There were 61 hot air balloon pilots in Lake Havasu City for the second annual Havasu Island Balloon Festival and Fair. With them, they brought 70 hot air balloons of all different shapes and sizes, about twice as many as 2011.

Balloons reflect in water during the afternoon ascension Friday. Jillian Danielson Photo/Special to News-Herald

On Thursday, there were 40 balloons that launched with the morning ascension and another 40 during the evening ascension. On Friday, it was the same. On Saturday, breezy conditions grounded the balloons. And on Sunday morning, 50 balloons launched from the designated balloon field at Nautical Beachfront Resort golf course; with another seven or so from various parking lots in town.

Balloon-crew member Gail Johnson, of Phoenix, was one of the latter.

THE BALLOONIST

With a rope held taught to the top of a half-satiated Re/Max hot air balloon, Johnson maneuvered her feet against any rock, stone or bush on Sunday morning as she manned what she called a handling line. The line assisted her husband and balloon pilot Mark Johnson with pre-flight preparations.

The crew worked to inflate the balloon prior to its take off in a dirt field in the 90 block of London Bridge road. At near-full capacity, Today’s News-Herald observed Gail Johnson running toward the balloon’s basket – rope still taught – as the balloon righted-itself for takeoff nearly dragging her up, too.

The balloon basket was filled with riders and the balloon pilot Mark Johnson further worked the controls and propane – sounds likened to the breathing patterns of a sleepy dragon – and lifted the balloon to heights where others already lilted over the city.

“It’s been fantastic this year,” Gail Johnson said. “We were here last year, too. And the whole weekend was like Saturday – windy. We were grounded all day long (Saturday).”

THE WIND

Senior Meteorologist Carl Erickson, of AccuWeather.com, said Sunday there was an uptick in the winds Saturday afternoon and into the evening in Havasu. Data from the area showed wind gusts from 25 to 30 mph were the result of a cool front that moved through from the southwest with winds later changing to blow in from the northwest.

Erickson said windy conditions are expected to return to Havasu later today and continue Tuesday as another similar cool front moves through.

Event officials confirmed balloons were grounded Saturday but the breeze didn’t seem to stop the crowds.

Bob Mac Millan, team leader of Lake Havasu City Community Emergency Response Team, said the wind caused mayhem with several vendors. CERT manned a First Aid booth during the event.

“There were three big wind events,” Mac Millan said. “The wind changed direction a number of times on Thursday. In the early afternoon, we lost some EZ-Ups in the craft area. We assisted in taking them down.”

Mac Millan said the largest unpredicted wind event late Saturday evening resulted in the early shut down of the event.

“It came through here,” Mac Millan said and pointed to the northwest. “And it destroyed a number of vendors on the west side of the event. We worked two hours helping to remove debris and pick up merchandise. The event closed at 7 p.m.”

THE WOUNDED

There were 27 volunteer CERT members who worked a rotation of 12 shifts during Balloon Fest.

In all, they treated a total of 22 people, two that were serious enough to call in the local emergency responders, Mac Millan said.

“One lady fell out of a chair and hurt her hip and the other lady was hit by a golf cart,” Mac Millan said of the two more serious incidents.

On Wednesday, three people were treated by CERT. Injuries included one with lacerations to the head and knee, for which CERT recommended stitches; a splinter in a finger; and a knee laceration that CERT cleaned and bandaged.

On Thursday, seven were treated. Incidents included the aforementioned woman who fell from her chair; five minor lacerations; one bee sting, and a swollen ankle.

On Friday, CERT’s incident card expanded to include assisting two near-stranded balloonists. In the morning, a balloon pilot touched down in Beachcomber RV Park and struck some trees. CERT responded and helped to maneuver the balloon from the trees and between the park-model homes. Later that evening, CERT responded to assist a balloon pilot that touched down near Spectator’s Point and was towed in by a chase boat. CERT assisted the pilot up from the shoreline into the nearby dirt parking lot near the designated balloon field.

Also Friday, CERT treated a knee laceration, for which they recommended stitches, and four finger lacerations.

Friday night CERT used their backup generator to power the lights in the pilot tent amid technical difficulties. Mac Millan said the generator was donated to CERT by the Balloon Fest organizers for their help at last year’s event.

On Saturday, CERT responded to a woman who had been struck by a golf cart resulting in a broken ankle. Two doctors from the crowd also responded and CERT turned it over to them and other local emergency responders called in to assist.

CERT also tended six minor lacerations and a friction-burned finger of a mother who tried to slow herself while enjoying a carnival slide involving a piece of carpet.

THE ARREST

Lake Havasu City Police Sgt. Jake Bekkedahl confirmed Sunday there was just one arrest to report that occurred at the event.

According to police reports, Stephen M. Cirelli, 57, transient, was arrested at Balloon Fest, in the 1000 block of North McCulloch Boulevard, at 8:53 a.m. Thursday after he allegedly created a disturbance, yelled and cursed near the Nautical boat launch ramp area. When event security asked him to leave he became verbal and confrontational. Cirelli was charged with disorderly conduct and transported to the Havasu jail, booked, cited, and held for court.

You may contact the reporter at jhanson@havasunews.com.