Apache National Forrest

Who's riding in the big parade?

1 Ketchum Police Department, Ketchum, ID

Beginning the Wagon Days Parade are riders Lorraine Wilcox, Lisa Harkins and Curt Plassmeyer. They are representing the Ketchum Police Department.

2 David Ketchum American Legion Post 115, Sun Valley, ID

Please stand and honor the flag of our country, presented by the color guard of the David Ketchum American Legion Post 115. Representing the guard are veterans from World War II, Korea, Vietnam and Desert Storm. Let's hear it for our flag and these veterans.

3 Cassia County Mounted Sheriff's Posse, Paul, ID

The posse was formed in Idaho in 1944 and was the first posse to form in Idaho. The Cassia County Mounted Sheriff's Posse rides to promote the love of horses and to advertise Cassia County throughout the Northwest. They are under the call of the Cassia County Sheriff and participate in law enforcement work and in rescue situations. This year's officers include Capt. Kelly Smith; Co-Capt. Ray Greer; Secretary/Treasurer Nick Darrington; Directors Richard Kelley, Leon Robinson, Wendel Dunn and Dale Doman.

4 Grand Marshal Sheriff Walt Femling

Wagon Days is proud to honor retired Blaine County Sheriff Walt Femling as the 2011 Grand Marshal. Walt Femling served this community as the Blaine County sheriff for more than 24 years.

5 City of Ketchum, Ketchum, ID

The 53rd Wagon Days Parade is presented by the city of Ketchum. The city is the proud caretaker of the Lewis Ore Wagons and the Ore Wagon Museum, where the wagons are housed throughout the year. We appreciate their support of this great event! Riding in the wagon is Mayor Randy Hall, his daughter Addee, council President Larry Helzel and council members Curtis Kemp, Baird Gourlay and Nina Jonas.

6 The City of Sun Valley, Sun Valley, ID

Riding in the city of Sun Valley wagon is Mayor Willich and his wife, Christine. The wagon is a John Deere wagon used at old Geyer Hot Springs Resort in the early 1900s. It was restored by Wood River Carriage Works.

The Apache National Forest - Wallow Fire is the largest in AZ history

Prior to the demise of the timber industry in the area the forests had been selectively logged - effectively being thinned via logging. In the past 30 years the black jack pine (immature Ponderosa Pine) grew into dense thickets state wide. Historically the Ponderosa forests of the west averaged 10 to 15, some times less, large trees per acre. Naturally occurring fires cleaned out the understory while not effecting the large trees. Ponderosa Pines have bark that can withstand a mild fast moving fire. In the case of the Wallow Fire fuel density was high - very high. The estimates run near 50 tons per acre. These fires get so intense they sterilize the soil, and turn it into a non permeable surface. We're getting close to the Monsoon season, and the White Mountains get more rainfall than any other part of the state. The rains will finally extinguish the fires, but the resultant flooding will be catastrophic for literally hundreds of miles of streams and rivers that form the Blue and Black Rivers. They join and form the Gila River - largest drainage in AZ and western NM (not counting the Colorado that doesn't originate within AZ). It could be an interesting summer down stream west of Phx. I was trying to be optimistic in the face of a tragedy -- I share you sense of loss for one of the most beautiful areas of the country. We had a somewhat similar situation here in San Diego and in the nearby Cleveland National Forrest in the last decade following two major fires in 2003 (the "2003 Firestorm" which included the Cedar fire, the largest fire in Calif history) and more major fires in 2007. Logging is pretty much a thing of the past in California, where the state's historic fire policy was to aggressively suppress all fires in all areas. This policy resulted in dense timber stands, old-growth mesquite, and heavy brush accumulation state-wide.

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