Editing Rodeo–Chediski Fire (section)

==Origin and development==
Initially, there were two separate fires. The first fire, the Rodeo, was reported on the afternoon of June 18 near the Rodeo Fairgrounds on the [[Fort Apache Indian Reservation]] by [[Cibecue, Arizona|Cibecue]]. An [[arsonist]] was arrested on June 29 and was later charged. By early evening, around {{convert|1200|acre|sqmi ha}} were ablaze. Increasing wind speeds fed the fire to over {{convert|2000|acre|sqmi ha}} by the following morning, and when wind speeds increased to around {{convert|25|mph|km/h}} the fire grew rapidly, increasing fourfold over the next three hours.

The Chediski Fire was first reported on the morning of June 20 near [[Chediski Peak]] east<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.google.com/maps/place/Chediski+Peak/@34.1669663,-110.8336156,11.25z/data=!4m5!3m4!1s0x872ecbb35702766f:0x43dfd7be28e9e01e!8m2!3d34.1833775!4d-110.6640091|title=Chediski Peak}}</ref> of Payson. It had been started by a stranded [[all terrain vehicle|quad]] rider, Valinda Jo Elliott, trying to signal a news [[helicopter]]. Similarly fed by the strong winds, this fire spread to {{convert|2000|acre|sqmi ha}} by mid-afternoon, and by the following morning it covered over {{convert|14000|acre|sqmi ha}}.

By June 21, the Rodeo Fire had consumed around {{convert|150000|acre|sqmi ha}}. Around 8,000 people were evacuated; by the end of the fire, around 30,000 people would be moved. The two burning areas approached through crosswinds over June 21 and June 22 as a further 11,000 people were ordered to leave their homes. The burning areas joined on June 23 having consumed around {{convert|300000|acre|sqmi ha}} of woodland.

The fire's progress slowed after the two merged and by June 26 the fire was 5% contained by [[Controlled burn|backburning]], line building, and aerial retardant drops – protecting the settlements of [[Clay Springs, Arizona|Clay Springs]], [[Linden, Arizona|Linden]] and [[Pinedale, Arizona|Pinedale]], but {{convert|462600|acre|sqmi ha}} had burned. The fire was 28% contained by June 28, but it was not fully under control until July 7 at a cost of $43.1 million.<ref name="USFS">{{cite web |url=http://www.fs.fed.us/projects/hfi/docs/fact-sheet-arizona.pdf|title=Fact Sheet: Healthy Forests Initiative Update for Arizona|date=2003-08-11|publisher=[[United States Forest Service]]|accessdate=2010-11-01}}</ref> 465 homes were destroyed in Pinedale and other small communities. The fire was declared a [[disaster area]]. RodeoFire.com was established at the fire's onset as a portal for concerned citizens and family members acting as an event update website.