Arizona Emergency Information Network

Firefighters are responding to the lightning-caused Kane Fire on the North Kaibab Ranger District of the Kaibab National Forest. It is about 13 miles southeast of Jacob Lake, 11 miles south of US 89A, and 5 miles east of SR 67. The wildfire started Friday, Aug. 4 and immediate suppression actions were taken by air and ground resources.

The fire is estimated at 4,980 acres in timber, thick brush, and pinyon-juniper. Concerns include long drive times to access the fire vicinity, cultural resources, wildlife, and private property east of the fire.

Fire behavior was very active Saturday and with hot, dry, windy weather in the forecast, fire managers are expecting similar behavior over the next several days. Approximately 75 personnel are assigned to the incident including two crews, a dozer, a water tender, and five engines. A Type 2 Incident Management Team has been ordered for the incident.

Smoke is visible from across northern Arizona, including many areas south of the Grand Canyon. Smoke is generally spreading to the northeast.

Additional information can be found on InciWeb, the Kaibab NF website, Twitter, Facebook, Flickr, or by calling the Fire Information Hotline at 928-635-8311 or local ranger stations.

kane fire

The Corduroy, Boundary, and Willow fires have increased in complexity and transitioned from a Type 4 Team to the White Mountain Zone Type 3 Team at 0600 on Sunday, August 6, 2023.

Weather: Today’s forecast calls for clear skies, a high of 81 degrees and winds 10-20 mph.

Closures: To provide for public and firefighter safety, highway 191 is temporarily closed in both directions from mileposts 233 to 238. There is no estimated time to reopen the highway.

Values at risk: Sensitive species in surrounding areas, cattle and grazing areas, watersheds, riparian areas, impacts to Highway 191, Hannagan Lodge, and nearby electric powerlines.

Restrictions: The Apache-Sitgreaves National Forests are in Stage 1 Fire Restrictions. For details please visit https://www.fs.usda.gov/alerts/ /alerts-notices/?aid=81123.

Smoke: Go to https://fire.airnow.gov/ to see the latest smoke conditions in your community. Smoke may be visible from Hwy 191, especially at night.

CORDUROY FIRE

Start Date: July 12, 2023,

Location: 20 Miles SW Alpine,

Percent Contained: 10, Size: 479 acres,

Cause: Lightning,

Vegetation: Timber (Litter and Understory) Medium Logging Slash,

Personnel Assigned: 34, Resources Assigned: 1 Engine, 2 Crews, 1 Dozer, 1 Water tender.

Operations: The fire has backed down into double Cienega Creek to the West and is at the northern tip of the 8312 road. Activity is primarily on the ground as the fire consumes heavy fuels.

BOUNDARY FIRE

Start Date: July 27, 2023,

Location: 30 Miles SW of Alpine,

Percent Contained: 0, Size: 310 acres,

Cause: Lightning,

Vegetation: Timber (Litter and Understory) Brush (2 feet),

Personnel Assigned: 72, Resources Assigned: 2 Crews, 2 Helicopters.

Operations: The fire continues to move to the east and south. The priority is to keep the fire East of the San Carlos Apache Indian Reservation boundary, south of 25/26 road, north of highland trail, and west of Shell Canyon.

WILLOW FIRE

Start Date: July 27, 2023,

Location: 12 Miles SW of Alpine,

Percent Contained: 0, Size: 260 acres,

Cause: Lightning,

Vegetation: Timber (Grass and Understory) Medium Logging Slash,

Personnel Assigned: 7, Resources Assigned: 2 Engines, 1 Dozer.

Operations: Firefighters continue to work to keep the fire west of highway 191, south of 573, east of Willow creek and north of the 564 road

Official fire information:

·       Inciweb: https://inciweb.wildfire.gov/

·       Incident Email and Phone: [email protected], 928-245-1585

·       Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/apachesitgreavesnfs 

·       Apache-Sitgreaves website: https://www.fs.usda.gov/asnf

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Continued hot, dry temperatures, and winds with gusts up to 30 mph occurred Saturday. Crews continued to reinforce containment lines by turning over dirt to make sure there were no hot spots near the perimeter of the fires. Crews were able to increase containment on the Spoon Fire to 80%, and the Cottonwood Ridge fire to 95%.

There was one new fire reported Saturday. The fire was reported two miles south of the old Rodeo-Chediski fire on Chediski Mountain. Crews were sent to the west side of the Fort Apache Reservation to assist with fire suppression operations. With the help of a dozer, crews were able to keep the fire to below 10 acres.

Weather: Hot weather in the low 90s, dry fuels and wind gusts up to 30 miles per hour are a concern through the weekend. Firefighters will remain prepared to respond to any new fire starts.

Evacuations: None. For awareness regarding evacuations, familiarization with the Ready, Set, Go evacuation model is encouraged. Community members may also sign up for the Navajo County Alert System at https://tinyurl.com/y4vwrasw.

Smoke: Smoke may start to appear if winds stir up any heat sources inside the fire perimeter. For information on smoke and air quality, visit https://www.airnow.gov.

Closures: Highway 60 remains open. The southwest portion of Fort Apache is closed, including all Salt River sites within the closure area.

Fire Restrictions: There are several fire restrictions in place depending on location.

• Fort Apache Agency: Stage 2 Fire Restrictions - No campfire, fireworks, outdoor smoking, debris burning or discharging of firearms. Power saws cannot be used between 10 am and 8 pm. All motorized travel is restricted to developed roads.
• Show Low, Navajo County and Apache Sitgreaves National Forests: Stage 1 Fire Restrictions - No campfires (except in developed recreation sites), no smoking outdoors, no welding, no fireworks.

Cottonwood Ridge, Snake Ridge and Spoon fires: The excavators and hand crews continued repairing dozer lines and returning the land back to its natural state. The repair process will continue with the excavators pulling Junipers onto the dozer line and having firefighters cut them up, and then start spreading them across the dozer line, as well as spreading grass seed to help reduce run-off should the area receive rain. This will occur on both the Cottonwood Ridge and Spoon fires. Crews patrolled the perimeter of the Snake Ridge Fire and did not find any heat sources close to the fireline, so the fire has been declared 100% contained. Firefighters will continue to be ready to respond to any new starts.

Cottonwood Ridge Fire Quick Facts
Acres: 345
Cause: Lightning
Containment: 95%
Start Date: July 23, 2023
Location: 4 miles south of Show Low, AZ
Fuels: Timber, grass, brush

Spoon Fire Quick Facts
Acres: 4,560 acres
Cause: Lightning
Containment: 80%
Start Date: July 24, 2023
Location: 2.5 miles east of Highway 60 between Globe and Show Low, AZ. 11 miles southwest of Cedar Creek
Fuels: Piñyon- Juniper, Manzanita, Grass, Cedar

Snake Ridge Fire Quick Facts
Acres: 42 acres
Cause: Lightning
Containment: 100%
Start Date: July 28, 2023
Location: 11 miles southwest of Show Low, AZ.
Fuels: Grass, Brush

More Information:
Inciweb:
• Cottonwood Ridge: https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident-information/azfta-cottonwood-ridge-fire
• Spoon: https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident-information/azfta-spoon-fire
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BIAFAAFireMgt/

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The Coconino National Forest is still in the process of managing two fires located south of Flagstaff to benefit the overall health of the forest.

Smoke will remain visible from Interstate 17 as well as the Flagstaff and Sedona areas during the fire management process.

No structures are currently threatened by either fire.

Scott Fire

The Coconino NF has issued a closure order for the area of the 80-acre Scott Fire, located roughly 5 miles south of Kachina Village between I-17 and State Route 89A.

The lightning-caused Scott Fire is currently staffed by two suppression modules, three engines, one dozer and miscellaneous overhead.

Crews assigned to the Scott Fire are building and securing hand line along the north perimeter of the fire in addition to preparing nearby areas for firing operations. Crews plan to conduct firing operations in small blocks over the coming days as part of an effort to protect infrastructure at risk, including I-17.  

The Scott Fire is currently being managed by The Northern Arizona Type 3 Incident Management Team and was first reported 5 p.m. July 31.

Luke Fire

Firefighters are continuing their forest-benefitting work on the Luke Fire as well. The lightning-caused Luke Fire is currently 9 acres and is located between I-17 and Stoneman Lake.

Resources assigned to the Luke Fire include five engines and miscellaneous overhead.

Luke Fire crews spent Saturday monitoring fire activity and preparing fire-adjacent areas for operations to minimize impacts to the values at risk located in the immediate fire area. Resources are currently scouting the larger fire area to identify what work needs to be completed to allow the fire to move across the landscape.

The Luke Fire was first reported 4 p.m. July 31 and is being managed by the Coconino NF.

General information

The management of these fires aligns with the Forest Service’s 10-year Wildfire Crisis Strategy, which aims to increase the use of fire on the landscape in addition to other treatments to improve forest resiliency for generations to come.

A combination of naturally-ignited low-intensity wildfires and planned prescribed fire – along with other treatments like mechanical thinning and tree removal – can prepare the Coconino NF’s landscape to better handle unexpected wildfires that occur during times of critical fire weather, such as on high wind days and in drought conditions.

When lightning ignites a portion of forest landscape fire managers follow a process outlined in the Wildland Fire Decision Support System (WFDSS).

During the WFDSS process, local forestry and fire experts consult maps and historical records which are used to identify critical values at risk. They also use fire behavior models to determine the potential for the fire to grow over time. This information helps guide fire managers into developing effective strategies and tactics to use to manage the wildfire as it moves across the landscape in an advantageous way.

Every wildfire response is based on a careful evaluation of firefighter and public safety as well as the risk to other important values such as communities and infrastructure. Regard for human safety and management of risk guide all fire management decisions and actions.

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The Tonto National Forest Type 3 organization assumed command of the fire yesterday while the Southwest Incident Management Team demobilized from the incident. With the transition there was a significant decrease in resources from the fire. The type 3 team will staff the incident and continue with containment efforts, particularly on the southwest to northwest portion of the fire. This area is in very steep, rugged, rocky terrain and is still incredibly difficult for firefighters to access with a few heat signatures still lingering.

For today’s operational shift, resources will continue monitoring these challenging areas to ensure no residual heat is present. Aircraft will be available from Payson Helibase, as needed. Additionally, firefighters will rehabilitate handline and dozer line around the community of Sunflower and east of Indian Springs Canyon. A large amount of brush was removed from along the Old Beeline Highway, so an excavator and dump trailers are busy hauling brush out of the area. Lastly, additional hand crews and engines will remain on the fire monitoring areas of concern but will also serve as initial attack resources in the area in the event of new starts.

Weather: Weather patterns are trending hotter and drier with a return to triple digit temperatures and relative humidity dropping into low teens. In the event of new ignitions, current and forecasted weather will support very active fire behavior with dangerous rates of spread.

Closures: The National Forest has issued a closure order for the fire area to provide public health and safety due to firefighting operations. The Old Beeline Hwy is closed to non-residents.

Evacuations: Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office has lifted the final READY notification status for residents of Sunflower, Cross F Ranch, and Diamond Ranch. Evacuations are lifted.

Fire restrictions: The National Forest is currently under Stage 1 Fire Restrictions. Please see https://www.fs.usda.gov/alerts/tonto/alerts-notices/?aid=81280 for more information.

Official Fire information: 

Inciweb page: https://inciweb.wildfire.gov/incident-information/aztnf-diamond-fire. 

To get the most up-to-date information about the Diamond Fire, follow us on Twitter @TontoForest or on Facebook @TontoNationalForest, or call the Tonto Fire Information Line at 602-525-1042.

 

Continued hot, dry temperatures, and winds with gusts up to 25 mph occurred Friday. Crews continued to perform mop up duties along the perimeters of the fires looking for hidden heat sources that may start appearing due to the vegetation drying out after the last rainstorm, and we able to increase containment on the Spoon Fire to 58%.
There were two new fires reported Friday on the Fort Apache Reservation, and firefighters and air resources were sent to help put out these new starts.

Crews will continue to scout for and ensure there are no remaining heat sources along fire containment lines. With the help of the firefighters, excavators will begin rehabilitating dozer lines and start the process of returning the land back to its natural state. The repair process will consist of the excavators pulling tress onto the dozer line and having firefighters cut them up, and then start spreading them across the dozer line, as well as spreading grass seed to help reduce run-off should the area receive rain. This will occur on both the Cottonwood Ridge and Spoon fires. Firefighters will continue to be ready to respond to any new starts.

Weather: Hot weather in the low 90s, dry fuels and wind gusts up to 25 miles per hour are a concern into the weekend. Firefighters will remain prepared to respond to any new fire starts.

Evacuations: None. For awareness regarding evacuations, familiarization with the Ready, Set, Go evacuation model is encouraged. Community members may also sign up for the Navajo County Alert System at https://tinyurl.com/y4vwrasw.

Smoke: Smoke may start to appear if winds stir up any heat sources inside the fire perimeter. For information on smoke and air quality, visit https://www.airnow.gov.

Closures: Highway 60 remains open. The southwest portion of Fort Apache is closed, including all Salt River sites within the closure area.

Fire Restrictions: There are several fire restrictions in place depending on location.
• Fort Apache Agency: Stage 2 Fire Restrictions - No campfire, fireworks, outdoor smoking, debris burning or discharging of firearms. Power saws cannot be used between 10 am and 8 pm. All motorized travel is restricted to developed roads.
• Show Low, Navajo County and Apache Sitgreaves National Forests: Stage 1 Fire Restrictions - No campfires (except in developed recreation sites), no smoking outdoors, no welding, no fireworks.

Cottonwood Ridge Fire Update: With the addition of an excavator, crews will continue to patrol firelines for any remaining heat sources and continue suppression repair work, on the dozer lines to return the area to a more natural state. Meticulous work by firefighters Friday, increased containment on the Cottonwood Ridge Fire to 90%.

Cottonwood Ridge Fire Quick Facts
Acres: 345
Cause: Lightning
Containment: 90%
Start Date: July 23, 2023
Location: 4 miles south of Show Low, AZ
Fuels: Timber, grass, brush

Spoon Fire Update: Friday, fire crews continued looking for heat sources along the north and western edges of the fire. An excavator and firefighters will continue repairing dozer and hand lines along the northern perimeter down to Carrizo Creek. The Spoon Fire is now 58% contained.

Spoon Fire Quick Facts
Acres: 4,560 acres
Cause: Lightning
Containment: 58%
Start Date: July 24, 2023
Location: 2.5 miles east of Highway 60 between Globe and Show Low, AZ. 11 miles southwest of Cedar Creek
Fuels: Piñyon- Juniper, Manzanita, Grass, Cedar

Snake Ridge Fire Update: Crews patrolled the perimeter of the Snake Ridge Fire and did not find any heat sources close to the fireline, so were able to declare the fire 100% contained.

Snake Ridge Fire Quick Facts
Acres: 42 acres
Cause: Lightning
Containment: 100%
Start Date: July 28, 2023
Location: 11 miles southwest of Show Low, AZ.
Fuels: Grass, Brush

More Information:
Inciweb:
• Cottonwood Ridge: https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident-information/azfta-cottonwood-ridge-fire
• Spoon: https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident-information/azfta-spoon-fire
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BIAFAAFireMgt/

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The Coconino National Forest is in the beginning stages of managing two lightning-caused wildfire starts – located south of the City of Flagstaff – for forest health.

Smoke from both fires will remain visible along Interstate 17 throughout the fire management process.

The Scott Fire, located roughly 5 miles south of Kachina Village between I-17 and Highway 89 (GPS: 35°01'29.4"N 111°43'04.3"W), was first reported 5 p.m. July 31 and is about 16 acres burning in ponderosa, oak and small amounts of juniper.

Resources on the Scott Fire include one Hotshot crew, one hand crew, two engines, one dozer and miscellaneous overhead.

The Luke Fire is 8.5 acres and is located between I-17 and Stoneman Lake (GPS: 34°47'42.8"N 111°33'55.9"W). It was first reported 4 p.m. July 31 and is experiencing minimal fire behavior. Resources assigned to the Luke Fire include three engines and miscellaneous overhead.

There are no structures threatened by the Luke and Scott fires.

Wildfires are a natural part of the Coconino NF’s ecosystem, and when managed diligently and properly following the requisite planning process, improve the landscape long-term in several ways.

Low-intensity fire works to release nutrients into soils and reduce the accumulation of hazardous fuels on the forest floor, such as dry pine needles and fallen leaves.

The management of naturally-ignited wildfire can also protect critical infrastructure, watersheds, wildlife habitat and culturally sensitive areas from future high-severity wildfires.

The Scott and Luke wildfires are in areas where previous fires have occurred and prescribed fires are planned. Managing both the Scott and the Luke wildfires for forest health will increase the amount of treated land near Kachina Village and Mountainaire and work to tie together the fire history in this fire-dependent ecosystem.

This will help further reduce hazardous fuels and help protect infrastructure, property and resources near the surrounding communities.

The management of these fires aligns with the Forest Service’s 10-year Wildfire Crisis Strategy, which aims to increase the use of fire on the landscape as well as other treatments to improve forest resiliency for generations to come.

There are no active road, trail or area closures at this point, but forest visitors are asked to avoid the fire areas and remain cognizant of firefighting operations.

The Northern Arizona Type 3 Incident Management Team has been ordered to oversee Scott Fire operations and will assume control of the fire this weekend.

The Coconino NF will continue managing the Luke Fire at this time.

Scott Fire, Luke Fire, map

Yesterday the Tonto National Forest Type 3 organization shadowed Southwest Area Incident Management Team 3 to assume command of the Diamond Fire this morning. Resources on the line continued containment efforts through monitoring and patrolling as minimal heat has been detected. The fuels removal project continues along the Old Beeline Highway and managers brought in an excavator and dump trucks to remove brush piles along the road.

Today’s mission is a continuation of yesterday as the type 3 team gets in place. As containment increases and heat detection decreases, resources will begin rehabbing areas of the fire and demobilizing. Ground resources remaining with the type 3 team will monitor and patrol the fire area with a focus on the western and southwestern portions of the fire, which was previously the most active and difficult to access. Some resources on the fire have been delegated to initial attack in the event of new starts in the area.

Weather: Weather patterns are trending hotter and drier with a return to triple digit temperatures and relative humidities dropping to low teens. In the event of new ignitions, current and forecasted weather will support very active fire behavior with dangerous rates of spread through the week.

Closures: The National Forest has issued a closure order for the fire area to provide public health and safety due to firefighting operations. The Old Beeline Hwy is closed to non-residents.

Evacuations: Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office has lifted the final READY notification status for residents of Sunflower, Cross F Ranch, and Diamond Ranch. Evacuations are lifted.

Fire restrictions: The National Forest is currently under Stage 1 Fire Restrictions. Please see https://www.fs.usda.gov/alerts/tonto/alerts-notices/?aid=81280 for more information.

Official Fire information: 

Inciweb page: https://inciweb.wildfire.gov/incident-information/aztnf-diamond-fire. 

To get the most up-to-date information about the Diamond Fire, follow us on Twitter @TontoForest or on Facebook @TontoNationalForest, or call the Tonto Fire Information Line at 602-525-1042.

The Prescott National Forest (PNF) is taking command of the Grapevine fire as of 7:00 am, Friday August 4, 2023, from the Central West Zone Type 3 Incident Management Team (CWZT3).  The CWZT3 provided command for the resources deployed from all around the state for 13 days while coordinating with county, city and various other agencies including volunteers. The CWZT3 met all objectives the PNF outlined to provide safety to fire personnel and the public while suppressing the Grapevine Fire.  The PNF will continue protecting property and conducting assessments to make repairs to signs, fences, roads and any areas damaged by fire suppression efforts.   

Fire Restrictions: The entire Prescott National Forest is under Stage 1 Fire Restrictions which prohibits building, maintaining, attending, or using a fire, campfire, or stove fire, including charcoal and briquettes, outside a structure that is provided by the Forest Service within designated areas for portions of the forest. Under these restrictions, discharging a firearm, air rifle or gas gun, except for persons engaged in legal hunting activities, is prohibited on the Prescott National Forest. Fireworks and the use of exploding targets are always prohibited year-round on national forests.

Fire details: 

• Location:  Mingus Mountain, Verde Ranger District (T14N, R2E, SEC 4), Approximately 10 miles east of Prescott Valley; 2 miles south of Mingus Spring Ranch 
• Start Date:  July 21, 2023 
• Size:  Approximately 1049 acres 
• Percent Contained:  51% 
• Cause:  Lightning      
• Vegetation: Brush, Timber and Short Grass 
• Resources: 1 Type 1 Crew, 3 Engines, and additional support personnel 
• Personnel Assigned: 120 

Official fire information: 

Please call (928) 925-1111; or stay up to date on Prescott National Forest news by checking the Prescott NF website and following us on Facebook and Twitter. 

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On Thursday, heat sources along fire containment lines continued to decrease, meaning the heat is naturally diminishing adjacent to the fire containment lines. This allows firefighters to work steadily to increase containment on all fires. New fire starts addressed Wednesday showed minimal heat and no smoke on Thursday. Although the temperature was warm, dry, and breezy, no additional new starts were detected.

Today, crews will continue to scout out and ensure there are no remaining heat sources along containment lines, begin repair work, reestablish jeep trails and roads and redirect water off roads and trails. While there has been a significant leap towards containment of all large fires, firefighters will continue to be ready to respond to any new starts.

Weather: Hot weather in the low 90s, dry fuels and high wind gusts of 25 miles per hour are a concern into the weekend, but firefighters will remain prepared to respond to any new fire starts.

Evacuations: None. For awareness regarding evacuations, familiarization with the Ready, Set, Go evacuation model is encouraged. Community members may also sign up for the Navajo County Alert System at https://tinyurl.com/y4vwrasw.

Smoke: Smoke is very minimal, but may still be visible as pockets of heat continue to subside. For information on smoke and air quality, visit https://www.airnow.gov.

Closures: Highway 60 remains open. The southwest portion of Fort Apache is closed, including all Salt River sites within the closure area.

Fire Restrictions: There are several fire restrictions in place depending on location.
• Fort Apache Agency: Stage 2 Fire Restrictions - No campfire, fireworks, outdoor smoking, debris burning or discharging of firearms. Power saws cannot be used between 10 am and 8 pm. All motorized travel is restricted to developed roads.
• Show Low, Navajo County and Apache Sitgreaves National Forests: Stage 1 Fire Restrictions - No campfires (except in developed recreation sites), no smoking outdoors, no welding, no fireworks. 

Total personnel for all incidents: 407

Cottonwood Ridge Fire Update: Crews will continue to patrol firelines for any remaining heat sources and begin suppression repair work along dozer lines to restore the containment line to a more natural state. Firefighters worked hard to increase containment by 25%, reaching 90% containment on the Cottonwood Ridge Fire Thursday.

Cottonwood Ridge Fire Quick Facts
Acres: 345
Cause: Lightning
Containment: 90%
Start Date: July 23, 2023
Location: 4 miles south of Show Low, AZ
Fuels: Timber, grass, brush

Spoon Fire Update: Fire crews scouting the north edge of the fire containment lines found minimal heat sources Thursday. Crews will begin assessing repair work needed and continue patrolling the fire perimeter for hot spots. Firefighters and equipment will begin repairing dozer and hand lines, and redirect water off roads and trails. Diligent efforts by firefighters increased containment by another 10%, bringing containment on the Spoon Fire up to 45%.

Spoon Fire Quick Facts
Acres: 4,560 acres
Cause: Lightning
Containment: 45%
Start Date: July 24, 2023
Location: 2.5 miles east of Highway 60 between Globe and Show Low, AZ. 11 miles southwest of Cedar Creek
Fuels: Piñyon- Juniper, Manzanita, Grass, Cedar

Snake Ridge Fire Update: Crews patrolled the perimeter of the Snake Ridge Fire and didn’t find any heat sources close to the fireline, so were able to declare the fire 100% contained. 

Snake Ridge Fire Quick Facts
Acres: 42 acres
Cause: Lightning
Containment: 100%
Start Date: July 28, 2023
Location: 11 miles southwest of Show Low, AZ.
Fuels: Grass, Brush

More Information:
Inciweb:
• Cottonwood Ridge: https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident-information/azfta-cottonwood-ridge-fire
• Spoon: https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident-information/azfta-spoon-fire
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BIAFAAFireMgt/

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Despite the hot, dry, and breezy weather Wednesday, crews made steady progress on all fires. Many heat sources within the fire perimeters are slowly burning out, allowing firefighters to mop up and make good progress on containment efforts.

New fires identified yesterday were caught quickly due to rapid initial attack response from firefighters. Two new fires were stopped at one acre. Crews were able to confirm that another new fire has no remaining heat sources. One fire had firefighters rappel out of a helicopter to contain the fire and  nsure no heat sources remained near containment lines. Two additional fires have two crews and engines providing fire response efforts.

Crews will begin repairing damage caused by building containment lines, including water barring areas where the fire is cold to the touch. They will also continue to construct handlines and dozer lines along the fire’s edge.

Weather: Warm weather in the 90s along with dry and breezy conditions are expected in the coming days. The weather continues to provide potential for news fire starts, but firefighters remain ready to respond to any news fires.

Evacuations: None. For awareness regarding evacuations, familiarization with the Ready, Set, Go evacuation model is encouraged. Community members may also sign up for the Navajo County Alert System at https://tinyurl.com/y4vwrasw.

Smoke: Smoke may still be visible as pockets of heat continue to smolder. For information on smoke and air quality, visit https://www.airnow.gov.

Closures: Highway 60 remains open. The southwest portion of Fort Apache is closed, including all Salt River sites within the closure area.

Fire Restrictions: There are several fire restrictions in place depending on location.

Fort Apache Agency: Stage 2 Fire Restrictions

• No campfire, fireworks, outdoor smoking, debris burning or discharging of firearms. Power saws cannot be used between 10 am and 8 pm. All motorized travel is restricted to developed roads.

Show Low, Navajo County and Apache Sitgreaves National Forests: Stage 1 Fire Restrictions

• No campfires (except in developed recreation sites), no smoking outdoors, no welding, no fireworks.

Total personnel for all incidents: 428

Cottonwood Ridge Fire Update: Crews are patrolling the fire perimeter for hotspots, finding few heat sources along established containment lines. Their diligent efforts provided a 15% increase to the fire’s containment, amounting to a total of 65% containment.

Cottonwood Ridge Fire Quick Facts

• Acres: 345
• Cause: Lightning
• Containment: 65%
• Start Date: July 23, 2023
• Location: 4 miles south of Show Low, AZ
• Fuels: Timber, grass, brush

Spoon Fire Update: Fire crews dispersed and detected minimum heat sources along containment lines resulting in the ability to increase the fire’s containment by 10%, amounting to a total of 35% containment. Crews will begin scouting the fire area to identify suppression and repair needs.

Spoon Fire Quick Facts

• Acres: 4,560 acres
• Cause: Lightning
• Containment: 35%
• Start Date: July 24, 2023
• Location: 2.5 miles east of Highway 60 between Globe and Show Low, AZ. 11 miles southwest of Cedar Creek
• Fuels: Piñyon- Juniper, Manzanita, Grass, Cedar

Snake Ridge Fire Update: Crews spread out to patrol the fire for hotspots, like the Cottonwood Ridge and Spoon fires, they found little need for mop up and their efforts provided a substantial 29% increase to the fire’s containment, amounting to a total of 79% containment.

Snake Ridge Fire Quick Facts

• Acres: 42 acres
• Cause: Lightning
• Containment: 79%
• Start Date: July 28, 2023
• Location: 11 miles southwest of Show Low, AZ.
• Fuels: Grass, Brush

More Information:
Inciweb:
Cottonwood Ridge: https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident-information/azfta-cottonwood-ridge-fire
Spoon: https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident-information/azfta-spoon-fire
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BIAFAAFireMgt/

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A map of the Cottonwood Ridge and Snake Ridge Fires August 3 2023.jpg

Masticators (heavy equipment) and fire crews working along the FR132 have completed their task of building control lines. Ongoing efforts to construct the lines up the FR9002W north of Whitehorse community continues. All lines have been completed on the east side of the fire meeting the objectives set early in the fire response. There will be fire crews remaining in the fire area to maintain a presence and patrol for fire activity. Again, the public should be very careful while in the area watching out for fire personnel and equipment still working in the area.

An increasing number and type of aircraft assist fire personnel on the ground during fire suppression. The Grapevine Fire ordered and deployed drones, helicopters, and tankers. Drones were used for observation and infrared heat detection. On July 25, 2023, the day Whitehorse community was evacuated, helicopters carried and dropped over 23,000 gallons for water on the fire. A 737 type medium airtanker flying out of the Prescott Airport alone delivered 102,433 gallons of retardant. Many other tanker aircraft also provided thousands of gallons of retardant during the community evacuation. These aircraft only assist the fire crews on the ground and do not suppress the fire on their own.

Restrictions: The entire Prescott National Forest is under Stage 1 Fire Restrictions which prohibits building, maintaining, attending, or using a fire, campfire, or stove fire, including charcoal and briquettes, outside a structure that is provided by the Forest Service within designated areas for portions of the forest. Under these restrictions, discharging a firearm, air rifle or gas gun, except for persons engaged in legal hunting activities, is prohibited on the Prescott National Forest. Fireworks and the use of exploding targets are always prohibited year-round on national forests. 

Evacuations: For current evacuation information contact the Yavapai County Sheriff’s Office at 928-771-3260 or follow them at https://www.facebook.com/YavapaiCountySheriff.

Fire Details:

• Today's Date: August 3, 2023
• Start Date: Monday, July 21, 2023
• Location: Mingus Mountain, Verde Ranger District (T14N, R2E, SEC 4), approximately 10 miles east of Prescott Valley; 2 miles south of Mingus Spring Ranch
• Fire Size: Approximately 1049 acres
• Cause: Lightning
• Containment: 27%
• Fuels: Brush, timber and short grass
• Personnel Assigned: 197
• Resources Assigned: 1 Type 1 Crew, 2 Type 2 Crews, 6 Engines, 1 Helicopters and additional support personnel 

Official fire Information:
Please call (928)925-1111; or stay up to date on Prescott National Forest news by checking the Prescott NF website and following us on Facebook and Twitter.

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A Burned Area Emergency Response (BAER) Team is being established to begin a burned area assessment of the Grapevine wildfire on the Verde Ranger District. Preliminary evaluation has found no immediate or downstream values at risk, including the community of Whitehorse. Preliminary evaluation also found no immediate or downstream values at risk associated with the 405-acre Racetrack wildfire. Both wildfires burned within natural fire behavior for vegetation types and timing.

BAER assessments are rapid evaluations of the burned area to identify unacceptable risks on National Forest Service (NFS) lands from post-fire threats. The team’s focus is on the emergency actions necessary to protect life and safety, property, and critical natural and cultural resources on NFS lands. The team is working in conjunction with the Yavapai County Flood Control District and shares burned area information from the assessment with other federal, state, and local agencies with post-fire responsibilities on state and private lands both within and downstream of burned areas, including USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), National Weather Service (NWS), and US Geological Survey (USGS).

BAER teams consist of scientists and specialists including hydrologists, geologists, soil scientists, engineers, botanists, biologists, archaeologists, and geographic information specialists. The teams collect data during ground surveys and complete GIS and modeling to evaluate the post-fire risks. The first step in the BAER assessment process is taking satellite imagery and data collected during ground surveys to produce a soil burn severity map. The soil burn severity provides the baseline information to determine changed watershed conditions for assessing potential watershed impacts from wildfires, such as flooding and unstable soils. This information is then compiled to determine if post fire emergency conditions are present. The order of emergency response strategies includes natural recovery, administrative closure, then land treatments if unacceptable risks are identified. Everyone near and downstream from the Grapevine Fire burned area should remain alert and stay updated on weather conditions that may result in heavy rains over the area. Flash flooding could
occur quickly during heavy rain events.

REMINDER: The Grapevine Fire Area Closure has just been lifted and there is still heavy equipment working throughout the area. Detailed information and maps are available on InciWeb at: https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident-information/azpnf-2023-grapevine-fire

Monsoon storms yesterday (Tuesday, August 1) required fire crews to take protective actions to stay safe by disengaging from suppression activities. Priority is being placed to complete needed action to turn the fire over to the Prescott National Forest. Fire Crews are continuing the process of constructing control lines and suppression repair around the fire area. These actions include mitigation of infrastructure, roads, bar ditches and any damage to the surrounding areas effected by fire suppression activities.

Fire Closure Terminated:  At 5:00 pm today, Wednesday August 2, 2023, the closure along FR104 and FR413 will be terminated. The roads will be open to the public while heavy equipment remains working through the weekend. The public is reminded to use extreme caution while driving in the area.  Safety personnel will be on site to protect the fire crews as well as the public.

Restrictions: The entire Prescott National Forest is under Stage 1 Fire Restrictions which prohibits building, maintaining, attending, or using a fire, campfire, or stove fire, including charcoal and briquettes, outside a structure that is provided by the Forest Service within designated areas for portions of the forest. Under these restrictions, discharging a firearm, air rifle or gas gun, except for persons engaged in legal hunting activities, is prohibited on the Prescott National Forest. Fireworks and the use of exploding targets are always prohibited year-round on national forests.

Evacuations: For current evacuation information contact the Yavapai County Sheriff’s Office at 928-771-3260 or follow them at https://www.facebook.com/YavapaiCountySheriff. 

Fire details:

• Today's Date: August 2, 2023
• Start Date: Monday, July 21, 2023
• Location: Mingus Mountain, Verde Ranger District (T14N, R2E, SEC 4), approximately 10 miles east of Prescott Valley; 2 miles south of Mingus Spring Ranch
• Fire Size: Approximately 1049 acres
• Cause: Lightning
• Containment: 19%
• Fuels: Brush, timber and short grass
• Personnel Assigned: 221
• Resources Assigned: 1 Type 1 Crew, 3 Type 2 Crews, 4 Engines, 1 Helicopter and additional support personnel

Official fire information:
Please call (928) 925-1111; or stay up to date on Prescott National Forest news by checking the Prescott NF website and following us on Facebook and Twitter.

A map of the Grapevine Fire August 2 2023.png

Monday’s rainfall helped the crews with gaining containment of the fires, but the accompanying thunderstorms resulted in nine additional new fire starts on Fort Apache. Five of the new fires are currently being managed by the Bureau of Indian Affairs. The Southwest Area Incident Management Team 5 (SWA IMT 5) is assisting with the remaining four.

The new starts include a two-acre fire southwest of the Snake Ridge Fire. A dozer in the area quickly constructed fireline around the entire perimeter, while air resources dropped buckets of water on heat sources. A separate new start was contained. Smoke was spotted about four miles north of the incident command post along highway 60 and crews responded.

With the dry fuels, higher temperatures and low relative humidity forecasted in the coming days, we are expecting possible new starts and have firefighters ready for initial attack response.

Weather: Warmer and drier weather is expected on Wednesday, with only isolated thunderstorms and
showers.

Evacuations: None. Residents and visitors should take time to become familiar with the Ready, Set, Go evacuation model.

Sign up for the Navajo County Alert System at https://tinyurl.com/y4vwrasw.

Smoke: Smoke may still be visible as pockets of heat continue to smolder. For information on smoke and
air quality, visit https://www.airnow.gov.

Closures: Highway 60 remains open. The southwest portion of Fort Apache is closed, including all Salt
River sites within the closure area.

Fire Restrictions: There are several fire restrictions in place depending on location.

• Fort Apache Agency: Stage 2 Fire Restrictions No campfire, fireworks, outdoor smoking, debris burning or discharging of firearms. Power saws cannot be used between 10 am and 8 pm. All motorized travel is restricted to developed roads.
• Show Low, Navajo County and Apache Sitgreaves National Forests: Stage 1 Fire Restrictions. No campfires (except in developed recreation sites), no smoking outdoors, no welding, no fireworks.

Total personnel for all incidents: 418

Cottonwood Ridge Fire Update: Crews are continuing to work on improving firelines, mopping up areas and seeking out hotspots. Due to the lack of visible smoke, hotspots continue to be difficult to find by crews.

Cottonwood Ridge Fire Quick Facts

Acres: 345
Cause: Lightning
Containment: 50%
Start Date: July 23, 2023
Location: 4 miles south of Show Low, AZ
Fuels: Timber, grass, brush

Spoon Fire Update: Fire crews detected minimum heat along the containment line of the fire, allowing them to increase containment on a small area of the fire along the hook on the southwest side of the fire. A dozer line was constructed above the northeast side of the fire, should it move to the north.

Spoon Fire Quick Facts

Acres: 4,560 acres
Cause: Lightning
Containment: 25%
Start Date: July 24, 2023
Location: 2.5 miles east of Highway 60 between Globe and Show Low, AZ. 11 miles southwest of Cedar Creek
Fuels: Piñyon- Juniper, Manzanita, Grass, Cedar

Snake Ridge Fire Update: The crews did great work on the fire yesterday with progress on mop up and line securement, resulting in an increase of containment by 25%. The fire is now 50% contained. Firefighters will continue to seek out hotspots and secure fireline to increase containment.

Snake Ridge Fire Quick Facts

Acres: 42 acres
Cause: Lightning
Containment: 50%
Start Date: July 28, 2023
Location: 11 miles southwest of Show Low, AZ.
Fuels: Grass, Brush

More Information:
Inciweb:
• Cottonwood Ridge: https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident-information/azfta-cottonwood-ridge-fire
• Spoon: https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident-information/azfta-spoon-fire
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BIAFAAFireMgt/

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Take Action

• Drive as little as possible: carpool, use public transit, or telecommute. For information on transportation alternatives, visit Valley Metro: www.ShareTheRide.com.
• Fuel your vehicle after dark or during cooler evening hours.
• Reduce your time waiting in long drive-thru lines. For example, at coffee shops, fast-food restaurants, or banks. Park your vehicle and go inside.
• Use low-VOCs (volatile organic compounds) or water-based paints, stains, finishes and paint strippers.
• Delay big painting projects until HPAs have passed.
• Make sure containers of household cleaners, garage and yard chemicals and other solvents are sealed properly to prevent vapors from evaporating into the air.
• Eliminate wood burning in fireplaces, stoves, chimeneas, and outdoor fire pits.
• Avoid using leaf blowers. Use a rake or broom to keep debris out of the road and away from storm drains, ditches, and streams.
• Conserve electricity.

Restrictions

• Wood burning in residential fireplaces, chimeneas, outdoor fire pits, and similar outdoor fires is prohibited in Maricopa County. This includes individuals and businesses which have burn permits for open burning.
• Employees and contractors of government entities are prohibited from operating leaf blowers. Residents are encouraged to avoid leaf blowing.
• Off-road vehicle use should be avoided.

Transportation Coordinators

Due to unhealthy levels of ozone, Maricopa County Air Quality Department requests all Transportation Coordinators to email employees and activate your HPA plans. The department encourages the use of alternative modes of transportation, especially when pollution levels are expected to be on the rise.

Remind employees that they are encouraged to make more clean air. By taking small, simple steps every day, we can all make a difference. Additional tips on how to reduce air pollution can be found at www.CleanAirMakeMore.com.

Ozone: Ground level ozone is formed by a chemical reaction that needs heat from sunlight, nitrogen oxides and VOCs to form. The months of April through September make up our Valley’s longer-than-normal "ozone season."

"High Pollution Advisory" or "HPA" means the highest concentration of pollution may exceed the federal health standard. Active children, adults and people with lung disease such as asthma should reduce prolonged or heavy outdoor exertion. Maricopa County employers enlisted in the Travel Reduction Program are asked to activate their HPA plans on high pollution advisory days.

The last several days of rain and higher humidity have kept fire activity minimal. Hotspots may still exist, and some areas may become active again toward the end of the week as fuels dry out. Lightning in the area has ignited at least one snag, and firefighters will be on the lookout for additional new starts. The rain and humidity will help fuels absorb moisture, which can reduce the chance of rapid fire growth.

Weather: On Monday, multiple storm systems moved into the area with rain falling over both the Cottonwood Ridge and Snake Ridge fires helping fuels to absorb moisture. This weather system is expected to continue on Tuesday, which will help keep fire activity minimal and decrease the chances of fire activity increasing when the area begins to dry out again at the end of the week.

Evacuations: None. Residents and visitors should take time to become familiar with the Ready, Set, Go evacuation model. These steps help you to be READY in the event of an emergency by preparing now. Additionally, sign up for the Navajo County Alert System at https://tinyurl.com/y4vwrasw.

Smoke: Rain and humidity area keeping fire behavior to a minimum and there is no smoke currently visible. This may change as the area dries out as the week progresses. The Spoon Fire may have isolated pockets of heat and smoke. Please slow down when traveling through smoky areas. For information on smoke and air quality visit https://www.airnow.gov.

Closures: Highway 60 remains open. The southwest portion of Fort Apache is closed, including all Salt River sites within the closure area.

Fire Restrictions: There are several fire restrictions in place depending on location.
Fort Apache Agency: Stage 2 Fire Restrictions

• No campfire, fireworks, outdoor smoking, debris burning or discharging of firearms. Power saws cannot be used between 10 am and 8 pm. All motorized travel is restricted to developed roads.

Show Low, Navajo County and Apache Sitgreaves National Forests: Stage 1 Fire Restrictions

• No campfires (except in developed recreation sites), no smoking outdoors, no welding, no fireworks.

Total personnel for all incidents: 392

Cottonwood Ridge Fire Update: Crews continue to improve firelines, mop up areas, and seek out hotspots. Hotspots can be more difficult to find because of the recent rains and lack of smoke. Work will continue around the northern edge of the fire, as weather conditions allow.

Cottonwood Ridge Fire Quick Facts

• Acres: 345
• Cause: Lightning
• Containment: 50%
• Start Date: July 23, 2023
• Location: 4 miles south of Show Low, AZ
• Fuels: Timber, grass, brush

Spoon Fire Update: The Spoon Fire received the least amount of rain on Monday, as weather systems moved into the area around 5 p.m. This allowed firefighters to make progress on fireline construction. Air resources were mostly grounded due to weather storms in the area. Crews will continue to construct and secure fireline using hand crews and dozers, focusing on the west and south edges. The southern portion of the fire will have the highest chance of showing heat again as the weather warms and dries
heading into Thursday and Friday this week.

Spoon Fire Quick Facts

• Acres: 4,560 acres
• Cause: Lightning
• Containment: 25%
• Start Date: July 24, 2023
• Location: 2.5 miles east of Highway 60 between Globe and Show Low, AZ. 11 miles southwest of Cedar Creek
• Fuels: Piñyon- Juniper, Manzanita, Grass, Cedar

Snake Ridge Fire Update: Crews were able to make some progress on mop up and line securing operations before being pulled from the line due to weather on Monday. Firefighters will continue to seek out hotspots and secure fire line to increase containment.

Snake Ridge Fire Quick Facts

• Acres: 42 acres
• Cause: Lightning
• Containment: 25%
• Start Date: July 28, 2023
• Location: 11 miles southwest of Show Low, AZ.
• Fuels: Grass, Brush

Mustang Ridge Fire Update: The Mustang Fire has reached 100% containment and will continue to be monitored by air.

More Information:
Inciweb:
• Cottonwood Ridge: https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident-information/azfta-cottonwood-ridge-fire
• Spoon: https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident-information/azfta-spoon-fire
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BIAFAAFireMgt/

A map of the Cottonwood Ridge Fire August 1 2023.jpg

Great news, the fire area received up to a ¼ inch of rain and some parts of Mingus Mountain received 2 inches. Fire crews completed protection of Mingus Mountain Academy. Additional control lines are being constructed just north of the Whitehorse community along FR9002W using a combination of hand tools, heavy equipment. Heavy equipment and crews are still working on a protective line along FR132 and improving existing lines along the east side of the fire. An inferred flight has shown some heat sources in the interior and along the northern boundary; and very little heat  nearTex Canyon. The monsoons are continuing to be a safety concern for fire personnel as the push forward building lines.

Over the next few days, the Incident Management Team will continue to release resources. This process is known as right-sizing the organization. Crews will be released from the fire as objectives are accomplished and made available to assist with other wildfires in the southwest.   

Restrictions: The entire Prescott National Forest is under Stage 1 Fire Restrictions which prohibits building, maintaining, attending, or using a fire, campfire, or stove fire, including charcoal and briquettes, outside a structure that is provided by the Forest Service within designated areas for portions of the forest. Under these restrictions, discharging a firearm, air rifle or gas gun, except for persons engaged in legal hunting activities, is prohibited on the Prescott National Forest. Fireworks and the use of exploding targets are always prohibited year-round on national forests.

Evacuations: For current evacuation information contact the Yavapai County Sheriff’s Office at (928) 771-3260 or follow them at https://www.facebook.com/YavapaiCountySheriff.

Closures: Prescott National Forest Roads along the route beginning at the junction of FR104 and FR143 and extending ¼ mile on either side of FR413 to junction of FR132 then along FR132 to the junction of County Rd 75, Cherry Creek Road.

Fire details:

• Today's Date: August 1, 2023
• Start Date: Monday, July 21, 2023
• Location: Mingus Mountain, Verde Ranger District (T14N, R2E, SEC 4), approximately 10 miles east of Prescott Valley; 2 miles south of Mingus Spring Ranch
• Fire Size: Approximately 1049 acres
• Cause: Lightning
• Containment: 7%
• Fuels: Brush, timber and short grass
• Personnel Assigned: 304
• Resources Assigned: 1 Type 1 Crew, 5 Type 2 Crews, 12 Engines, 1 Helicopters and additional support personnel

Official fire information:
Please call (928) 925-1111; or stay up to date on Prescott National Forest news by checking the Prescott NF website and following us on Facebook and Twitter.

A map of the Grapevine Fire August 1 2023.png

Lightning associated with monsoon storms continues to send wildland firefighting resources in all directions picking up new starts across the state, including the approximately 5,000-acre Treadway Fire located within the Black Mountains in Graham County.

On Saturday, July 29, two fires – the 2-acre Black Mountain and 20-acre Treadway Fires – started roughly 18 miles north of Safford and within two miles of each other. By Sunday, the terrain and wind-driven fires merged together with the incident now being referred to as the Treadway Fire. The fire pushed northeast through the afternoon yesterday, onto the San Carlos Reservation, and into flatter country where a hotshot crew engaged and conducted burnout operations along the north and northeast sides of the fire. That overnight operation was successful and they continued their efforts today burning out along existing roads and washes within the reservation as part of suppression efforts. A Department of Forestry and Fire Management (DFFM) hand crew and heavy aircraft took the southern end of the fire this morning and worked in conjunction to establish containment line on that side. Retardant usage was effective today within grass and brush and helped slow the fire’s spread. However, on the northwest side of the fire, and due to erratic winds, the fire pushed out to the northwest toward Slaughter Mountain. With more rugged terrain on that side, crews must wait for the fire to come out and into flat ground before they can safely engage. Aircraft will be used, if necessary, on Tuesday to help slow the fire’s progression on that northwest side until crews can safely begin suppression efforts. Air Attack (AA) has been requested for tomorrow to provide aerial reconnaissance and a more accurate size up.

Dry lightning and erratic winds associated with monsoon storms are complicating firefighting efforts by creating very extreme fire activity over the last 48 hours. On Sunday, two Large Air Tankers (LATs), six Single Engine Air Tankers (SEATs), and one helicopter worked the fire for a few hours before being released by operations because their efforts were ineffective. The fires were burning separately at that time and both pushed through retardant lines and eventually merged. The Treadway Fire is not threatening any cultural values, infrastructure or structures at this time.

For more information, contact Tiffany Davila at (602) 540-1036 or by email at [email protected]

Take Action

• Drive as little as possible: carpool, use public transit, or telecommute. For information on transportation alternatives, visit Valley Metro: www.ShareTheRide.com.
• Fuel your vehicle after dark or during cooler evening hours.
• Reduce your time waiting in long drive-thru lines. For example, at coffee shops, fast-food restaurants, or banks. Park your vehicle and go inside.
• Use low-VOCs (volatile organic compounds) or water-based paints, stains, finishes and paint strippers.
• Delay big painting projects until HPAs have passed.
• Make sure containers of household cleaners, garage and yard chemicals and other solvents are sealed properly to prevent vapors from evaporating into the air.
• Eliminate wood burning in fireplaces, stoves, chimeneas, and outdoor fire pits.
• Avoid using leaf blowers. Use a rake or broom to keep debris out of the road and away from storm drains, ditches, and streams.
• Conserve electricity.

Restrictions

• Wood burning in residential fireplaces, chimeneas, outdoor fire pits, and similar outdoor fires is prohibited in Maricopa County. This includes individuals and businesses which have burn permits for open burning.
• Employees and contractors of government entities are prohibited from operating leaf blowers. Residents are encouraged to avoid leaf blowing.
• Off-road vehicle use should be avoided.

Transportation Coordinators

Due to unhealthy levels of ozone, Maricopa County Air Quality Department requests all Transportation Coordinators to email employees and activate your HPA plans. The department encourages the use of alternative modes of transportation, especially when pollution levels are expected to be on the rise.

Remind employees that they are encouraged to make more clean air. By taking small, simple steps every day, we can all make a difference. Additional tips on how to reduce air pollution can be found at www.CleanAirMakeMore.com.

Ozone: Ground level ozone is formed by a chemical reaction that needs heat from sunlight, nitrogen oxides and VOCs to form. The months of April through September make up our Valley’s longer-than-normal "ozone season."

"High Pollution Advisory" or "HPA" means the highest concentration of pollution may exceed the federal health standard. Active children, adults and people with lung disease such as asthma should reduce prolonged or heavy outdoor exertion. Maricopa County employers enlisted in the Travel Reduction Program are asked to activate their HPA plans on high pollution advisory days.