Benson, AZ train noise?? (Phoenix, Tucson: crime rate, hotel, homes)

[Movin-again]

Another concern about moving to the Benson or Sierra Vista areas:
We need to be away from smoke from any controlled burns because of health issues. Can anyone let me know if smoke any time of the year is a problem in SV or Benson? If so, which areas in both towns have the least smoke to put up with and are best for house searching?

[corydon]

As far as I know there is no controlled burning around that area. That is mostly done in forests that are too protected. Fire keeps an area clean.
And where they do this, it is not a weekly thing... Maybe once every 10 years is my guess.

[azdr0710]

if you're talking about controlled burns on forest lands, corydon is right....

but if you're talking about neighbors burning trash or similar, can't really predict that, but it might occasionally happen...if that's going to be a concern

Sierra Vista is next to the Huachuca Mountains, which have occasional natural fires and almost no controlled burns....if a controlled burn is planned, it will be well-publicized beforehand

[LordBalfor]

Yeah, I don't think I've ever heard of controlled burns anywhere near Benson or SV.

Ken

[Movin-again]

Thanks much for everyone's comments.

For more clarification: My husband and I currently reside in Concho, a NE AZ rural town where one would expect fresh air most of the time (except winter of course when people use their wood stoves). We moved a few miles from town with no close neighbors to avoid breathing people's wood stove smoke. This was a little over a year ago when we had to move from another crazy controlled burn area (Dewey).

Once again we're planning on moving! This is because the White Mtns. approx. 30 miles away have prescribed burns so often during the fall and sometimes other seasons depending on weather and wind conditions. Where we live is in a big valley where smoke congregates from these fires, yes, even from that far away. I have terrible allergies and also feel like I'm developing asthma after breathing smoke so often!

I originally came from So. Calif. where smog was a problem. I was thinking ... Arizona, no problem, they have fresh air! Boy, was I wrong! This whole state seems to go nuts over preventative burns to help save their forests - which of course I understand, but what about their citizens' health?? Does Arizona care about that at all??

Anyway, that's why I need to be extremely careful about choosing the next place we live and its air quality. We're TIRED of moving, needless to say! We love Arizona for all the cool scenery, nature, and especially enjoying our rockhounding hobby, so we'd love to stay - just need to have some kind of assurance about mainly the ROUTINE controlled burns that create lingering smoke over Sierra Vista (or Benson if we move there) for a significant amount of time.

The forest burns around there - do they cause this hovering smoke I should be concerned about if moving to Sierra Vista or Benson, or does it dissipate pretty quickly?

[corydon]

There is no forest in SV or Benson, so, wish you the best.
Oh, and lot's a rocks.....

[Poncho_NM]

Sierra Vista Planning Controlled Burns East of City
Story by Zachary Ziegler
January 2, 2015
https://news.azpm.org/p/nat-enviro-n...-east-of-city/

Smoke may be visible just to the east of Sierra Vista throughout January.

Controlled burns will be taking place in the city's Environmental Operations Park, between Sierra Vista and the San Pedro River, north of State Route 90.

Burns will take place on weekdays between 9:30 a.m. and noon starting Jan. 2 and running through the rest of the month.

[LordBalfor]

Originally Posted by Poncho_NM

Sierra Vista Planning Controlled Burns East of City
Story by Zachary Ziegler
January 2, 2015
https://news.azpm.org/p/nat-enviro-n...-east-of-city/

That's news to me - very interesting.

Ken

[simbared]

Many years ago, I pulled off I-10 in the dead of night while on a motorcycle trip. I found a nice spot next to some bushes and crawled into my sleeping bag. The next morning I was rudely awakened by a freight train passing by within a few feet from me. I would suggest locating more than a couple of yards from the train tracks.

[Colt AZ]

Originally Posted by simbared

Many years ago, I pulled off I-10 in the dead of night while on a motorcycle trip. I found a nice spot next to some bushes and crawled into my sleeping bag. The next morning I was rudely awakened by a freight train passing by within a few feet from me. I would suggest locating more than a couple of yards from the train tracks.

That's pretty dang close!

I once stayed in a cheapo motel in California which was fairly close to some railroad tracks, and was rudely awakened in the middle of the night by what I thought was an earthquake!

Nope, it was a freight train chugging on by!