained, it had scorched no less than 119,978 acres. It was not, however, this mountain range's first tango with wildfires—nor will it be the last. "Just during this 20-year period, there's been a lot of fire activity in the Catalinas," says Professor Donald Falk, who serves as chair of Global Ecology & Management in the University of Arizona's School of Natural Resources and the Environment, with joint appointments in the Laboratory of Tree-Ring Research and the Institute of the Environment.
Tucson Weekly

Peoria Firefighter charity hosts backpack giveaway

Peoria Firefighter Charities is giving away backpacks filled with school supplies in a drive-thru giveaway at the Community Center parking lot from noon to 4 p.m. Saturday, July 31. Students must be present to receive a backpack and supplies are limited. “The goal was to collect 500 backpacks with basic school supplies for any child in need in the Peoria Unified School District. So, (supplies) could be crayons, pencils, folders — the basics,” said Mark Barbee, spokesman for Peoria Firefighter Charities. “We came together and thought about who in this school system needs the supplies, and a liaison from Peoria said, ‘Hey, I happen to work with foster and homeless kids in our system,’ and there’s about 200 to 250 families in that system, just for Peoria Unified School District.
Peoria Times

Arizona City firefighters host community water day

VIDEO: Finding things to do with your kids for the summer isn’t always easy or cheap. One Arizona community took that to heart in central Pinal County. “If this wasn’t open, I would have probably stayed at home, and in bed,” said a young girl named Nikole Linton soaked head to toe. Every summer Arizona City firefighters transform their headquarters into a children’s paradise. It’s a small unincorporated community south of Phoenix nestled in the desert. “I mean, there’s really no other activity for them here in the summertime, we don’t have a city pool, we don’t have a city park,” said Fire Chief Jeff Heaton. What neighbors do have is a group of first responders determined to meet its community's needs.
KNXV-TV ABC 15 Phoenix