Though it sometimes seems to have a mind of its own the way it will destroy a house but spare its neighbor, wildfire is not alive. Actually, wildfire follows a recipe and as every good baker knows, you can’t leave out ingredients and expect to pull a cake from the oven.

PHOENIX--Accommodations at the Southern Arizona Buffelgrass Coordination Center (or SABCC) in Tucson are modest like the sign that hangs above the front door. Inside, the reception area is crowded with stacks of boxes and loose paper--the annual Beat Back Buffelgrass Day is in two days.

PHOENIX--Over the past decade or so, the cell phone has achieved basic necessity status, putting it in the same category as warmth, shelter, food and potable water. According to a survey conducted by the Pew Research Center, 90 percent of American adults report owning a cell phone.