Arizona Emergency Information Network

The Bureau of Land Management’s Phoenix District is planning prescribed burning operations to burn cut and piled brush from public lands west of Lake Pleasant. Burning may occur over multiple days in September as conditions allow. Crews will burn one acre of piles on the west side of Lake Pleasant, about three miles north of State Route 74.   

To ensure public safety, BLM firefighters will ignite the piles only when weather conditions are conducive to safely burning. They will remain on scene to monitor public and resource safety. Area residents may see some light smoke during the burn operation. No local road closures are expected.  

The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law of 2021 provided funding for this prescribed burn. The legislation funds fuel treatments to help reduce the risk of catastrophic wildfire and benefit neighboring communities.  

For more information, contact Public Affairs Specialist, Chris Wonderly, at (602) 818-8295, or [email protected].

Chamberlain Trail Road (FSRD 200) is closed until 6 p.m. on September 30, 2023 for firefighter and public safety. The communities of Gordon Canyon, 13 Ranch, and The Cove are in SET status. For more information on Ready, Set, Go, please visit: https://ein.az.gov/ready-set-go.

Operations: Yesterday, crews on the northwest end of the fire conducted some hand ignitions, moving west towards the Chamberlain Trail (FSRD 200) building depth; however, conditions were limiting. Tactical firing operations were performed down the drainages from the north to the south towards FSRD 411 building depth and evening out the fire line. Today, crews will continue moving the fire’s edge towards Chamberlain Trail (FSRD 200) along that west fire perimeter line to the south, adding more depth.

Fire Ecology: A crown fire is when a fire burns along the top of trees, also known as the canopy. Crown fires produce high-severity fire effects. The term “torching” refers to when a fire burns the crown of one tree or a small group of trees but does not move around. Surface fire is when the fire stays on the surface, consuming grass and forest litter and reducing the ladder fuels.

Weather: Yesterday, (Sunday, Sept. 17) there were scattered storms along the west fire perimeter up to ½”. Today, there is a 10-15% chance of showers with the relative humidity in the teens. Later this week, wind is expected to increase from the southwest, with temperatures expected to continue on a downtrend.

Closures: An emergency closure order for the Valentine Fire will go into effect 6 a.m. Sept. 5, 2023. The public is asked to avoid the fire area. The purpose of the closure order is to protect public health and safety during the Valentine Fire, and to protect assigned firefighting personnel engaging in wildland firefighting operations. Signs and gates will be in place to remind the public not to enter the fire area. Please visit the Alerts and Notices page for more information: https://www.fs.usda.gov/alerts/tonto/alerts-notices.

Safety: The health and safety of firefighters, and the public are always the highest priority. Members of the public are asked to avoid the fire area. 

Smoke:  Smoke from the Valentine Fire may be visible in the surrounding areas for many days. Smoke will be heavier in the mornings as it settles into the lower elevations and will lift as temperatures increase.  Smoke-sensitive individuals and people with respiratory problems or heart disease are encouraged to take precautionary measures An interactive smoke map at https://fire.airnow.gov/ allows you to zoom into your area to see the latest smoke conditions.

Fire details:

• Size: 3,996 acres
• Start Date:  August 16, 2023
• Cause: Lightning
• Completion: 57%
• Total personnel: 173
• Location: 11 miles northeast of Young, Arizona and 27 miles east of Payson, Arizona
• Fuels: Ponderosa Pine, Hardwood litter and timber

Official fire information:
Tonto National Forest: https://www.fs.usda.gov/main/tonto/fire
InciWeb: https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident-information/aztnf-valentine-fire
Fire Email: [email protected]

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On Saturday, favorable conditions allowed for ongoing tactical firing operations to contain a wildfire, and these operations will continue today. However, Chamberlain Trail Road (FSRD 200) will be temporarily closed until September 30, 2023, at 6 p.m., prioritizing firefighter and public safety during these operations.

Operations: Crews continued with tactical firing operations along the southern edge of the fire. With forecasted favorable conditions for today crews will continue with tactical firing operations which include ground resources conducting hand firing along the fire’s perimeter and aerial ignitions filling in unburned areas in-between the main fire as a coordinated effort progressing to the southwest and west along the 411-road ensuring to keep even with fire progression.

Fire Ecology: Another common fire adaptation that is easily seen not long after an area has burned is resprouting. Grass can be seen resprouting, sometimes within days of a fire moving through. Shrubs and trees that possess this resprouting ability may take a bit longer. Some species only resprout from the roots, stem, or trunk of the existing plant while others can sprout from buds in the branches of a tree or shrub. Near the origin of the Valentine fire, sprouts from small Gamble, Emory and gray oak that were top-killed are already almost a foot high, and larger trees that had most of their leaves scorched have already grown new leaves.

Weather: Saturday showed warm and dry conditions with a drop in humidity, the forecast showed only a 30 percent chance of thunderstorms which stayed to the north of the fire. On Sunday the relative humidity is forecasted to be 25 percent with a 30 percent chance of scattered thunderstorms northeast of the fire.

Closures: An emergency closure order for the Valentine Fire will go into effect 6 a.m. Sept. 5, 2023. The public is asked to avoid the fire area. The purpose of the closure order is to protect public health and safety during the Valentine Fire, and to protect assigned firefighting personnel engaging in wildland firefighting operations. Signs and gates will be in place to remind the public not to enter the fire area. Please visit the Alerts and Notices page for more information.  https://www.fs.usda.gov/alerts/tonto/alerts-notices.

Safety: The health and safety of firefighters, and the public are always the highest priority. Members of the public are asked to avoid the fire area. 

Smoke:  Smoke from the Valentine Fire may be visible in the surrounding areas for many days. Smoke will be heavier in the mornings as it settles into the lower elevations and will lift as temperatures increase.  Smoke-sensitive individuals and people with respiratory problems or heart disease are encouraged to take precautionary measures An interactive smoke map at https://fire.airnow.gov/ allows you to zoom into your area to see the latest smoke conditions.

Fire details:

• Size: 3,242 acres
• Start Date: August 16, 2023
• Cause: Lightning
• Containment: 52%
• Total personnel: 177
• Location: 11 miles northeast of Young, Arizona and 27 miles east of Payson, Arizona

Information Links and Contacts:

Tonto National Forest  https://www.fs.usda.gov/main/tonto/fire

InciWeb   https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident-information/aztnf-valentine-fire

Fire Email [email protected]

Fire Information Line (928) 421-4579 • Office Hours: 8:00 AM – 8:00 PM

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As drying conditions persist through the weekend, Valentine Fire crews are actively assessing fuel consumption and strategically planning for both hand and aerial ignition operations, with Friday's activities revealing drier conditions in certain ridges compared to drainages, whilw Saturday's focus remains on continued fuel consumption testing and identifying favorable opportunities for aerial ignitions along the western ridges

Operations: Friday, crews on the western border of the fire went in to test consumption of fuels with hand ignition. Some of the ridges showed to be drier than some of the drainages. Crews on the southeast corner scouted the area to familiarize and check for evenness of fire progression along the 411 road. Today, crews will continue to test consumption of fuels and look for good opportunities to tie in aerial ignitions on some of the ridges to the west.

Fire Ecology: Plants and plant communities develop adaptations to specific ecological conditions. In areas with historically short fire return intervals (high fire frequency) plants have adapted not only to survive fire but to take advantage of fire, and they do better when there are frequent fires. The kind of fire (frequency, severity) that a plant can survive varies widely based on the species, and depending on the types of adaptations they have developed. For example, mature ponderosa has thick bark (insulation), grows tall (keeps the growing tips of the branches out of the fire) and naturally drops its lower branches (self-pruning).

Weather: Friday was fairy dry as most of the thunderstorms remained to the north and did not pass over the fire area. Today will be similar with a better chance of warming up, staying dry, and a slight drop in humidity. Going into Sunday we may see an increased chance of afternoon showers.

Closures: An emergency closure order for the Valentine Fire will go into effect 6 a.m. Sept. 5, 2023. The public is asked to avoid the fire area. The purpose of the closure order is to protect public health and safety during the Valentine Fire, and to protect assigned firefighting personnel engaging in wildland firefighting operations. Signs and gates will be in place to remind the public not to enter the fire area. Please visit the Alerts and Notices page for more information.  https://www.fs.usda.gov/alerts/tonto/alerts-notices.

Safety: The health and safety of firefighters, and the public are always the highest priority. Members of the public are asked to avoid the fire area. 

Smoke:  Smoke from the Valentine Fire may be visible in the surrounding areas for many days. Smoke will be heavier in the mornings as it settles into the lower elevations and will lift as temperatures increase.  Smoke-sensitive individuals and people with respiratory problems or heart disease are encouraged to take precautionary measures An interactive smoke map at https://fire.airnow.gov/ allows you to zoom into your area to see the latest smoke conditions.

Fire details:

• Size: 2,881 acres
• Start Date: August 16, 2023
• Cause: Lightning
• Containment: 49%
• Total personnel: 177
• Location: 11 miles northeast of Young, Arizona and 27 miles east of Payson, Arizona

Information Links and Contacts:

Tonto National Forest  https://www.fs.usda.gov/main/tonto/fire(link is external)(link is external)

InciWeb   https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident-information/aztnf-valentine-fire(link is external)(link is external)

Fire Email [email protected](link sends e-mail)(link sends e-mail)

Fire Information Line (928) 421-4579 • Office Hours: 8:00 AM – 8:00 PM

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Despite recent rain, the Valentine Fire persists with smoldering and creeping in its Southeast section, prompting the Tonto National Forest Type 3 Fire Management Team to schedule a community meeting tonight at 6 pm MST at the Young Community Center for updates, while hand crews and aerial resources will maintain firing operations as conditions dry up today.

Operations: Yesterday, crews checked the moisture received from the previous rain. Even with the rain, the fire is continuing to creep and smolder in the Southeast section. On FSRD 411, the top duff layer was dry, with moisture still present on the bottom. As conditions dry up today, hand crews and aerial resources will continue the firing operations.

Fire Ecology: Humidity, precipitation, temperature, wind, and cloud cover all affect how long it takes for fuels to dry out enough to burn, but the size, shape, compactness, and arrangement of the fuels also are important. Consider a large log, a few twigs, and a handful of pine needles that have just been through an hour of heavy rain. The pine needles are very thin, and after sitting in the sun for an hour, can dry out enough to burn. The twigs will take a little longer and it may be a day or two before they’re dry enough to burn. It can take over a month for a large log sitting in the same sunny spot to dry completely, though the outside of it may start to burn after just a day. The Valentine is still burning in stump holes, logs, and areas with deep duff. As fuels continue to dry out we expect the fire to ‘wake up’ and start slowly moving around again.

Weather: Yesterday, conditions were mainly dry, with a shower that passed over the fire without any effects. Conditions are expected to remain mostly dry with less chance for showers today and continue through the first part of next week.

Closures: An emergency closure order for the Valentine Fire will go into effect 6 a.m. Sept. 5, 2023. The public is asked to avoid the fire area. The purpose of the closure order is to protect public health and safety during the Valentine Fire, and to protect assigned firefighting personnel engaging in wildland firefighting operations. Signs and gates will be in place to remind the public not to enter the fire area. Please visit the Alerts and Notices page for more information.  https://www.fs.usda.gov/alerts/tonto/alerts-notices.

Safety: The health and safety of firefighters, and the public are always the highest priority. Members of the public are asked to avoid the fire area. 

Smoke:  Smoke from the Valentine Fire may be visible in the surrounding areas for many days. Smoke will be heavier in the mornings as it settles into the lower elevations and will lift as temperatures increase.  Smoke-sensitive individuals and people with respiratory problems or heart disease are encouraged to take precautionary measures An interactive smoke map at https://fire.airnow.gov/ allows you to zoom into your area to see the latest smoke conditions.

Fire details:

• Size: 2,843 acres
• Start Date: August 16, 2023
• Cause: Lightning
• Containment: 49%
• Total personnel: 160
• Location: 11 miles northeast of Young, Arizona and 27 miles east of Payson, Arizona

Information Links and Contacts:

Tonto National Forest  https://www.fs.usda.gov/main/tonto/fire(link is external)

InciWeb   https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident-information/aztnf-valentine-fire(link is external)

Fire Email [email protected](link sends e-mail)

Fire Information Line (928) 421-4579 • Office Hours: 8:00 AM – 8:00 PM

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On Wednesday, firefighting crews were unable to work on the fire line due to the rainfall that occurred on Tuesday night. Instead, key personnel were dispatched to inspect the road conditions to assess their suitability for crew operations. It was concluded that the roads were in such a hazardous state that sending crews along them would pose a risk of ecological damage.

Operations: Crews were kept off the fire line on Wednesday due to the rain fall Tuesday night. Key personnel were out checking road conditions for crews. It was determined that the roads were too much of a hazard and would have caused ecological damage if crews traveled on them. Thursday, Crews will assess road conditions and wetness of fuels to determine if ignitions will be possible in the coming days.

Fire Ecology: Fire behavior ebbs and flows with the weather. Yesterday scattered showers and thunderstorms moved over the Valentine fire. The precipitation and the increase in relative humidity slowed and, in some places, even stopped the fire, but there are some places that will stay mostly dry, even during heavy downpours. Fire burning in heavy pockets of downed trees, deep pockets duff, and underneath or inside of large logs are sheltered and will continue to burn. These areas mostly burn with a ‘smoldering’ fire which burns with no flames, or just very short ones, but sometimes produce a lot of smoke…which is the main way those areas are identified. Fire burning in these areas may continue to burn long after other areas of the fire have gone out.

Weather: The fire area received showers Tuesday night which impacted firing operations. Wednesday showed scattered showers with heavy cloud cover. There is an increased chance for cooler temperatures and higher humidity with chances of isolated thunder showers today.

Closures: An emergency closure order for the Valentine Fire will go into effect 6 a.m. Sept. 5, 2023. The public is asked to avoid the fire area. The purpose of the closure order is to protect public health and safety during the Valentine Fire, and to protect assigned firefighting personnel engaging in wildland firefighting operations. Signs and gates will be in place to remind the public not to enter the fire area. Please visit the Alerts and Notices page for more information.  https://www.fs.usda.gov/alerts/tonto/alerts-notices.

Safety: The health and safety of firefighters, and the public are always the highest priority. Members of the public are asked to avoid the fire area. 

Smoke:  Smoke from the Valentine Fire may be visible in the surrounding areas for many days. Smoke will be heavier in the mornings as it settles into the lower elevations and will lift as temperatures increase.  Smoke-sensitive individuals and people with respiratory problems or heart disease are encouraged to take precautionary measures An interactive smoke map at https://fire.airnow.gov/ allows you to zoom into your area to see the latest smoke conditions.

Fire details:

• Size: 2,790 acres
• Start Date: August 16, 2023
• Cause: Lightning
• Containment: 49%
• Total personnel: 180
• Location: 11 miles northeast of Young, Arizona and 27 miles east of Payson, Arizona

Information Links and Contacts:

Tonto National Forest  https://www.fs.usda.gov/main/tonto/fire

InciWeb   https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident-information/aztnf-valentine-fire

Fire Email [email protected]

Fire Information Line (928) 421-4579 • Office Hours: 8:00 AM – 8:00 PM

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Crews were able to make good progress as moisture and precipitation remained mostly north of the fire area.

Operations: Yesterday, crews on the northwestern portion of the fire area cleaned up containment lines and looked for alternative containment options to avoid sparse fuel areas. On the eastern portion of the fire area, crews scouted some areas near the 411 road and 512 road intersection, held current lines, and worked on backing fire down some of the ridges. Today, crews will continue with prep work to the northwest, while crews to the east look to bring fire up from the 411 road to meet the backing fire moving south down some of the ridges. Some resources may be rotating out and new resources rotating in over the coming days.

Fire Ecology: When fire heats up leaves or needles on trees, the water in them expands, bursting the cell walls so they can no longer function. This exposes the leaf material to more oxygen causing the leaf material to begin to oxidize, and also allows the water that was in the cells to evaporate. Scorch is sometimes used as a measure for fire severity.

Weather: Yesterday, moisture formed but stayed mostly north of the fire area with a few scattered storms. Today, conditions will be similar as temperatures remain cool and possible scattered storms over the fire area. Moisture is expected to move out Wednesday night as a drying trend begins Thursday with only a slight chance of isolated showers through the weekend.   

Closures: An emergency closure order for the Valentine Fire went into effect 6 a.m. Sept. 5, 2023. The public is asked to avoid the fire area. The purpose of the closure order is to protect public health and safety during the Valentine Fire, and to protect assigned firefighting personnel engaging in wildland firefighting operations. Signs and gates will be in place to remind the public not to enter the fire area. Please visit the Alerts and Notices page for more information: https://www.fs.usda.gov/alerts/tonto/alerts-notices.

Safety: The health and safety of firefighters, and the public are always the highest priority. Members of the public are asked to avoid the fire area. 

Smoke:  Smoke from the Valentine Fire may be visible in the surrounding areas for many days. Smoke will be heavier in the mornings as it settles into the lower elevations and will lift as temperatures increase.  Smoke-sensitive individuals and people with respiratory problems or heart disease are encouraged to take precautionary measures An interactive smoke map at https://fire.airnow.gov/ allows you to zoom into your area to see the latest smoke conditions.

Fire details:

• Size: 2,672 acres
• Start Date: August 16, 2023
• Cause: Lightning
• Containment: 48%
• Total personnel: 180
• Location: 11 miles northeast of Young, Arizona and 27 miles east of Payson, Arizona
• Fuels: Ponderosa Pine, Hardwood litter and timber

Official fire information:
Tonto National Forest: https://www.fs.usda.gov/main/tonto/fire
InciWeb: https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident-information/aztnf-valentine-fire
Fire Email: [email protected]

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Firefighters on the northwest front focused on fortifying defenses and advancing tactically, while on the eastern front, crews and aerial resources increased surveillance, expanded containment, and directed the fire towards the 411 road intersection; today, they'll maintain vigilance due to anticipated wet weather.

Operations: Yesterday, crews on the northwest fire perimeter worked on improving hand lines, scouting containment lines, and familiarizing with the area as tactical firing operations continue to move west toward FSRD 411. Crews and aerial resources on the eastern perimeter of the fire continued monitoring, building depth, and bringing fire south down the 512 road to the 411 road intersection. Today, resources will hold and monitor as wetting rains and scattered storms are expected across the fire area.

Fire Ecology: One of the first things that fire has to do to a piece of fuel in order for it to burn is to drive the moisture out of it, and that takes a lot of energy. The more moisture, the more heat the fire has to ‘spend’ to get a piece of fuel to burn (a leaf or a needle or a twig). Fire managers monitor moisture levels in the leaves of some of the types of vegetation that are likely to burn in a fire. The more moisture, the less likely they are to burn or, if they do burn, the more moderate the fire behavior will be because it takes a LOT of energy to drive the moisture out of the leaves so they can burn.

Weather: Yesterday, conditions were dryer than previous days, as much of the moisture remained to the east of the fire area. Today, scattered showers and wetting rains are expected through Wednesday. Thursday will see a shift back to warmer and dryer weather that will last through the weekend.

Closures: An emergency closure order for the Valentine Fire will go into effect 6 a.m. Sept. 5, 2023. The public is asked to avoid the fire area. The purpose of the closure order is to protect public health and safety during the Valentine Fire, and to protect assigned firefighting personnel engaging in wildland firefighting operations. Signs and gates will be in place to remind the public not to enter the fire area. Please visit the Alerts and Notices page for more information.  https://www.fs.usda.gov/alerts/tonto/alerts-notices.

Safety: The health and safety of firefighters, and the public are always the highest priority. Members of the public are asked to avoid the fire area. 

Smoke:  Smoke from the Valentine Fire may be visible in the surrounding areas for many days. Smoke will be heavier in the mornings as it settles into the lower elevations and will lift as temperatures increase.  Smoke-sensitive individuals and people with respiratory problems or heart disease are encouraged to take precautionary measures An interactive smoke map at https://fire.airnow.gov/ allows you to zoom into your area to see the latest smoke conditions.

Fire details:

• Size: 2515 acres
• Start Date:  August 16, 2023
• Cause: Lightning
• Completion: 47%
• Total personnel: 203
• Location: 11 miles northeast of Young, Arizona and 27 miles east of Payson, Arizona
• Fuels: Ponderosa Pine, Hardwood litter and timber

Information fire information:
Tonto National Forest: https://www.fs.usda.gov/main/tonto/fire
InciWeb: https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident-information/aztnf-valentine-fire
Fire Email: [email protected]

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Cloud cover helps moderate fire behavior, creating favorable conditions for tactical firing operations. Chances of wetting rains tomorrow increase which may stall hand and aerial ignitions.

Operations: Sunday, crews were able to progress down the FSRD 411 C powerline access road, filling interior pockets using both hand and aerial ignitions. Conditions allowed crews to complete more work west of Colcord lookout to the FSRD 411, where they worked on creating depth as ground fuels had dried enough from previously received moisture. Today, crews will monitor and continue tactical firing operations as weather conditions allow. Prep work on the northwestern perimeter of the fire area
will be ongoing.

Fire Ecology: One of the important objectives in a first entry burn is to decrease 'ladder fuels'. Ladder fuels are shrubs, young trees, and tree branches near the ground which allow fire to burn up into tree canopies. The Valentine fire is currently burning under conditions that are allowing it to remove a lot of the ladder fuels. This means that when subsequent fires burn through the area, they will be much less likely to burn up into the trees.

Weather: The fire area received some scattered showers yesterday which did not impact firing operations. Today, there is an increased chance for cooler temperatures and higher humidity. Chances of widespread, wetting rains will increase overnight and through tomorrow. Wetter conditions and cooler temps can be expected through Wednesday.

Closures: An emergency closure order for the Valentine Fire has gone into effect as of 6 a.m. Sept. 5, 2023. The public is asked to avoid the fire area. The purpose of the closure order is to protect public health and safety during the Valentine Fire, and to protect assigned firefighting personnel engaging in wildland firefighting operations. Signs and gates will be in place to remind the public not to enter the fire area. Please visit the Alerts and Notices page for more  information: https://www.fs.usda.gov/alerts/tonto/alerts-notices

Safety: The health and safety of firefighters, and the public are always the highest priority. Members of the public are asked to avoid the fire area.

Smoke: The fire will produce considerable amount of smoke due excessive fuel accumulation. Smoke from the Valentine Fire may be visible in the surrounding areas for many days. Smoke-sensitive individuals and people with respiratory problems or heart disease are encouraged to take precautionary measures an interactive smoke map at
https://www.airnow.gov/wildfires/ allows you to zoom into your area to see the latest smoke conditions.

Fire details:

• Size: 1577 acres
• Start Date:  August 16, 2023
• Cause: Lightning
• Completion: 40%
• Total personnel: 203
• Location: 11 miles northeast of Young, Arizona and 27 miles east of Payson, Arizona
• Fuels: Ponderosa Pine, Hardwood litter and timber

Information fire information:
Tonto National Forest: https://www.fs.usda.gov/main/tonto/fire
InciWeb: https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident-information/aztnf-valentine-fire
Fire Email: [email protected]
Fire Information Line (928)-421-4579
Office Hours: 8:00 AM – 8:00PM

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Moisture and expected wetting rains in the coming days may slow crews down, but work will continue as conditions allow. Resources continue to make progress utilizing hand and aerial ignitions.

Operations: Yesterday, crews were able to continue hand ignition along the Colcord road (FSRD 291) and progress west to the 411 road before pausing operations due to weather. Crews conducted tactical firing operations on the west side of the Young Road (FSRD512) where they were able to hang up ignitions on the powerline access road (FSRD 411 C) where they plan to conduct aerial ignitions today should conditions allow. Crews will continue to clean up interior pockets and work west along the 291 as ground fuels dry out after the moisture received yesterday. Resources also responded to an Initial Attack near Christopher Creek Campground which was contained at approx. 1.6 acres.

Fire Ecology: Historically, many wildfires would burn for weeks or even months. During that time, there would be changes in the weather, just like we're seeing on the Valentine Fire, that change fire behavior and fire effects. The plants continue to grow as well, so the effects are different where the fire began burning than they will be where the fire finishes burning. For example, some seeds that fell to the ground before the fire burned through may burn up in the fire. Seeds that fall after the fire has burned, will have an extra shot of nutrients when they germinate.

Weather: The fire area received some precipitation yesterday on the northwestern perimeter causing a pause in fire operations moving west. Today, there is expected to be more cloud cover and a slight chance for scattered afternoon precipitation in the area. Beginning early next week, a system moving in around Tuesday, will come with increased chances of wetting rains and thunderstorms.

Closures: An emergency closure order for the Valentine Fire went into effect as of 6 a.m. Sept. 5, 2023. The public is asked to avoid the fire area. The purpose of the closure order is to protect public health and safety during the Valentine Fire, and to protect assigned firefighting personnel engaging in wildland firefighting operations. Signs and gates will be in place to remind the public not to enter the fire area. Please visit the Alerts and Notices page for more information: https://www.fs.usda.gov/alerts/tonto/alerts-notices.

Safety: The health and safety of firefighters, and the public are always the highest priority. Members of the public are asked to avoid the fire area.

Smoke: The fire will produce considerable amount of smoke due excessive fuel accumulation. Smoke from the Valentine Fire may be visible in the surrounding areas for many days. Smoke-sensitive individuals and people with respiratory problems or heart disease are encouraged to take precautionary measures. An interactive smoke map at https://www.airnow.gov/wildfires/ allows you to zoom into your area to see the latest smoke conditions.

Fire details:

Size: 1491 acres
Start Date: August 16, 2023
Cause: Lightning
Completion: 40%
Total personnel: 200
Location: 11 miles northeast of Young, Arizona and 27 miles east of Payson, Arizona
Fuels: Ponderosa Pine, Hardwood litter and timber

Official fire information:
Tonto National Forest: https://www.fs.usda.gov/main/tonto/fire
InciWeb: https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident-information/aztnf-valentine-fire
Fire Email: [email protected]
Fire Information Line (928)-421-4579
Office Hours: 8:00 AM – 8:00PM

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Gila County Sheriff’s Office announced yesterday that the communities of Ponderosa Estates and Colcord Estates have been placed into SET status. This decision was made by Forest Officials, the Fire Management Team, and Gila County Sheriff’s Office for residents’ safety, due to the proximity of the containment line and firing operation to the communities. For real time evacuation notifications from Gila County Emergency Management via cellular phone, landline phone and/or email, please visit: https://gilacountyaz.genasys.com/portal/en-

Operations: Yesterday, crews held existing containment lines, monitored, and completed some firing operations below the 291 powerline access road during the day shift. A night shift was established due to favorable wind conditions and included firing operations west along the 291 road. Today, crews will continue to hold lines, monitor, and make contingency plans for the northwest fire perimeter.

Fire Ecology: Fuels are an important component of fire ecology because what they are, and when and how they burn, is what determines the effects of a fire. When ponderosa pine has burned frequently, the fire behavior is moderate to low, with some small groups of trees or individuals ‘torching’ occasionally, but most of the fire would be a surface fire that burns through grass and surface litter. Such fires kept fuel from building up by converting it to smoke, ash, charcoal, and other substances which are beneficial to the environment. They also kept the potential fire behavior and effects at levels that were both manageable and beneficial. In many areas, the Valentine Fire is a ‘first entry’ fire, and will significantly decrease the potential fire behavior and the severity of subsequent fires for many years.   

Weather: Yesterday, Cloud cover and light precipitation to the west helped raise humidity in the fire area, however, it is expected to remain dry throughout the weekend. Some precipitation and thunderstorms may form along the rim again today but wetting rains are not expected in the area until early next week.

Closures: An emergency closure order for the Valentine Fire went into effect 6 a.m. Sept. 5, 2023. The public is asked to avoid the fire area. The purpose of the closure order is to protect public health and safety during the Valentine Fire, and to protect assigned firefighting personnel engaging in wildland firefighting operations. Signs and gates will be in place to remind the public not to enter the fire area. Please visit the Alerts and Notices page for more information: https://www.fs.usda.gov/alerts/tonto/alerts-notices.

Safety: The health and safety of firefighters, and the public are always the highest priority. Members of the public are asked to avoid the fire area. 

Smoke:  Smoke from the Valentine Fire may be visible in the surrounding areas for many days. Smoke will be heavier in the mornings as it settles into the lower elevations and will lift as temperatures increase.  Smoke-sensitive individuals and people with respiratory problems or heart disease are encouraged to take precautionary measures An interactive smoke map at https://fire.airnow.gov/ allows you to zoom into your area to see the latest smoke conditions.

Fire details:

• Size: 1089 acres
• Start Date:  August 16, 2023
• Cause: Lightning
• Completion: 35%
• Total personnel: 200
• Location: 11 miles northeast of Young, Arizona and 27 miles east of Payson, Arizona
• Fuels: Ponderosa Pine, Hardwood litter and timber

Official fire information:
Tonto National Forest:  https://www.fs.usda.gov/main/tonto/fire
InciWeb: https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident-information/aztnf-valentine-fire
Fire Email: [email protected]
Fire Information Line: (928) 421-4579
Office Hours: 8:00 AM – 8:00 PM

A map of the Valentine fire September 9 2023.jpg

Gila County Sheriff’s Office announced yesterday that the communities of Ponderosa Estates and Colcord Estates have been placed into SET status. This decision was made by Forest Officials, the Fire Management Team, and Gila County Sheriff’s Office for residents’ safety, due to the proximity of the containment line and firing operation to the communities. For real time evacuation notifications from Gila County Emergency Management via cellular phone, landline phone and/or email, please visit: https://gilacountyaz.genasys.com/portal/en-

Operations: Yesterday, crews held existing containment lines, monitored, and completed some firing operations below the 291 powerline access road during the day shift. A night shift was established due to favorable wind conditions and included firing operations west along the 291 road. Today, crews will continue to hold lines, monitor, and make contingency plans for the northwest fire perimeter.

Fire Ecology: Fuels are an important component of fire ecology because what they are, and when and how they burn, is what determines the effects of a fire. When ponderosa pine has burned frequently, the fire behavior is moderate to low, with some small groups of trees or individuals ‘torching’ occasionally, but most of the fire would be a surface fire that burns through grass and surface litter. Such fires kept fuel from building up by converting it to smoke, ash, charcoal, and other substances which are beneficial to the environment. They also kept the potential fire behavior and effects at levels that were both manageable and beneficial. In many areas, the Valentine Fire is a ‘first entry’ fire, and will significantly decrease the potential fire behavior and the severity of subsequent fires for many years.   

Weather: Yesterday, Cloud cover and light precipitation to the west helped raise humidity in the fire area, however, it is expected to remain dry throughout the weekend. Some precipitation and thunderstorms may form along the rim again today but wetting rains are not expected in the area until early next week.

Closures: An emergency closure order for the Valentine Fire went into effect 6 a.m. Sept. 5, 2023. The public is asked to avoid the fire area. The purpose of the closure order is to protect public health and safety during the Valentine Fire, and to protect assigned firefighting personnel engaging in wildland firefighting operations. Signs and gates will be in place to remind the public not to enter the fire area. Please visit the Alerts and Notices page for more information: https://www.fs.usda.gov/alerts/tonto/alerts-notices.

Safety: The health and safety of firefighters, and the public are always the highest priority. Members of the public are asked to avoid the fire area. 

Smoke:  Smoke from the Valentine Fire may be visible in the surrounding areas for many days. Smoke will be heavier in the mornings as it settles into the lower elevations and will lift as temperatures increase.  Smoke-sensitive individuals and people with respiratory problems or heart disease are encouraged to take precautionary measures An interactive smoke map at https://fire.airnow.gov/ allows you to zoom into your area to see the latest smoke conditions.

Fire details:

• Size: 1089 acres
• Start Date:  August 16, 2023
• Cause: Lightning
• Completion: 35%
• Total personnel: 200
• Location: 11 miles northeast of Young, Arizona and 27 miles east of Payson, Arizona
• Fuels: Ponderosa Pine, Hardwood litter and timber

Official fire information:
Tonto National Forest  https://www.fs.usda.gov/main/tonto/fire
InciWeb: https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident-information/aztnf-valentine-fire
Fire Email: [email protected]
Fire Information Line (928) 421-4579
Office Hours: 8:00 AM – 8:00 PM

A map of the Valentine fire September 9 2023.jpg

Firefighters began ignition operations yesterday (Friday, September 8, 2023) as resources continue to prepare remaining fire containment lines.

Operations: Through the weekend, fire managers plan to complete the remaining preparation work on the fire containment lines. As preparation work is completed and as conditions allow, firefighters will continue ignition operations. Please be alert for fire personnel working in the area. Roads may be restricted at times depending on the operational needs of fire personnel.

Fire Ecology: The work on the Labor Fire is the first step in returning fire to a fire-dependent ecosystem. Fire has been absent in this area for well over 50 years. During that time, litter, duff, and woody debris has accumulated to unnaturally high levels. The excessive fuel could support severe fire effects and extreme fire behavior if it burned during the peak fire year before monsoons. The moisture from the last few weeks, combined with carefully chosen ignition patterns and patience, is allowing the fire to burn with the desirable fire behavior. To learn more, visit: https://www.fs.usda.gov/managing-land/wildfire-crisis

Evacuations: None.

Weather: 3-to-5-day weather predictions indicate slight chances of precipitation over the fire area. High temps expected to be in the 80s and minimum relative humidities in the mid-teens. Winds are predicted be variable but primarily out of the southwest. Higher chances of showers and thunderstorms are expected to enter the area beginning Tuesday.

Restrictions: None.

Smoke: Smoke will be visible from highway 260 and may also settle on the highway. An interactive smoke map at https://www.airnow.gov/ allows you to zoom into your area to see the latest smoke conditions.

Official fire information:
Online: https://www.fs.usda.gov/asnf
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/apachesitgreavesnfs

A photo of the Labor Fire firing operations September 9 2023.jpg
A map of the Labor Fire September 9 2023.jpg

Firefighters are diligently containing a 100-acre wildfire near Springerville, AZ, with 86% containment, while closely monitoring the situation to prevent further growth.

Operations: Containment strategies continue today as fire personnel continue monitoring and  securing the fire edge. Please be alert for fire personnel working in the area as roads remain  open.

Evacuations: No evacuations currently.

Weather: Thunderstorms are predicted over the fire area for the next couple of days including  potential lightning.

Restrictions: None

Smoke: Smoke may be visible from highways 260 and 60. Smoke may settle on highways 260 and 60,  Halls Ranch, in Greer, Springerville and Eagar, Arizona. An interactive smoke map at https://www.airnow.gov/ allows you to zoom into your area to see the latest smoke conditions.

Fire details:

• Size: 100 acres
• Start Date:  September 4, 2023
• Cause: Lightning
• Containment: 86%
• Total personnel: 10
• Location: : 11 mi W of Springerville, AZ
• Fuels: Open Ponderosa pine with a grass understory

Official fire information: 
Online: https://www.fs.usda.gov/asnf
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/apachesitgreavesnfs

Last night, a community meeting was held at the Jesus Christ Church of Latter-Day Saints in Christopher Creek, AZ where Forest Officials, Fire Managers, and Gila County Sheriffs announced that the communities of Ponderosa and Colcord Estates will be placed in Set Status within 24 to 72 hours from the time the meeting occurred.  The decision was made for residents’ safety due their proximity to the fire perimeter and planned fire operations. For more information on Set Status, please visit http://www.readygila.com/.

Operations: On Thursday, Crews continued tactical firing operations south along the 512 road to Forest Road 411. New resources arrived and began scouting west along Forest Road 291. Today, Crews will look to make some improvements to control lines near Forest Road 411 and continue scouting to ensure even spread in canyon areas. Winds will continue to move smoke around the fire area.

Fire Ecology: When plants grow, they take nutrients from the soil. Eventually, the soil can be depleted of nutrients.  In a frequent fire system, every time the fire burns through surface litter it releases those nutrients, and many of them become available to plants. So you can think of each fire as fertilizing the area it burns over. On the Valentine Fire, there’s been a great mix of rain and burning weather, so the surface vegetation is sprouting quickly, and over the next couple of years, overall the burned area should produce more and healthier vegetation.

Weather: Conditions are expected to remain dry through the weekend with temps reaching the high 80s and low 90s. Lighter winds may be conducive to smoke activity. Cloud cover in the afternoons is possible with increases chance of rain early next week.

Closures: An emergency closure order for the Valentine Fire went into effect 6 a.m. Sept. 5, 2023. The public is asked to avoid the fire area. The purpose of the closure order is to protect public health and safety during the Valentine Fire, and to protect assigned firefighting personnel engaging in wildland firefighting operations. Signs and gates will be in place to remind the public not to enter the fire area. Please visit the Alerts and Notices page for more information: https://www.fs.usda.gov/alerts/tonto/alerts-notices.

Safety: The health and safety of firefighters, and the public are always the highest priority. Members of the public are asked to avoid the fire area. 

Smoke:  Smoke from the Valentine Fire may be visible in the surrounding areas for many days. Smoke will be heavier in the mornings as it settles into the lower elevations and will lift as temperatures increase.  Smoke-sensitive individuals and people with respiratory problems or heart disease are encouraged to take precautionary measures An interactive smoke map at https://fire.airnow.gov/ allows you to zoom into your area to see the latest smoke conditions.

Fire details: 

• Size: 780 acres
• Start Date:  August 16, 2023
• Cause: Lightning
• Containment: 35%
• Total personnel: 167
• Location: 11 miles northeast of Young, Arizona and 27 miles east of Payson, Arizona
• Fuels: Ponderosa Pine, Hardwood litter and timber

Official fire Information:
Tonto National Forest: https://www.fs.usda.gov/main/tonto/fire
InciWeb: https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident-information/aztnf-valentine-fire
Email: [email protected]
Fire Information Line: (928) 362-0101
Office Hours: 8:00 AM – 8:00 PM

A map of the Valentine fire September 8 2023.jpg

 

The Tonto National Forest Type 3 Team will be hosting a Community Meeting this evening at 6 p.m., at The Christopher Creek Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. Please use the entrance on Christopher Creek Road.

Operations: Yesterday, tactical firing operations took place along Forest Road 291 from Colcord Lookout east to the 512 road, and approximately two miles south along the 512 road. Traffic on the 512 road experienced delays and intermittent closures for firefighter and public safety due to smoke causing decreased visibility. Today, motorists should delay travel on the 512 road until Friday morning at 9 a.m. if possible. Delays and intermittent closures are to be expected to continue until conditions improve. Fire management teams will continue hand ignition firing operations continuing south along the 512 road. Overall firing operations may continue for 10 days or more depending on wind and weather conditions.  

Fire Ecology: Healthy ponderosa pine trees commonly live to be well over 300 years old, and some have been aged at over 900; only 1 or 2 seedlings per acre per decade need to survive to support the historic open forest structure. Open ponderosa pine forests were dominated by large, old trees with mostly a grassy understory. With an understory of grass and pine needles, and copious lightning, frequent fires killed most seedlings most years, leaving just the few seedlings needed to replace the larger trees over the centuries.  With too little fire for decades, too many trees have survived, acting as ‘ladders’ for fire to get up into the forest canopy when conditions are extreme. https://www.fs.usda.gov/managing-land/wildfire-crisis.

Weather: Conditions are very dry and temperatures will approach 90 degrees today. Winds will increase from the west, southwest with gusts up to 25 mph along exposed ridgetops and lighter winds in sheltered valleys. A few afternoon clouds may develop over the area but no rain is expected. Very warm and dry conditions will persist through the weekend.

Closures: An emergency closure order for the Valentine Fire will go into effect 6 a.m. Sept. 5, 2023. The public is asked to avoid the fire area. The purpose of the closure order is to protect public health and safety during the Valentine Fire, and to protect assigned firefighting personnel engaging in wildland firefighting operations. Signs and gates will be in place to remind the public not to enter the fire area. Please visit the Alerts and Notices page for more information:  https://www.fs.usda.gov/alerts/tonto/alerts-notices.

Safety: The health and safety of firefighters, and the public are always the highest priority. Members of the public are asked to avoid the fire area. 

Smoke: The fire will produce considerable amount of smoke due excessive fuel accumulation. Smoke will be heavier in the mornings as it settles into the lower elevations and will lift as temperatures increase.  Smoke-sensitive individuals and people with respiratory problems or heart disease are encouraged to take precautionary measures An interactive smoke map at https://fire.airnow.gov/ allows you to zoom into your area to see the latest smoke conditions.

Fire details: 

• Size: 708 acres
• Start Date:  August 16, 2023
• Cause: Lightning
• Completion: 35%
• Total personnel: 147
• Location: 11 miles northeast of Young, Arizona and 27 miles east of Payson, Arizona
• Fuels: Ponderosa Pine, Hardwood litter and timber

Official fire Information:
Tonto National Forest: https://www.fs.usda.gov/main/tonto/fire
InciWeb: https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident-information/aztnf-valentine-fire
Email: [email protected]
Fire Information Line: (928) 362-0101
Office Hours: 8:00 AM – 8:00 PM

A map of the Valentine fire September 7 2023.jpg

Firefighters were able to finish fire line and road preparation which allowed them to conduct firing operations, keeping the fire south of Forest Service Road 8449 and contained in the Lost Springs Meadow.

Operations: Containment strategies continue today which may include firing operations. Please be alert for fire personnel working in the area as roads remain open.

Evacuations: None.

Weather: Forecast indicates warm and dry conditions for today and through the weekend. A chance of precipitation returns to the fire area beginning Monday.

Restrictions: None

Smoke: Smoke may be visible from highways 260 and 60. Smoke may settle on highways 260 and 60, Halls Ranch, in Greer, Springerville and Eagar, Arizona. An interactive smoke map at https://www.airnow.gov/ allows you to zoom into your area to see the latest smoke conditions.

Fire details:

• Size: 100 acres
• Start Date:  September 4, 2023
• Cause: Lightning
• Containment: 50%
• Total personnel: 10
• Location: : 11 mi W of Springerville, AZ
• Fuels: Open Ponderosa pine with a grass understory

Official fire information: 
Online: https://www.fs.usda.gov/asnf
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/apachesitgreavesnfs

Firefighters were able to successfully complete tactical firing operations yesterday around infrastructure which include powerlines that are in the fire area.

Operations: Fire managers plan to take advantage of favorable conditions and reintroduce fire at low to moderate intensities minimizing impacts to wildlife, culturally sensitive areas, critical infrastructure, and community watersheds. Tactical firing operations include ground resources conducting hand firing operations along Forest Road 512 to the east and Forest Road 291 along the north perimeter. These roads will be used as containment features keeping the fire from extending to the north and east.

Fire Ecology: The work on the Valentine is the first step in returning fire to a fire-dependent ecosystem. Fire has been absent in this area for well over 50 years. During that time, litter, duff, and woody debris has accumulated to unnaturally high levels. The excessive fuel could support severe fire effects and extreme fire behavior if it burned during the peak fire year before monsoons. The moisture from the last few weeks, combined with carefully chosen ignition patterns and patience, is allowing the Valentine Fire to burn with the desirable fire behavior. Learn more: https://www.fs.usda.gov/managing-land/wildfire-crisis. 

Weather: Dry conditions will persist through the weekend. Temperatures will gradually warm to above normal levels into the mid to upper 80s with relative humidity dropping below 20% each afternoon. A consistent southwest daytime wind will shift more westward later this week. Cloud cover increases over the weekend with slight chances of rain showers returning early next week.

Closures: An emergency closure order for the Valentine Fire went into effect 6 a.m. Sept. 5, 2023. The public is asked to avoid the fire area. The purpose of the closure order is to protect public health and safety during the Valentine Fire, and to protect assigned firefighting personnel engaging in wildland firefighting operations. Signs and gates will be in place to remind the public not to enter the fire area. Please visit the Alerts and Notices page for more information:  https://www.fs.usda.gov/alerts/tonto/alerts-notices.

Safety: The health and safety of firefighters, and the public are always the highest priority. Members of the public are asked to avoid the fire area. 

Smoke:  The fire will produce considerable amount of smoke due excessive fuel accumulation. Smoke from the Valentine Fire may be visible in the surrounding areas for many days. Smoke will be heavier in the mornings as it settles into the lower elevations and will lift as temperatures increase. Smoke-sensitive individuals and people with respiratory problems or heart disease are encouraged to take precautionary measures An interactive smoke map at https://fire.airnow.gov/ allows you to zoom into your area to see the latest smoke conditions.

Fire details:

• Size: 303 acres
• Start Date:  August 16, 2023
• Cause: Lightning
• Completion: 30%
• Total personnel: 130
• Location: 11 miles northeast of Young, Arizona and 27 miles east of Payson, Arizona
• Fuels: Ponderosa Pine, Hardwood litter and timber

Information Links and Contacts:
Tonto National Forest: https://www.fs.usda.gov/main/tonto/fire
InciWeb: https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident-information/aztnf-valentine-fire
Fire Email: [email protected]
Fire Information Line (928) 362-0101
Office Hours: 8:00 AM – 8:00 PM

A map of the Valentine fire September 6 2023.jpg

 

Fire personnel are working to confine the Labor Fire on the Black Mesa Ranger District of the Apache-Sitgreaves National Forests.

The Labor Fire is located about 13 miles northwest of Forest Lakes, north of highway 260, surrounded by Forest Service Roads 120, 225, 35 and 34. Fire size is estimated at 30 acres. The lightning-caused fire was first observed on September 4, 2023, and is spreading at a low to moderate rate in open Ponderosa pine with grass understory. Local personnel are assigned and are working to improve fire lines. Containment priorities are to keep the fire in the above-mentioned Forest Service Road system. There are numerous roads within the larger system that can serve as check lines to limit fire spread as needed.

The weather outlooks are showing a pattern of warm and dry conditions through the weekend. Starting Monday of next week and through mid-week, chances of thunderstorms and precipitation return to the area. With these weather conditions, fire behavior is expected to remain low to moderate.

The area has prior mechanical fuels treatment and limited fire history. Fire is a natural part of the Ponderosa pine ecosystem. Forests and grasslands that evolved with fire need periodic fire to remain healthy. Absence of fire in these fire-adapted forests is a major disturbance to these ecosystems.

Considering the current fuel conditions and expected weather, fire managers intend on managing this naturally caused wildfire to reduce hazardous fuels, encourage the growth of native plants, increase species diversity in the understory, restore ecological balance and reduce the potential for future high-severity wildfires. If conditions remain as predicted, the planned area for ignitions will be approximately four-thousand acres.

When a naturally caused wildfire occurs, we bring together fire managers, resources specialists, and line officers to evaluate the fire’s location, the fuels in the area, its potential to spread over time, previous fire activity, current and project weather conditions, and the infrastructure and resources at risk to determine the proper management response.

Management actions can range from strategically burning around the perimeter of the focus area or ahead of the main fire to prevent rapid fire spread outside the designated planning area and maintain low to moderate fire behavior.

Smoke is expected to be visible in the coming days as the Labor Fire continues to burn. Air quality information is available at https://www.airnow.gov/

Further information will be provided as it becomes available. Visit the A-S National Forests website at https://www.fs.usda.gov/asnf and follow us on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/apachesitgreavesnfs

A map of the Labor Fire September 6 2023.jpg

 

Crews are working to suppress a fire 11 miles west of Springerville, Arizona.

Fire personnel are working to extinguish the Lost Springs Fire on the Springerville Ranger District of the Apache-Sitgreaves National Forests.

The Lost Springs Fire is located about 11 miles west of Springerville, north of State Route 260 between Forest Service Road (FSR) 118/ County Road 1325 and Forest Service Road 117. Fire size is estimated at 2 acres. The lightning-caused fire was first observed on September 4, 2023, and is creeping, smoldering, and backing. District personnel are on scene and will conduct tactical firing operations as they balance firefighter safety concerns throughout their suppression effort.

Smoke is expected to be visible in the area as this fire continues to burn. Air quality information is available at https://www.airnow.gov/

Further information will be provided as it becomes available. Visit the A-S National Forests website at https://www.fs.usda.gov/asnf and follow us on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/apachesitgreavesnfs

A map of the Lost Springs Fire September 5 2023.jpg