Arizona Daily Sun from Flagstaff, Arizona • A4

A4 Sunday, december 10, 2017 arizona daily Sun 1 NATION ELLIOT SPAGAT AND BRIAN MELLEY Associated Press FALLBROOK, Calif. A week of destructive fires in Southern California is ending but danger still looms. Well into considered the wet season, been nary a drop of rain. good for sun-seeking tourists, but could spell more disaster for a region that emerged this spring from a yearslong drought and now has firefighters on edge because of parched conditions and no end in sight to the typical fire season. is the new Gov.

Jerry Brown warned Saturday after surveying damage from the deadly Ventura County fire that has caused the most destruction and continued burning out of control. about ready to have firefighting at Christmas. This is very odd and Even as firefighters made prog- ress containing six major wildfires from Santa Barbara to San Diego County and most evacuees were allowed to return home, predicted gusts of up to 50 mph through Sunday posed a threat of flaring up existing blazes or spreading new ones. High fire risk is ex- pected to last into January. Overall, the fires have de- stroyed nearly 800 homes and other buildings, killed dozens of horses and forced more than 200,000 people to flee flames that have burned over 270 square miles since Monday.

One death, so far, a 70-year-old woman who crashed her car on an evacuation route, is attributed to the fire in Santa Paula, a small city next to Ventura where the fire began. Firefighters were on high alert for dangerous fire potential even before the first blazes broke out. On Dec. 1, they began planning for extreme winds forecast in the week ahead. Ken Pimlott, chief of the Cal- ifornia Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, said au- thorities were prepared for de- struction on the level of 2003 and 2007 firestorms in Southern California and possibly those in Northern California that killed 44 people and destroyed nearly 9,000 homes and other buildings in October.

By Monday, officials had brought in fire crews from the northern part of the state as re- inforcements and marshaled en- gines, bulldozers and aircraft. On Tuesday they brought in more helicopters from the Na- tional Guard and last plane we could find in the said Thom Porter, southern chief of the California Department of For- estry and Fire Protection. The military provided C-130 planes for firefighting, said Mark Ghilarducci, director of the Cal- ifornia Office of Emergency Ser- vices. More than 290 fire engines came from Montana, Utah, New Mexico, Idaho, Arizona, Oregon and Nevada. But when flames met ferocious winds, crews were largely power- less to stop them.

Even fire-at- tacking aircraft were helpless while being grounded at times because of night, high winds or smoke. As fires burned in Ventura and Los Angeles counties, firefight- ers from other states were al- ready in place north of San Diego on Thursday when a major fire erupted and rapidly spread in the Fallbrook area, known for its av- ocado groves and horse stables in the rolling hills. had many resources in the area very quickly on this incident, but unfortunately within several minutes the fire had gotten out of control and well-established, and necessitated massive evacu- said Steve Abbott, chief of the North County Fire Protection District. The fire swept through the San Luis Rey Training Facility, where it killed more than 40 elite thor- oughbreds and destroyed more than 100 homes most of them in the Rancho Monserate Coun- try Club retirement community. Three people were burned trying to escape the fire that continued to smolder Saturday.

Most of this fires were in places that burned in the past, in- cluding one in the ritzy Los Ange- les neighborhood of Bel-Air that burned six homes and another in the rugged foothills above the community of Sylmar and in Santa Paula. The fire in Fallbrook was no exception. Ten years ago, during a deadly spate of Santa Ana wind- driven infernos, flames wiped out most of the more than 200 homes in the Valley Oaks Mobile Home Park. Memories of that blaze were fresh as flames approached Thursday and deputies told residents to leave immedi- ately. By the time he got the order to go, Mateo Gonzalez had already helped his brother move out of his nearby place and packed all of his important belongings.

prepared the first time around. This time we said Saturday, the day after he re- turned to his undamaged home. at new norm CHRISTOPHER RUGABER Associated Press WASHINGTON The U.S. job market is benefit- ing from an unlikely source: Other countries. The global economy is showing renewed strength, with Europe, Japan and many developing nations growing in tandem for the first time in a decade.

The brightening international picture is encouraging more hiring in the United States even among manufac- turers, which have been hurt in the past by global competition. seeing demand coming from where we ha- seen it in a long, long said Scott Anderson, chief economist at Bank of the West. riding the wave of that added global In November, U.S. em- ployers added a substan- tial 228,000 jobs, the Labor Department said Friday. It was the 86th straight month of gains, the lon- gest on record, and a sign of the job enduring strength in the ninth year of expansion.

The unemployment rate held at 4.1 percent, a 17- year low. jobs report coin- cided with other signs that the U.S. economy remains on firm footing. In the past six months, economic growth has exceeded an an- nual rate of 3 percent, the first time happened since 2014. Consumer confidence has reached its highest level since 2000.

economy is poised to grow at the fast- est pace in a decade, and its unemployment rate has reached its lowest level in nearly nine years. economy expanded in the fall for the seventh straight quarter, its longest period of growth since 2001. Such developing economies as China and India are grow- ing steadily. The overall global econ- omy is expanding at its fastest pace in seven years, according to the Organiza- tion for Economic Co-Op- eration and Development, a Paris-based think tank. It should fare slightly better in 2018, the OECD says.

Stronger economies overseas have helped boost profits at U.S. multina- tional corporations, a key reason why the Standard 500 stock index has climbed 18 percent this year. U.S. companies in the index derive about half their revenue from abroad. Exports contributed 0.43 percentage point to eco- nomic growth in the Ju- ly-September quarter, the most in nearly four years.

Factories are making more goods for overseas markets, including agricultural and mining equipment. Exports of aircraft engines are up 13 percent, overseas ship- ments of semiconductors up 8 percent. Manufacturers have stepped up hiring. In No- vember, they added 31,000 jobs. Over the past year, added 189,000.

than anything, a marked improvement in the global economy is what is driving a better US manufacturing said Cliff Waldman, chief economist at MAPI Foun- dation, a manufacturing research group. Still, solid hiring and a low unemployment rate have yet to accelerate wages, which rose 2.5 per- cent in November com- pared with a year earlier. The last time unemploy- ment was this low, average wages were growing at a 4 percent annual rate. NOAH BERGER, ASSOCIATED PRESS Firefighters light backfire while trying to keep a wildfire from jumping a road Saturday near Ventura, calif. Data: Stronger global economy helping US jobs 914 East Route 66, Flagstaff, Arizona, 86001 928.774.2211 Norvel Owens Mortuary Aspen Cremation ONLY Onsite Crematory Lasts Nairn, Gretchen 68 of Flagstaff, AZ and Fort Valley VA passed away on 13 November 2017 at her residence in Virginia.

Gretchen was born in Flagstaff, Arizona on January 11, 1949 a daughter of the late Robert Bruce and Leila Emery Nairn. Gretchen was a 1967 graduate of Arcadia High School in Phoenix, Arizona and earned a of nursing degree at Northern Arizona University in Flagstaff, Arizona. She was a former Emergency Room, Intensive Care Unit and Operating Room Registered Nurse at Northern Arizona Healthcare in Flagstaff, Arizona. She was a retired Lieutenant Colonel with U.S. Air Force having served as a Nurse at Luke AFB, Arizona during the Persian GulfWar.

She transitioned to be a Flight Nurse based out of March Air Force Base, CA on C-141 Starlifter aircraft for Operation Desert Storm, Operation Restore Hope and Operation SouthernWatch. Later in her career she transitioned to the Air Force Critical Care Air Transportation Team (CCATT) and served two deployments in that capacity during Operations Iraqi Freedom. During her military career she served in Somalia, Egypt, Kenya, Saudi Arabia, Iraq and Kuwait. Survivors include her two beloved sons, Lt. Col.

Erik John Ranke of San Antonio, Texas and Robert Bruce Ranke of Girdwood, Alaska. Beloved grandchildren Alison, Isabelle, Hollis, Ezra and Mira. Her Uncle John Nairn, Brother Robert Nairn, Sister Anne Spellman, and many nieces and nephews. There will be celebration of her life at a date to be determined for summer 2018 in Flagstaff Arizona. In lieu of flowers, the family is asking for donations to either theWomen In Military Service For America Memorial, Big Brothers Big Sisters of Flagstaff or United Service Organization (USO).

You may sign the guest book online at www.stoverfuneralhome.com GretchenNairn John J. Gisi died of natural causes on Sunday, December 3, 2017. He died in Lakin, KS while on a hunting trip. John was born on August 16, 1945 in Harvey, ND. The seventh of nine children, John served our country in Vietnam after graduating high school.

He married Sandra Myklethun in 1969 and graduated fromValley City State University in 1971. Later that year, John and Sandy moved to Tempe where he began his long and distinguished career in banking. Banking moved John to Flagstaff in 1973, Tucson in 1983 and Phoenix in 1995. John was a renowned businessman, an avid outdoorsman, golfer and philanthropist. In 1981, John was awarded the Flagstaff Citizen of the Year Award for his public service and citizenship.

In 1983, John served as Commissioner for the Arizona Game and Fish Department. From 1984 to 2005, John was the President, Chief Executive Officer and Chairman of the Board for National Bank of Arizona, which remains one of the leading financial institutions in the state. The Tucson Conquistadors awarded John the distinguished Service Award as its President in 1993. John served as President of the Arizona Association in 1997 and from 1997 to 2001 he served as a Member of the Board of Trustees for the Museum of Northern Arizona. John was a Member of the Board of Directors for the Federal Home Loan Bank of San Francisco.

In 2002, John served as a Board Member for the University of Arizona Foundation. An accomplished hunter, John was member 961 of the exclusive Ovis Grand Slam Club, which has only 2016 members worldwide and he was a lifetime member of the Boone and Crockett Club, Arizona Deer Association, Arizona Desert Big Horn Sheep Society and a recipient of the Jamison Conservation Award. Of primary importance to John was family. His memory and personality lives on through his wife Sandy of 48 years, son Jason Gisi and daughter-in- law Tammi, daughter Kristin and son-in-law Tim Romano. John was a proud grandparent to Kendall, Lauren, Julia andWyatt Gisi and Andrew and Tommy Romano.

He is survived by his sisters Rita (Jack) Doering, JoAnn (Ron) Trom, Mary Jane (Glen) Lueck, MaggieWillard, and brother Leon (Peggy) Gisi; numerous nieces and nephews. He is preceded in death by his parents Anton and Mary Gisi, sisters Leah Gumeringer and brothers Marvin Gisi and Jim Gisi. Equally important to John were his friends and John had many of them from the various chapters of his life. He developed long lasting, deep-rooted friendships that spanned from North Dakota, to Kansas, to Flagstaff, Tucson and Phoenix, Alaska and Mexico. At the core, a people person of great character, John was as comfortable in the Boardroom as he was on the golf course or on a hunting trip.

He lived every day to the fullest. Celebration of Life will be held Monday December 11 at 11:00 am and St Patrick Catholic Community in Scottsdale. Contributions can be made in lieu of flowers to the Arizona Cancer Foundation for Children or Salpointe Catholic High School. John J.Gisi August 16, 1945 December 3, 2017.