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MONDAY, JUNE 24, 2002

Two large fires burning in Arizona merged on Sunday to form a 300,000-acre blaze, the largest in state history.

The Rodeo Fire started on the White Mountain Apache Reservation on June 18. It grew quickly and forced about 5,000 residents to evacuate within days.

The Chediski Fire started June 20 as the Rodeo consumed more than 80,000 acres. Thousands more were evacuated.

As of noon yesterday, the fires burned 300,000 acres. An estimated 25,000 have left their homes.

The tribe's casino has closed and its timber business has been affected. Estimated tribal losses are in the millions of dollars.

Get the Story:
Timber, hunting, fishing revenues fall victim (The Arizona Daily Star 6/23)
Fires imperil tribe's timber, elk harvests (The Chicago Tribune 6/24)
Mammoth fires merge, bear down on Show Low (AP 6/23)
Dozens of homeowners defy evacuation orders (The Arizona Republic 6/23)
A chronology of Arizona's biggest fire (The Arizona Republic 6/23)
Time running out for Show Low (The Arizona Republic 6/23)
Time running out for Show Low (The Washington Post 6/24)
Wildfires Join and Threaten Arizona Town (The New York Times 6/24)
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