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Anti Federalist
09-06-2011, 06:59 PM
Smoke from this fire in Arizona reported to be making people sick, area that is on fire was sprayed with Agent Orange back in the 60s.



Rangers: Agent Orange not a threat in fire near Globe

http://www.azfamily.com/news/Rangers-say-rumors-of-Agent-Orange-in--129273478.html#

by Marie Saavedra, 3TV

Posted on September 5, 2011 at 5:44 PM

Updated today at 12:09 PM

GLOBE, Ariz. -- More than 2,000 acres are burning in the Pinal Mountains and there are fears the smoke from the fire is carrying a dangerous chemical.

3TV's chopper captured video high above the blaze last week. Over the course of two weeks this fire has swallowed 2,100 acres and put fear in the minds of many who live nearby.

"Nearly everyone we have talked to is experiencing some type of negative physical effects from the smoke," said reporter Susan K. from local radio station Gila 101.9. The station claims there is cause for concern. The billowing smoke coming from the fire is near an area exposed to Agent Orange.

"In the 1960s we did use an herbicide, commonly referred to as Agent Orange, to treat chaparral vegetation," said Tonto National Forest spokesman David Albo.

But the National Forest is adamant that there's no longer a threat. It highlights tests from the 1970s saying samples from the soil showed minimal risk. In 1992 and 1993, tests showed no risk, as did the most recent test in 1998.

"The bottom line is there are no herbicide effect concerns anywhere on the Globe Ranger District for firefighters or for public safety," Albo said.

"We know it's very inconvenient and irritating for residents that are irritated by the smoke," said Albo. "But the trade-off for today's smoke is not having a catastrophic wildfire threatening those communities sometime in the future."

Phone calls complaining of smoke have flooded the forest office and rangers say that the smoke is a danger, but not because of any Agent Orange.

CaptainAmerica
09-06-2011, 07:27 PM
I noticed the smoke plumes in different areas near Payson and Globe when I went up to Happyjack,Az this weekend. It was supposedly "controlled fires" by rangers or firefighters . Those idiots need to leave the forest alone , I was not aware that there was agent orange sprayed allover the forests of Arizona. Stupid government.Reminds me of how the U.S. Government left thousands of plutonium mines open with plutonium isotopes leaking into the water tables.