Firefighters get help from Monsoon rain

CREATED Jun. 28, 2012

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  • About one thousand acres on the Whetstone Mountains near Benson are still burning, but firefighters had help from Monsoon rain Thursday evening. Video by kgun9.com

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  • It rained a lot here by Casino Del Sol this is In my backyard ...

  • It rained a lot here by Casino Del Sol this is In my backyard ...

  • Swift Water Rescue at Bopp & San Joaqin. Female driver stuck in wash...

  • The flooded road at Speedway east of Houghton.

  • This is a picture of Madera Canyon, from our Quail Creek home, with the clouds going over the top and sliding down our side, forming a toupee.

  • The wildflowers are going crazy up on the mountain. With all the rains, the road up is literally lined with flowers.

  • This is a picture I took when I was on my vacation, weather looks great!

  • This morning (09/10/12) Storm at Sabino Canyon

  • In El Centro, California. At around 7:15-7:20pm on Sunday September 9th, 2012. My family and I had to pull over coming back from San Diego to come home to Tucson because of this. It lasted for about 30-45min then we continued on. It was crazy!

  • Flooded back patio, on North Mallard, Sierra Vista, Chica isn't sure what to think about the flooded patio, 1.3 inches in about 45 minutes, shortly after lunch 9/10/12.

  • Sunset and rain, by David Grinney 8-14-12

  • Rain over Sabino Canyon by David Grinney, 8-14-12

  • Fabulous sunset by David Grinney, 8-14-12

  • Fabulous capture of lightening during the storm that came through on August 6th, 2012

  • Lightening caught on camera August 6th

  • Lightening caught on camera August 6th

  • Lightening caught on camera August 6th

  • Lightening during the storm that swept through on August 6th.

  • The NW storm, rain and lightning 8-6-12

  • The NW storm, rain and lightning 8-6-12

  • The NW storm, rain and lightning 8-6-12

  • The NW storm, rain and lightning 8-6-12

  • The NW storm, rain and lightning 8-6-12

  • The wash at Thornydale and Costco Drive - taken at 5 pm

  • Swift water rescue after Silverbell Road rips open! It was right out of a Hollywood movie. That's how rescue crews describe the scene of a swift water rescue after raging floodwaters from Sunday's Monsoon caused a portion of Silverbell Road to rip open.

  • Swift water rescue after Silverbell Road rips open! It was right out of a Hollywood movie. That's how rescue crews describe the scene of a swift water rescue after raging floodwaters from Sunday's Monsoon caused a portion of Silverbell Road to rip open.

  • Swift water rescue after Silverbell Road rips open! It was right out of a Hollywood movie. That's how rescue crews describe the scene of a swift water rescue after raging floodwaters from Sunday's Monsoon caused a portion of Silverbell Road to rip open.

  • River running over Valley View Rd near Sunrise

  • River running over Valley View Rd near Sunrise

  • Sabino Creek at 4:25 PM this afternoon from the Tanque Verde Wash.

  • W. Anthony Dr in Picture Rocks

  • North side, near CDO HS

  • N. Como Dr. near Moore Rd.

  • Images from today's storms. The running wash is the Rillito River Wash. Enjoy!!

  • Images from today's storms. The running wash is the Rillito River Wash. Enjoy!!

  • Images from today's storms. The running wash is the Rillito River Wash. Enjoy!!

  • Images from today's storms. The running wash is the Rillito River Wash. Enjoy!!

  • We got 2.5" of rain in 1.5 hours, here next to Ventanna Vista Elementary school at Sunrise and Kolb!

  • We got 2.5" of rain in 1.5 hours, here next to Ventanna Vista Elementary school at Sunrise and Kolb!

  • Lightening Strikes! Taken during the Monsoon on Monday night by David Rich Jr.

  • OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA

  • Courtesy of Mandy Nagore

  • Courtesy of Patti Brydon

  • Courtesy of Margie Wrye

  • Courtesy of Frank Maynes

  • Amanda Hill sent this photo of Elianna "playing in the rain."

  • Rainbow over the Catalina Mountains. Courtesy of Bob Ciaciuch.

  • Photo courtesy of the Tapia family.

  • Photo courtesy of Heather Parra.

  • KGUN9 viewer Brianna Romero took this photo of the skyline while she was at the playground with her kids.

  • That's a lot of rain! Gabrielle Varvel sent this photo taken from Houghton and Old Spanish Trail.

  • Ryan Madar took this photo at The Gold Club at Vistoso in Oro Valley. Rain on the 9th green.

  • Burley Packwood took this photo of a rainbow in Green Valley, Ariz.

  • Jared Grinney took this photo on his cell phone in Scottsdale as the Haboob was moving in.

  • Courtesy of Pete Gregoire

  • Courtesy of Pete Gregoire

  • Pete Gregoire got amazing shots of the lightning near Saguaro National Monument.

  • Ashley Coalter took this photo on the way to Mt. Lemmon.

  • Monsoon clouds. Photo courtesy of Tammy Garcia.

  • Mindy Bailey took this photo at La Cholla and River. She wasn't even trying to get the lightning!

  • Scott Vaughan took this photo of the sunset with some Monsoon rain in the background.

  • Photo courtesy of Sean Hughes.

  • Rain and lightning. Photo courtesy of Ernie Strong

  • Great lightning picture taken by Michael King.

  • Chris Burkhart ran into a little bit of flooding.

  • Photo courtesy of Becki Gastelum

  • Photo courtesy of Becki Gastelum

  • Photo courtesy of Britney Barr

  • Photo courtesy of Chris Burkhart

  • Photo courtesy of Jeff Shope

  • Roger Guerette Jr. took this photo while he was fishing at the lake.

  • Taken near the Corona De Tucson Fire Department. Photo by David Ellis.

  • Taken from Vail, looking toward Tucson. Photo by Reena Giola

  • Missy Lopez took this photo of a downed tree near Curtis Road.

  • Photo courtesy of Tomas Martinez.

  • Photo courtesy of Tamara Pruessner

  • Photo by Melissa Wiseman

  • Photo by Diana Contreras-Huerta

  • Photo by Diana Contreras-Huerta

  • Carrie Ross took this photo on August 13, facing the Catalina Mountains from the Golf Links area.

  • Photo taken by Isaac Entrican on the bridge on La Canada between Hardy and Lambert.

 Reporter:  Jessica Chapin

 TUCSON (KGUN9- TV) - About one thousand acres on the Whetstone Mountains near Benson are still burning, but firefighters had help from Monsoon rain Thursday evening.  For about an hour, precipitation doused the wildfire, allowing crews to pack up for the night.  They plan to return first thing in the morning.
 
One nearby resident will most likely wake up with them.  When the fire started Monday, his front lawn transformed into the home-base for fire-fighting air operations.  
 
Jack Post has lived near the mountains for 20 years, and saw flames shortly after a lightning strike ignited the dry vegetation just miles from his home Monday.
 
"Next thing you know they was all out here fighting a fire," he said.
 
From his front porch, he watches chopper after chopper lift off with hundreds of gallons of water to douse the flames.  Planes fly overhead with retardant to stop the fire from spreading.
 
Post says he's seen it all before and isn't worried about his home.  He created a grass-free barrier.  Other nearby residents, however, fear for their property.
 
"I'm really really concerned," said Mindii Carrillo, "I'm scared to death actually."  
 
She lives three miles from the fire but she knows how quickly that can change.
 
Firefighters still aren't calling the blaze contained, but incident commander Mark South says it isn't threatening any structures.
 
"I wouldn't be concerned with it coming into their backyard," he said, "As a resident though, you have a challenge then to be sure that you've cleaned around your house so it is fire-wise so we don't have to go and mitigate anything around your house."
 
A total of 200 firefighters from seven crews, some as far away as the Pacific Northwest are fighting the Cottonwood Fire.  They will continue with the same personnel to keep fire from spreading to Hwy 90 and developed areas.