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#JohnsonFire #AZ #AZPNF http://bit.ly/2nsYXhD  Johnson Fire: Johnson Fire - September 28, 2019

#TelephoneFire #AZ #AZASF http://bit.ly/2nl9lry  Telephone Fire: new photos have been uploaded to this incident

#IkesFire #AZ #AZGCP http://bit.ly/2Yx8QeP  Ikes Fire: new maps have been uploaded to this incident

#IkesFire #AZ #AZGCP http://bit.ly/2nmTZ5K  Ikes Fire: Ikes Fire Grows, Helicopters to Assist

The Bureau of Land Management’s (BLM) Gila District announced today that the Aravaipa Veterans Fire Crew has achieved certification as an Interagency Hotshot Crew (IHC). Of the 13 BLM IHCs nationwide, the Aravaipa Veterans Interagency Hotshot Crew is the only BLM-funded hotshot crew in Arizona, and only one of two BLM IHCs in the nation focused on recruiting and developing veterans.

“We’re proud of the Aravaipa Crew’s accomplishments and the continued efforts to develop a workforce of Veterans,” said Gila District Manager Scott Feldhausen. “This hard working and highly skilled crew is now a part of the elite fire resources available to fight fires not only in Arizona, but nationally and abroad.”

Interagency Hotshot Crews are the most highly trained and experienced type of hand crews and they must meet and maintain stringent requirements to achieve the IHC status. Their primary mission is to provide a safe, professional, mobile response to all phases of fire management and incident operations. IHCs are staffed, conditioned, equipped and qualified to meet a variety of strategic and tactical wildland fire assignments, and they are typically relied upon for the most challenging fire assignments. When not committed to fire assignments, IHCs provide a workforce to accomplish a variety of resource management objectives while maintaining availability for incident mobilization.

In 2016, the BLM Arizona fire organization requested that the Aravaipa Veterans Crew begin the process to be certified as an IHC. Over the subsequent two years, the Aravaipa Veterans Crew took steps, including multiple fire deployments across the West, to meet the IHC requirements before being formally certified at the national level.

The Aravaipa Veterans IHC will provide an opportunity for veterans to work in a team environment and build skills and experience. Team members will also learn about opportunities to work for and become competitive for employment with the Federal Government in other natural resource arenas.

Information and Photos of Aravaipa Veterans IHC are available at: https://www.blm.gov/arizona/fire/aravaipa-crew.

In an effort to stop the Ikes Fire’s progression to the north, fire managers will utilize helicopter bucket drops in Quaking Aspen Canyon. The 11,000-acre lightning caused wildfire which is located on the North Rim of Grand Canyon National Park and the North Kaibab Ranger District of the Kaibab National Forest became active last week during a wind event that produced wind gusts to 45 mph.

Additional resources including two heavy-lift helicopters have been brought in to assist with the firefighting efforts. The helicopters will utilize water from the Colorado River to drop on the fire to halt its spread ahead of another wind event forecasted to impact the area starting Friday and lasting through the weekend and into next week.

The majority of efforts will be focused on the northwestern edge of the fire’s perimeter below the rim located in the Grand Canyon National Park. The goal is to reduce the potential for fire, that is currently burning in drainages below the Rainbow Rim trail, to burn onto the rim and into the Kaibab National Forest. Fire managers will continue to evaluate safe and effective options and strategies to limit or stop fire spread.

To ensure public and firefighter safety, the temporary closure area of the Ikes Fire on the North Kaibab Ranger District will be expanded to include the roads, trails and viewpoints in the Rainbow Rim Trail area. Areas in the expanded closure include:

• Parissawampitts Point
• Fence Point
• Locust Point
• North Timp Point
• Timp Point
• Stina Point

Highway 67 and the North Rim Village, North Rim Lodge and businesses are open. However, some road and trail closures are in effect for the Ikes Fire area within Grand Canyon National Park. Due to the fire change, the following roads and trails are closed on the North Rim:

• Powell Plateau Trail
• North Bass Trail
• Fire Point
• Swamp Point
• W4 road north of the intersection of the W4 and W1 Roads.

Smoke from the Ikes Fire, along with other wildfires in the area, will be visible and may cause impacts. Visitors traveling to the area should be aware of possible smoke along Highway 67. Visitors are asked to drive carefully and turn headlights on for safety. For local air quality and related information, please visit the following websites: www.airnow.gov or the Smoke Management Division of the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality at https://azdeq.gov/SmokeManagemet.

More information can be found at InciWeb at https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/6475/. Visit www.nps.gov/grca/learn/management/firemanagement.htm for additional information about wildland fire at Grand Canyon National Park.

For information about the Kaibab National Forest, visit www.fs.usda.gov/kaibab or @KaibabNF on Facebook and Twitter.

 

Summary: This will be the final update from the Southwest Area Incident Management Team #3. Saturday, September 28 at 6:00 am the team will be transferring command of the fire back to the Prescott National Forest comprised of crews and overhead, many of whom have been fighting the fire since its inception, insuring continuity in strategies and objectives.

Moderate to heavy rain considerably cooled the remaining heat in denser fuels yesterday, allowing fire fighters to pivot away from full suppression efforts to a monitor status. Weather concerns, road conditions and fire weakened tree hazards will keep crews outside the fire perimeter throughout today as heat and fire activity continue to diminish. Fire crews and resources are continuing to be released, as weather conditions continue to be favorable.  

Resources: 2-Engines, 1 Crew, 1 Helicopter, and miscellaneous medical resources and overhead personnel.

Campground Update: Upper Wolf Creek Group Campground and all designated dispersed camping sites in the southern portion of the Prescott Basin will re-open today, Friday September 27, 2019.  Lower Wolf Creek Campground will remain closed for the season.

In the interest of safety, the public is asked to not travel in the vicinity of Ponderosa Park, Lower Wolf Creek, and the community of Potato Patch as firefighters and fire-related traffic will be traveling in the area. Avoiding these areas will allow firefighters to work and travel safely during suppression operations.

For further information please visit or call the following:

• Fire Information: (928) 925-1111

• Twitter: @PrescottNF

• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/PrescottNF/

• Inciweb: https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/6608/Location: 8 miles south of Prescott, AZ on the Bradshaw Ranger District (T12N, R2W, S16)

Start Date: September 27th

Size: 166 acres

Percent Contained: 66%

Cause: Under Investigation

Vegetation: Brush, Pinyon and Timber

Incident Commander: Dave Gesser, Type 2 SW Incident Management Team #3

#JohnsonFire #AZ #AZPNF http://bit.ly/2nhI4WM  Johnson Fire: Johnson Fire Update - September 27, 2019

#SaberFire #AZ #AZCOF http://bit.ly/2Trx7xU  Saber Fire: Saber Fire is 100% contained and will show very little smoke. Occasional pockets of

#WhiskeyFire #AZ #AZCOF http://bit.ly/2HQ8SFm  Whiskey Fire: Whiskey Fire is in patrol status and will have occasional smoke from drying fue

Crews continued to build direct handline on the perimeter of the fire yesterday, resulting in  significant increase in containment. The fire is currently 166 acres, with 46% containment.  The reduction in acreage is due to more accurate mapping. Crews on the ground were able to walk to entire perimeter to obtain an exact fire size. Crews will monitor the fire today, allowing overnight rains to assist in suppressing heat in the fire area. Scattered showers will continue over the fire area throughout the day today. Crews will mop up and continue improving containment lines as conditions allow.  



Resources: 5-Engines, 2-Dozers, 1-Type 2 Crew, 3-Type 1 Crews, 2-Type 3 Helicopters, and miscellaneous overhead personnel. Air resources will be ordered as necessary.



Campground Update: Upper Wolf Creek Group Campground will be open on Friday September 27, 2019.  Lower Wolf Creek Campground will remain closed for the season. All designated dispersed camping sites in the southern portion of the Prescott Basin will re-open on Friday September 27, 2019.  



In the interest of safety, the public is asked to not travel in the vicinity of Ponderosa Park, Lower Wolf Creek, and the community of Potato Patch as firefighters and fire-related traffic will be traveling in the area. Avoiding these areas will allow firefighters to work and travel safely during suppression operations.

Location: 8 miles south of Prescott, AZ on the Bradshaw Ranger District (T12N, R2W, S16)

Start Date: September 22, 2019

Size: 166 acres

Percent Contained: 46%

Cause: Under Investigation

Vegetation: Brush, Pinyon and Timber



Incident Commander: Dave Gesser, Type 2 SW Incident Management Team #3



For further information please visit or call the following:

Fire Information: (928) 925-1111

• Twitter: @PrescottNF
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/PrescottNF/
• Inciweb: https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/6608/

         

#JohnsonFire #AZ #AZPNF http://bit.ly/2lqCm4C  Johnson Fire: Johnson Fire Update – September 26, 2019

Campfire, smoking and target shooting restrictions on the Tonto National Forest have been lifted, effective at 8:00 a.m. on Wednesday, September 24, 2019. The fire restrictions, which covered the entire forest, are no longer needed because fire danger has been reduced by recent rain and increased humidity levels. Campfires and smoking are now allowed throughout the forest. Target shooting is also once again allowed in dispersed areas where it can be conducted safely, but remains prohibited in areas close to homes and developed recreations areas of the Tonto National Forest. 

Forest Supervisor Neil Bosworth extended his thanks to the public during the extended fire restrictions which began in June. “We want to thank everyone for their compliance while restrictions were in effect. It was an exceptionally dry summer monsoon, and we appreciate everyone’s efforts to prevent wildfires.” 

Please continue to help prevent wildfires by:

• Making sure your campfire is completely out. If it is too hot to touch, it is too hot to leave. 
• Checking safety chains before heading out to make sure they are not dragging on the road. 
• Maintaining spark arrestors and not running power equipment on windy days. 
• Parking a vehicle over barren soil. Dead grass could be ignited by a hot catalytic converter. 

Following these simple tips prevents sparks, which could mean one less wildfire. 

For more information, visit the Tonto website at www.fs.usda.gov/tonto or call (602) 225-5200. 

#JohnsonFire #AZ #AZPNF http://bit.ly/2l6YhNR  Johnson Fire: new photos have been uploaded to this incident

#JohnsonFire #AZ #AZPNF http://bit.ly/2msBj46  Johnson Fire: new maps have been uploaded to this incident

#JohnsonFire #AZ #AZPNF http://bit.ly/2l5U5hr  Johnson Fire: Johnson Fire Update Sept 25, 2019

The 210 acre Surprise Fire in the Granite Basin Recreation Area is now 80 percent contained; with no additional growth.  Firefighters will continue to patrol and closely monitor the fire.   

All recreation sites in Granite Basin Recreation are open to the public including Yavapai Campground, Trail #349, Balancing Rock Trail and Trail #350, Surprise Spring Trail.  Forest visitors entering the fire area should proceed with caution and be aware of any post-fire hazards such as burning stump holes.  

The public can obtain additional information via the following:

• Prescott NF Fire Information:  (928) 925-1111
• Prescott NF Forest Website: http://www.fs.usda.gov/prescott/
• Twitter:  https://twitter.com/prescottnf  
• Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/PrescottNF/
• Bradshaw Ranger District:  (929) 443-8000

 

Summary: Crews arrived on the scene of the fire Tuesday morning and worked to secure the perimeter on the north side of the fire. Crews will return to the fire today, continuing to construct direct fire line and mop up heat along the fire perimeter. Recent precipitation assisted firefighters by extinguishing heat in lighter fuels, but significant heat remains in heavier fuels, mainly on the north side of the fire where crews will concentrate suppression efforts. High overnight humidity continues to keep fire behavior at a minimum. Crews are monitoring current and forecasted weather conditions, including the chance of additional precipitation over the fire late this afternoon and evening.

The Southwest Incident Management Team 3 assumed command of the fire Sept 24th at 0600 as management of the incident transitioned to a Type 2 Team. The objectives of the team include public and firefighter safety and protecting communities near the fire area. Challenges facing the team include difficult access and terrain, working in an area with heavy fuel loads, and active mining operations.

Resources: 5-Engines, 2-Dozers, 1-Type 2 Crew, 5-Type 1 Crews, 2-Type 3 Helicopters, air attack aircraft and miscellaneous overhead personnel. Air resources will be ordered as necessary.

Closures: South end Ponderosa Park to Lower Wolf Creek; Lower Wolf Creek to Senator Highway; Senator Highway (Forest Road 52) from Sky Y Camp at End of the Pavement to Palace Station.

Evacuations: Yavapai County Sheriff’s Department has lifted the evacuation for the residents located in the Look Out Mountain/Maverick Mountain Area. For assistance or questions please call (928) 771-3260.

In the interest of safety, the public is asked to not travel in the vicinity of Ponderosa Park, Lower Wolf Creek, and the community of Potato Patch as firefighters and fire-related traffic will be traveling in the area. Avoiding these areas will allow firefighters to work and travel safely during suppression operations.

For further information please visit or call the following:

• Fire Information: (928) 925-1111
• Twitter: @PrescottNF
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/PrescottNF/
• Inciweb: https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/6608/

Location: 8 miles south of Prescott, AZ on the Bradshaw Ranger District (T12N, R2W, S16)

Start Date: September 22, 2019

Size: Approximately 210 acres

Percent Contained: 0

Cause: Under Investigation

Vegetation: Brush, Pinyon and Timber

Incident Commander: Dave Gesser, Type 2 SW Incident Management Team #3

 

#JohnsonFire #AZ #AZPNF http://bit.ly/2msBj46  Johnson Fire: new maps have been uploaded to this incident

Fire activity and growth stalled yesterday as predicted thundershowers materialized over the fire area. However, the rainfall was insufficient in reducing the fire’s potential as only 1⁄4” of precipitation fell over the fire. Fire crews continued scouting for placement of containment lines and safe access routes. Rugged terrain and inclement weather challenged fire crews on the ground. 

The Southwest Incident Management Team 3 assumed command of the fire this morning at 0600 as management of the incident transitioned to a Type 2 Team. The objectives of the team include public and firefighter safety and protecting communities near the fire area. Challenges facing the team include working in an area with heavy fuel loads and active mining operations. 

 

Resources: 9 - Engines, 2 – Dozers, 1 – Type 2 Crew, 2 – Type 3 Helicopters, air attack aircraft and miscellaneous overhead personnel. Resources arriving today: 5 – Type 1 Hotshots Crews, 2 – Helicopters, and air tankers as needed. 

 

Closures: South end Ponderosa Park to Lower Wolf Creek; Lower Wolf Creek to Senator Highway; Senator Highway (Forest Road 52) from Sky Y Camp at End of the Pavement to Palace Station. 

 

Evacuations: Yavapai County Sheriff’s Department has lifted the evacuation for the residents located in the Look Out Mountain/Maverick Mountain Area. For assistance or questions please call (928) 771-3260. 

In the interest of safety, the public is asked to not travel in the vicinity of Ponderosa Park, Lower Wolf Creek, and the community of Potato Patch as firefighters and fire-related traffic will be traveling in the area. 

 

Johnson Fire overview

Location: 8 miles south of Prescott, AZ on the Bradshaw Ranger District (T12N, R2W, S16) 

Start Date: September 22nd 

Size: Approximately 187 acres 

Percent Contained: 0 

Cause: Under Investigation 

Vegetation: Brush, Pinyon and Timber

 

For further information please visit or call the following:

• Fire Information: (928) 925-1111 

• Twitter: @PrescottNF 

• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/PrescottNF/ 

• Inciweb: https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/6608/