Fire or Control Burn on Apache Peak?

[WOLFDOG]

Does anyone out there know about a control burn or fire up on top of the Desert Divide near Apache Peak? Saw smoke rising up near the top of the ridge when heading home from work.

[WOLFDOG]

Ok heard from the Desert Sun that it is a fire and crews are hiking in to work on it. Question is, how did it get started?

[Marknhj]

I just saw it too. Looks fairly substantial from down here in Palm Springs (albeit, a little hard to tell from the desert floor). I was wondering how it could have started too, seems a bit out of the way for arson. It's pretty windy here presently...

[scottmac]

Dang. I'm scheduled to hit the trail for the tram in the a.m.! I guess I'll pack even more water.

[some guy]

Does it look like it's in the Apache Spring area? There's a nice campsite there and maybe a PCT hiker let something loose.

[halhiker]

http://www.mydesert.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080429/NEWS0806/80429040&referrer=FRONTPAGECAROUSEL

[some guy]

First look from an aircraft estimated the fire at about 300 acres.

[cynthia23]

KESQ.com just posted that the fire, as of 9.03, was 100 acres and zero percent contained. But KESQ isn't all that reliable. Visually you can certainly see a lot of smoke. The kesq report said the fire is hitting a lot of snow and creating a great deal of smoke. There is a very strong northwest wind which is pushing it south. It is centered around Apache Peak and the PCT. I don't think as of today any areas near the tram will be affected at all but hikers should check to make sure the park/tram is open. People planning weekend hikes should certainly keep an eye o the situation. We all know fires are unpredictable. They are trying to contain it with a ground crew. I think the high winds make air drops unfeasible at present.

[some guy]

The 300 acres is based on scanner traffic from the first look they had this morning. Just now over the scanner they said 650-700 acres estimate. Of course it's all wildly inaccurate until they get a perimeter on a map.

[HikeUp]

http://inciweb.org/incident/1236/