The 2021 monsoon season and any significant rain event that follows has a very real potential to be life-threatening and disastrous in our region due to the aftereffects and burn scar left in the wake of the Telegraph Fire that consumed over 180,000 acres of vegetation and forest.
The recent storms were a relatively small, isolated rain event in the grand scheme of potential rainfall probabilities. The majority of this rain event occurred in the Pinal Mountains, with very little rainfall in the downtown area. However, our waterways rapidly filled with swift running black water and debris. This event was unusual and likely a bizarre phenomenon for most. Some 15 homes, water crossings, bridges, and culverts sustained damage to varying degrees.
Curiosity of this unusual event had hundreds of people come out to witness the creeks running at capacity with some overflow. Motorists could be seen stopping on bridges and at water crossings to videotape the event, likely to share footage on social media.
Countless pedestrians stood on hundred-year-old bridges that were nearly overflowing while others stood at the banks of Pinal Creek, which was near or at capacity.
The City of Globe and our neighboring community leaders are pleading with everyone to be smart and seek higher ground when alerts of rain and imminent flooding are sounded. This past rain event was but a small sample of what might be coming, and our first concern, as always, is the safety of everyone in our communities.
When hundreds of curious people flock to the areas adjacent to the waterways, this makes movement of police, fire, and public works vehicles and heavy equipment difficult to maneuver, and it hinders their ability to do their jobs. It puts those in attendance at risk of injury and even death.
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