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Southwest Area Type 1 Incident Management Team 2 will transfer command of the Bighorn Fire to Northern Rockies Type 1 Incident Management Team 1 tomorrow, June 22, at 6PM. The teams will hold a joint virtual community meeting streamed via Facebook Live at facebook.com/bighorn at 8PM tomorrow, Monday night, June 22. 

Crews are preparing to conduct additional burnout operations tonight between the communities of Oracle and Saddlebrooke to buffer against fire burning on Samaniego Ridge and in Cargodera Canyon. On Mt. Lemmon, firefighters initiated burnout operations starting at Radio Ridge moving toward Summerhaven along the wilderness boundary. This burnout will continue into the evening. Additionally, crews are setting up pumps and sprinklers around structures in the area of Willow Canyon as a contingency measure. Fire managers do not anticipate the fire in Ventana Canyon will have much, if any movement. Crews will patrol the area tonight to monitor the fire upslope.

Fire information:

• Acres: 51,628 
• Percent Containment: 16%
• Start Date: June 5, 2020
• Cause: Lightning
• Origin Location: Santa Catalina Mountains
• Personnel: 969
• Injuries: 3 minor heat-related illnesses
• Jurisdiction: Coronado National Forest, including portions of the Pusch Ridge Wilderness
• Resources: 7 hotshot crews, 14 Type 2 hand crews, 2 Type 1 engines, 28 Type 3 engines, 5 Type 4 engines, 17 Type 5 engines, 25 Type 6 engines, 5 Type 1 helicopters, 1 Type 2 helicopter, 2 Type 3 helicopters, 19 water tenders, 6 bulldozers

Evacuation information:

GO - Evacuate

• Mt. Bigelow & Lower Soldier HOA
• Community of Summerhaven
• Willow Canyon
• Peppersauce Canyon to Highjinks Road and Campo Bonito

SET – Be Alert

• Community of Oracle
• Portions of East Golder Ranch
• Catalina Foothills between Alvernon Way and Sabino Canyon Road, North of Skyline Drive

READY – Prepare Now

• Oro Valley area from Catalina State Park south to Magee Road
• Tucson foothills area from First Avenue east to Alvernon Way

Sign up for emergency alerts at myalerts.pima.gov and Pinal County alerts at pinalcountyaz.gov/emergencymanagement.

Closures: The Coronado National Forest closure order includes Sabino and Bear Canyons. Catalina State Park is closed. View the closure orders and maps at inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/closures/6741/.

Catalina Highway is closed to the public at milepost zero. Only residents and business owners may pass. Oracle Control Road is closed.

Fire Information Phone Line: (520) 276-8981 and (520) 329-7439, 8AM-8PM

Media Phone Line: (520) 329-7640, 8AM-8PM

Saturday’s weather continued with warm temperatures, light winds, low humidity, and active fire behavior. Interior pockets of unburned fuel remain inside the perimeter and were observed creating afternoon smoke columns. The containment percentage changed by the end of the day indicative of firefighter’s progress.

The northern portions of the fire remained active. However, work by firefighters continued to restrict the fire’s spread. Bull dozers and mastication aided in widening contingency fire breaks along both Winter and House Rock Roads. Other portions of the fire were in patrol, improve, and mop up status while fire fighters watched for spot fires outside the perimeter.

Today’s weather forecast continues warm and dry. Firefighters will continue to hold and secure fire lines and anchor points around various portions of the fire while exercising continuous vigilance for spot fires. Preparations are in place if the fire continues east towards House Rock Valley.

Fire information:

• Size: 66,294 acres
• Containment: 23%
• Cause: Under Investigation
• Location: Origin 30 Miles SE of Fredonia
• Total Personnel: 677 Incident

​​​​​​​Closures: Highway 89A is closed from Mile Post 545 near the Cliff Dwellings to Fredonia. Businesses remain open in Marble Canyon and Vermillion Cliffs. Highway 67 from Jacob Lake to the North Rim of Grand Canyon National Park is also closed. Due to the road closures, the North Rim of the Grand Canyon National Park is presently inaccessible. The South Rim of the Grand Canyon National Park remains open. The U.S. Forest Service has closed the North Kaibab Ranger District. The Bureau of Land Management has also closed its lands east of Fredonia, both closures are for public safety. 

See: https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident.article/6748/52037/

Restrictions: Kaibab National Forest has implemented Stage 2 Fire Restrictions. For a full list of prohibitions, please visit https://www.fs.usda.gov/alerts/kaibab/alerts-notices/?aid=58061  

Evacuations: Jacob Lake and several residences along House Rock Road.

Temporary Flight Restrictions: Temporary flight restrictions (TFR) are in effect around the entire fire area. Remember, that temporary flight restrictions also apply to unmanned aircraft systems (drones). If you fly, we can’t!   

For further information, please visit the following links:    
Inciweb:  https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/6748/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MangumFire/

Twitter: @MangumFire

Smoke Outlooks: https://fires.airfire.org/outlooks/NorthCentralArizona

CDC Wildfire Smoke and COVID-19: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/php/smoke-faq.html

Yesterday firefighters brought fire off Mount Ord and tied it in to SR 87 on the northwest side of the fire. Firefighters will be holding the area today. Firefighters will continue to patrol and protect communities as needed.

Residents along the Highway 188 corridor should expect to see fire and smoke as fuels burn within the large pocket of unburned fuel within the fire’s perimeter. Interactive Bush Fire perimeter map: https://tinyurl.com/Bush-Fire-Map

Firefighters continue to use sing a range of tactics to fully suppress the fire. They are working to protect values at risk including nearby communities, state highways, communication sites and power lines.

Fire information:

• Acres: 184,531 acres (based on infrared flight)                                   
• Percent Containment: 15%
• Start Date: Saturday, June 13, 2020                                                          
• Cause: Human-caused
• Origin Location: 22 miles NE of Mesa, AZ                                              
• Fuels: Tall grass and brush
• Resources: 846 total including 11 Type 1 Crews; 8 Type 2 Crews; 46 Engines; 5 bulldozers; 21 water tenders; 9 helicopters

The incident management team has assumed command of the Central Fire. https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/6792/

There will be an online community meeting tonight on the Bush and Central Fires at 6 pm on Fb.com/bushfireinfo. An American Sign Language interpreter and captioning will be provided. A recording will be posted following the meeting. No account is required to view the video. If a pop-up box appears when you first navigate to the link, you can use the scroll bar on the right to scroll down to the view and/or click “not now” to minimize the login pop-up. We will monitor online Facebook questions during the meeting or you can e-mail us your questions at [email protected].

Evacuation information:

Sunflower and residents and visitors to Apache Lake remain under “Go” evacuation notice. The communities of Tonto Basin, Punkin Center, Pioneer Pass, Brownsville, Slate Creek, and Jake’s Creek have returned to “Set” mode. Gisela, Rye, Deer Creek, 76 Ranch and Bar T Bar Ranch (BT Ranch) remain in “Set” status. Evacuation and shelter info map: https://tinyurl.com/bushfirepublicinfo. Visit Maricopa County https://ready.maricopa.gov/ and Gila County: www.readygila.com/ for more information.

Smoke Outlook: https://fires.airfire.org/outlooks/CentralArizona

Visit https://az511.com/ or call 511 for current road closure information. State Route 87 is closed from Payson (milepost 251) to Bush Highway (milepost 199). State Route 188 is closed between SR 87 (milepost 276) and Roosevelt Lake at milepost 243. In addition, State Route 88 is closed between Apache Lake (milepost 229) to State Route 188 (milepost 242). The long-term SR 88 closure from east of Tortilla Flat to Apache Lake also remains in effect.

The Tonto National Forest has an area closure surrounding the Bush Fire. Fire restrictions remain in place. Details are available at https://www.fs.usda.gov/alerts/tonto/alerts-notices.

Wildfires are a No Drone Zone. If you fly, we can’t. Every time a drone is spotted near the fire all aircraft are grounded until we can be sure the drone is clear of this area. More info visit http://knowbeforeyoufly.org.

Fire Information line: 928-351-7596 (public); 928-351-7723 (media)

Inciweb: https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/6773/                           

Facebook: Fb.com/bushfireinfo 

Email: [email protected]                          

Twitter: twitter.com/TontoForest

Yesterday several members of the Lolo Hotshots hiked into Strayhorse Canyon to scout and assess different options for possible direct firefighting tactics. The hotshots were able to establish good communications, safety zones, and escape routes, allowing the remainder of the crew to join them. Today the crew will work to construct fireline to keep the fire on the south side of Strayhorse Creek. Air resources will be available to assist, dropping water on hot spots if needed.

Firefighters on the south end of the fire are working to shuttle water to support the aerial firefighting operation. These crews are setting up 3000-gallon containers called “pumpkins” which will be used as portable water sources for helicopters to fill their water buckets to suppress the Bringham Fire. Several of these “pumpkins” have been installed in the Blue River corridor so that water is readily available if the fire were to move out of Strayhorse Canyon and threaten homes in this community. Personnel are continuing the structure assessment and protection work northeast of the fire, as well as scouting areas for contingency lines if the fire crosses Strayhorse Canyon.

Yesterday’s winds and high temperatures caused the fire to become more active near Tin Cup Corral, burning through previously unburned fuels in the interior of the fire area, commonly referred to as “green islands.” Temperatures will continue to rise over the fire with highs reaching into the mid to upper 80s in the valleys. Humidity values will continue to fall into the single digits during the day. Winds in the valleys will be terrain-driven at 3-5 miles per hour.

Fire Information:

• Acres:19,901 acres
• Jurisdiction: Apache-Sitgreaves National Forests, Clifton Ranger District
• Resources: 2 hotshot crews, 3 Type 2 initial attack crews, 3 Type 3 engines, 4 Type 6 engines, 8 water tenders, 1 Type 1 helicopter, 1 Type 2 helicopter, 1 Type 3 helicopter, miscellaneous overhead
• Start Date: June 6, 2020
• Percent Containment: 20%
• Origin Location: 22 miles north of Morenci, AZ
• Cause: Lightning
• Personnel: 311

Road Closures: Highway 191 remains closed in both directions between Mile Marker 189 past Juan Miller Road and Mile Marker 225 at Blue Vista. The closure has been extended through June 27, 2020 and may be further extended as firefighters continue to secure the road corridor. Fire personnel are using Highway 191 to transport crews, supplies, and equipment to and from the incident. Members of the public are advised to drive with caution and leave roadways clear for emergency vehicles and equipment to pass. More information can be found at https://azdot.gov/adot-news/us-191-closed-eastern-arizona-mountains-due-bringham-fire.

Fire Information Officers are available from 8:00AM to 8:00PM to respond to questions via phone at (928) 288-2154 or email at [email protected]. Additional fire information can be found at the following links:

InciWeb: https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/6747/

Facebook (updates and daily operational videos): https://www.facebook.com/apachesitgreavesnfs/

Temporary Closure Order: https://www.fs.usda.gov/detail/asnf/alerts-notices/?cid=stelprd3793918

Southwest Region Smoke Outlook: https://wildlandfiresmoke.net/outlooks/SouthwesternRegion

Bringham Fire Interactive Story Map:  https://nifc.maps.arcgis.com/apps/MapSeries/index.html?appid=d32ee36acfc54dd28e5aef84d9d6e0f3

Today, fire managers will start transitioning information to the incoming Type 1 Incident Management Team that will later assume command of the Bighorn Fire. The two teams will work closely together exchanging information and shadowing operations positions to ensure all facets are transferred seamlessly for management of the Bighorn Fire.

Overnight, the fire burning in Ventana Canyon diminished as it reached Sonoran Desert vegetation at the base of the canyon. Fire burning on the east slope of the canyon was highly visible but did not threaten property. Crews will continue to closely monitor Ventana and Esperero Canyons today.

On Mt. Lemmon, firefighters will perform burnout operations today along the Aspen Trail that was cleared yesterday to serve as a containment feature. This will form a buffer from fire moving east from the Wilderness of Rocks. Crews working along the east side of Catalina Highway continue to burn along the road to prevent fire in Alder and Edgar Canyons from running uphill towards values at risk.

Fire burning along Samaniego Ridge is creeping in broken terrain and patchy fuels. Crews are closely monitoring the progression. To the north, firefighters will keep watch over the areas where burnout operations were conducted yesterday to ensure any smoldering or fire movement is kept in check.

Fire information:

• Acres: 51,628 
• Percent Containment: 19%
• Start Date: June 5, 2020
• Cause: Lightning
• Origin Location: Santa Catalina Mountains
• Personnel: 908
• Injuries: 3 minor heat-related illnesses
• Jurisdiction: Coronado National Forest, including portions of the Pusch Ridge Wilderness
• Resources: 7 hotshot crews, 14 Type 2 hand crews, 2 Type 1 engines, 25 Type 3 engines, 4 Type 4 engines, 34 Type 6 engines, 5 Type 1 helicopters, 1 Type 2 helicopter, 2 Type 3 helicopters, 19 water tenders, 6 bulldozers

Evacuation information:

GO - Evacuate

• Mt. Bigelow & Lower Soldier HOA
• Community of Summerhaven
• Willow Canyon
• Peppersauce Canyon to Highjinks Road and Campo Bonito

SET – Be Alert

• Community of Oracle
• Portions of East Golder Ranch
• Catalina Foothills between Alvernon Way and Sabino Canyon Road, North of Skyline Drive

READY – Prepare Now

• Oro Valley area from Catalina State Park south to Magee Road
• Tucson foothills area from First Avenue east to Alvernon Way

Sign up to receive Pima County emergency alerts at myalerts.pima.gov and Pinal County alerts at pinalcountyaz.gov/emergencymanagement.

Closures: The Coronado National Forest closure order includes Sabino and Bear Canyons. Catalina State Park is closed. View the closure orders and maps at inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/closures/6741/. Catalina Highway is closed to the public at milepost zero. Only residents and business owners may pass. Oracle Control Road is closed.

Fire Information Phone Line: (520) 276-8981 and (520) 329-7439, 8AM-8PM

Media Phone Line: (520) 329-7640, 8AM-8PM

InciWeb: inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/6741/

Facebook: facebook.com/bighornfireinfo

Smoke Outlook: wildlandfiresmoke.net/outlooks/EasternArizona

The fire will continue to be active overnight due to low humidity recovery, with fire managers anticipating slow but steady growth. Winds will shift direction in the evening hours, blowing lightly out of the northwest. Crews will take advantage of favorable weather conditions to carry on with burnout operations south of Oracle and on Mt. Lemmon. As a result, communities can expect to see smoke.

Fire is still backing down Ventana Canyon and crews are vigilantly monitoring the progress, ready to engage with aerial resources when they can be used most effectively. Crews will maintain a strong presence in communities south of Ventana and Esperero Canyons, scouting access routes should they be needed. Wildfire is not a spectator sport. Please do not encroach on areas where crews or aircraft are working to view the fire. Leave roads clear for emergency vehicles.

A temporary flight restriction is in place over the fire area. Every time a drone is seen near the fire all aircraft are grounded until we can be sure the drone is clear of this area. Law enforcement can take action against a private citizen or commercial business flying drones illegally over a wildfire. Visit knowbeforeyoufly.org for more information.

Fire Information:

• Acres: 42,798 
• Percent Containment: 19%
• Start Date: June 5, 2020
• Cause: Lightning
• Origin Location: Santa Catalina Mountains
• Personnel: 908
• Injuries: 3 minor heat-related illnesses
• Jurisdiction: Coronado National Forest, including portions of the Pusch Ridge Wilderness
• Resources: 7 hotshot crews, 14 Type 2 hand crews, 2 Type 1 engines, 25 Type 3 engines, 4 Type 4 engines, 34 Type 6 engines, 4 Type 1 helicopters, 1 Type 2 helicopter, 2 Type 3 helicopters, 19 water tenders, 6 bulldozers

Evacuation Notices

GO - Evacuate

• Mt. Bigelow & Lower Soldier HOA
• Community of Summerhaven
• Willow Canyon
• Peppersauce Canyon to Highjinks Road and Campo Bonito

SET – Be Alert

• Community of Oracle
• Portions of East Golder Ranch
• Catalina Foothills between Alvernon Way and Sabino Canyon Road, North of Skyline Drive

READY – Prepare Now

• Oro Valley area from Catalina State Park south to Magee Road
• Tucson foothills area from First Avenue east to Alvernon Way

Visit pima.gov/bighorn for the most up-to-date information on evacuation notices, an interactive map, and county resources. Sign up to receive Pima County emergency alerts at myalerts.pima.gov and Pinal County alerts at pinalcountyaz.gov/emergencymanagement.

Closures: The Coronado National Forest closure order includes Sabino and Bear Canyons. Catalina State Park is closed. View the closure orders and maps at inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/closures/6741/. Catalina Highway is closed to the public at milepost zero. Only residents and business owners may pass. Oracle Control Road is closed.

Fire Information Phone Line: (520) 276-8981 and (520) 329-7439, 8AM-8PM

Media Phone Line: (520) 329-7640, 8AM-8PM

InciWeb: inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/6741/

Facebook: facebook.com/bighornfireinfo

Smoke Outlook: wildlandfiresmoke.net/outlooks/EasternArizona

Sheriff J. Adam Shepherd would like to release the following information regarding lifting the evacuation orders for the communities of Tonto Basin, Punkin Center, Pioneer Pass, Brownsville, Slate Creek, and Jake’s Corner.

On June 21, 2020 at 9:00 a.m. residents residing within the evacuated communities from Jake’s Corner to Tonto Basin will be allowed to return home. Fire personnel have determined that conditions are favorable for the safe return of our citizens.

Roadblocks will remain on State Route 87 at the State Route 188 Junction (Beeline Highway at the Roosevelt Lake turn off) and on State Route 188 at the State Route 88 junction (Roosevelt Dam).

Only residents will be allowed to return to their homes. Please be prepared to show proof that you live in one of the listed communities.

State Route 87 from State Route 188 to Bush Highway will remain closed until further notice! Residents of the Tonto Basin and surrounding communities will remain in the “Set” mode until further notice!

Sheriff Shepherd would like to extend his thanks to all those affected by the evacuation for their patience and cooperation. The evacuation order was in place for the protection of not only residents but those responsible for fire containment and security. Sheriff Shepherd would like to further add there were no homes lost or personnel injured.

On Friday, favorable weather conditions aided firefighters in securing preliminary lines around critical areas of the fire. Firefighters focused their efforts on the southern, western and eastern edges of the fire. Crews work towards containment through successful firing and burnout operations and additional line construction.  

Northern sections of the fire remained slightly active. Firefighters continued to limit the fire’s spread to the north by securing anchor points and constructing line. BLM’s Winter Road served as a firebreak and was enhanced by utilizing masticators to reduce the fuel load alongside the road, resulting in a wider firebreak.

Today’s weather forecast calls for westerly winds, hotter temperatures, and lower humidity. Fire behavior will be active with smoke blowing eastward. Firefighters will continue to hold and secure fire lines and anchor points around various portions of the fire. Anticipate that fire may spread east towards House Rock area.  

Closures: Highway 89A is closed from Mile Post 545 near the Cliff Dwellings to Fredonia. Businesses remain open in Marble Canyon and Vermillion Cliffs. Highway 67 from Jacob Lake to the North Rim of  Grand Canyon National Park is also closed. Due to the road closures, the North Rim of the Grand Canyon National Park is presently inaccessible. The South Rim of the Grand Canyon National Park remains open. The U.S. Forest Service has closed the North Kaibab Ranger District. The Bureau of Land Management has also closed its lands east of Fredonia, both closures are for public safety. See: https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident.article/6748/52037/

Restrictions: Kaibab National Forest has implemented Stage 2 Fire Restrictions. For a full list of prohibitions, please visit https://www.fs.usda.gov/alerts/kaibab/alerts-notices/?aid=58061  

Evacuations: Jacob Lake and several residences along House Rock Road.

Temporary Flight Restrictions: Temporary flight restrictions (TFR) are in effect around the entire fire area. Remember, that temporary flight restrictions also apply to unmanned aircraft systems (drones). If you fly, we can’t!   

For further information, please visit the following links:    
Inciweb:  https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/6748/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MangumFire/

Twitter: @MangumFire

Smoke Outlooks: https://fires.airfire.org/outlooks/NorthCentralArizona

CDC Wildfire Smoke and COVID-19: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/php/smoke-faq.html

Yesterday crews made progress securing and improving the Highway 188 corridor from Tonto Basin north to the Highway 87 intersection. Firefighters continue to use sing a range of tactics to fully suppress the fire. They are working to protect values at risk including nearby communities, state highways, communication sites and power lines. 

Firefighters will continue to use burnout operations, supported by aerial resources as needed, where they can do so safely and effectively. Expect to see smoke as firefighters are burning along the SR 87 / Beeline Highway to create a buffer for fire backing downslope from the top of Mount Ord. They are using aerial ignition to help slowly back the fire downslope to help minimize fire severity and post-fire impacts in the area. On the southeast side, smoke will also be visible as an fire continues to burn a large pocket of unburned vegetation within the fire’s interior. Today structure protection groups will continue to focus on patrolling the communities along Highway 188.   

Fire information:

• Acres: 174, 397 acres (based on infrared flight)
• Percent Containment: 7%
• Start Date: Saturday, June 13, 2020
• Cause: Human-caused
• Origin Location: 22 miles NE of Mesa, AZ
• Fuels: Tall grass and brush
• Resources: 769 total including 11 Type 1 Crews; 8 Type 2 Crews; 41 Engines; 5 bulldozers; 19 water tenders; 7 helicopters

Evacuation information: Brownsville, Jake's Corner, Slate Creek, Pioneer Pass, Tonto Basin, Punkin Center, Sunflower, and residents and visitors to Apache Lake remain under “Go” evacuation notices. Gisela, Rye, Deer Creek 76 Ranch and Bar T Bar Ranch (AKA BT Ranch) are in “Set” status. All residents in the area are encouraged to be prepared and stay alert to rapidly changing conditions. An evacuation and shelter info map is available at https://tinyurl.com/bushfirepublicinfo. Visit Maricopa County https://ready.maricopa.gov/ and Gila County: www.readygila.com/ for more information.

American Red Cross Evacuation Centers are located at the Payson Senior Center 514 West Main Street, Payson, AZ 85541 and the Lee Kornegay Intermediate School at 4635 Railroad Ave, Miami, AZ 85539.

The largest potential for smoke impacts is expected in the afternoon moving along the Mogollon Rim from Payson mid-day East to Heber Overgaard later into the day. https://fires.airfire.org/outlooks/CentralArizona. 

Visit https://az511.com/ or call 511 for current road closure information. State Route 87 is closed from Payson (milepost 251) to Bush Highway (milepost 199). State Route 188 is closed between SR 87 (milepost 276) and Roosevelt Lake at milepost 243. In addition, State Route 88 is closed between Apache Lake (milepost 229) to State Route 188 (milepost 242). The long-term SR 88 closure from east of Tortilla Flat to Apache Lake also remains in effect.

The Tonto National Forest has an area closure surrounding the Bush Fire. Fire restrictions remain in place. Details are available at https://www.fs.usda.gov/alerts/tonto/alerts-notices. Saguaro Del Norte and Saguaro Lake Marina are now open for recreation use. These sights will ONLY be accessible via Bush highway; there is no access off State Highway 87 at this time. Once boat parking is at capacity, vehicles towing boats WILL BE TURNED AWAY at the entrance.

Wildfires are a No Drone Zone. If you fly, we can’t. Every time a drone is spotted near the fire all aircraft are grounded until we can be sure the drone is clear of this area. More info visit http://knowbeforeyoufly.org.

• Fire Information lines: 928-351-7596 (public) 928-351-7723 (media)
• Inciweb: https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/6773/
• Facebook: Fb.com/bushfireinfo
• Email: [email protected]
• Twitter: twitter.com/TontoForest

Yesterday crews made progress securing and improving the Highway 188 corridor from Tonto Basin north to the Highway 87 intersection. Firefighters continue to use sing a range of tactics to fully suppress the fire. They are working to protect values at risk including nearby communities, state highways, communication sites and power lines. 

Firefighters will continue to use burnout operations, supported by aerial resources as needed, where they can do so safely and effectively. Expect to see smoke as firefighters are burning along the SR 87 / Beeline Highway to create a buffer for fire backing downslope from the top of Mount Ord. They are using aerial ignition to help slowly back the fire downslope to help minimize fire severity and post-fire impacts in the area. On the southeast side, smoke will also be visible as an fire continues to burn a large pocket of unburned vegetation within the fire’s interior. Today structure protection groups will continue to focus on patrolling the communities along Highway 188.   

Fire information:

• Acres: 174, 397 acres (based on infrared flight)
• Percent Containment: 7%
• Start Date: Saturday, June 13, 2020
• Cause: Human-caused
• Origin Location: 22 miles NE of Mesa, AZ
• Fuels: Tall grass and brush
• Resources: 769 total including 11 Type 1 Crews; 8 Type 2 Crews; 41 Engines; 5 bulldozers; 19 water tenders; 7 helicopters

Evacuation information: Brownsville, Jake's Corner, Slate Creek, Pioneer Pass, Tonto Basin, Punkin Center, Sunflower, and residents and visitors to Apache Lake remain under “Go” evacuation notices. Gisela, Rye, Deer Creek 76 Ranch and Bar T Bar Ranch (AKA BT Ranch) are in “Set” status. All residents in the area are encouraged to be prepared and stay alert to rapidly changing conditions. An evacuation and shelter info map is available at https://tinyurl.com/bushfirepublicinfo. Visit Maricopa County https://ready.maricopa.gov/ and Gila County: www.readygila.com/ for more information.

American Red Cross Evacuation Centers are located at the Payson Senior Center 514 West Main Street, Payson, AZ 85541 and the Lee Kornegay Intermediate School at 4635 Railroad Ave, Miami, AZ 85539.

The largest potential for smoke impacts is expected in the afternoon moving along the Mogollon Rim from Payson mid-day East to Heber Overgaard later into the day. https://fires.airfire.org/outlooks/CentralArizona. 

Visit https://az511.com/ or call 511 for current road closure information. State Route 87 is closed from Payson (milepost 251) to Bush Highway (milepost 199). State Route 188 is closed between SR 87 (milepost 276) and Roosevelt Lake at milepost 243. In addition, State Route 88 is closed between Apache Lake (milepost 229) to State Route 188 (milepost 242). The long-term SR 88 closure from east of Tortilla Flat to Apache Lake also remains in effect.

The Tonto National Forest has an area closure surrounding the Bush Fire. Fire restrictions remain in place. Details are available at https://www.fs.usda.gov/alerts/tonto/alerts-notices. Saguaro Del Norte and Saguaro Lake Marina are now open for recreation use. These sights will ONLY be accessible via Bush highway; there is no access off State Highway 87 at this time. Once boat parking is at capacity, vehicles towing boats WILL BE TURNED AWAY at the entrance.

Wildfires are a No Drone Zone. If you fly, we can’t. Every time a drone is spotted near the fire all aircraft are grounded until we can be sure the drone is clear of this area. More info visit http://knowbeforeyoufly.org.

• Fire Information lines: 928-351-7596 (public) 928-351-7723 (media)
• Inciweb: https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/6773/
• Facebook: Fb.com/bushfireinfo
• Email: [email protected]
• Twitter: twitter.com/TontoForest

For the continued protection of the public and our firefighters, Highway 191 remains closed in both directions between Mile Marker 189 past Juan Miller Road and Mile Marker 225 at Blue Vista. The closure has been extended through June 27, 2020 and may be further extended as firefighters continue to secure the road corridor. Fire personnel are using Highway 191 to transport crews, supplies, and equipment to and from the incident. Members of the public are advised to drive with caution and leave roadways clear for emergency vehicles and equipment to pass. More information can be found at https://azdot.gov/adot-news/us-191-closed-eastern-arizona-mountains-due-bringham-fire.

The Bringham Fire remains active in Strayhorse Canyon, Lengthy Canyon, and the east side of Red Mountain, moving primarily to the east. Today several members of the Lolo Hotshots will hike into Strayhorse Canyon to scout and assess different options for possible direct firefighting tactics. Crews are seeking opportunities to secure the fire in Strayhorse Canyon and reduce the potential for any fire to establish in this area. Structure protection is ongoing around isolated cabins and in the Blue River area, and crews are continuing to monitor Highway 191 to ensure the fire does not move west.

Fire information:

• Acres:18,510 acres
• Jurisdiction: Apache-Sitgreaves National Forests, Clifton Ranger District
• Resources: 3 hotshot crews, 2 Type 2 initial attack crews, 3 Type 3 engines, 4 Type 6 engines, 8 water tenders, 1 Type 1 helicopter, 1 Type 2 helicopter, 1 Type 3 helicopter, miscellaneous overhead
• Start Date: June 6, 2020
• Percent Containment: 20%
• Origin Location: 22 miles north of Morenci, AZ
• Cause: Lightning
• Personnel: 334

Today marks the longest day of the year, known as the Summer Solstice. This event provides more incoming solar radiation than any other time of year, bringing increased energy that heats the air above the Earth’s surface. For the Bringham Fire, this event is likely to enhance terrain driven winds which are strongly influenced by solar radiation. This impact will be amplified on southwest facing slopes that could experience stronger upslope winds due to the extra energy. According to Incident Meteorologist Royce Fontenot, “On the Bringham Fire, firefighters will experience approximately 14 hours and 22 seconds of daylight today.”

Fire Information Officers are available from 8:00AM to 8:00PM to respond to questions via phone at (928) 288-2154 or email at [email protected]. Additional fire information can be found at the following links:

InciWeb: https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/6747/

Facebook (updates and daily operational videos): https://www.facebook.com/apachesitgreavesnfs/

Temporary Closure Order: https://www.fs.usda.gov/detail/asnf/alerts-notices/?cid=stelprd3793918

Southwest Region Smoke Outlook: https://wildlandfiresmoke.net/outlooks/SouthwesternRegion

Bringham Fire Interactive Story Map:  https://nifc.maps.arcgis.com/apps/MapSeries/index.html?appid=d32ee36acfc54dd28e5aef84d9d6e0f3

Crews have resumed burnout operations south of Oracle this morning, expanding on the work done yesterday evening to buffer the community from the main fire. Smoke from these operations will continue to be visible to the north and west from Highway 77. Air operations will be out in full force today continuing support to the work of fire fighters on the ground.

Fire in Ventana Canyon was active overnight and is expected to reach the bottom of the canyon today, where crews can engage the fire directly utilizing containment lines built last week. Residents will see crews working in the communities south of Ventana Canyon today, assessing potential threats to homes and infrastructure and developing contingency plans should fire move in that direction.

On Mt. Lemmon, firefighters conducted burnout operations last night from Kellogg Mountain tying into Catalina Highway. Today, crews will be opening up the Aspen Trail south to Box Camp to use as a holding feature as the fire in Wilderness of Rocks continues to creep to the northeast. East of Catalina Highway, the fire is expected to cross into the 2017 Burro Fire scar today.

Fire information:

• Acres: 42,798 
• Percent Containment: 21%
• Start Date: June 5, 2020
• Cause: Lightning
• Origin Location: Santa Catalina Mountains
• Personnel: 894
• Injuries: 3 minor heat-related illnesses
• Jurisdiction: Coronado National Forest, including portions of the Pusch Ridge Wilderness
• Resources: 7 hotshot crews, 13 Type 2 hand crews, 2 Type 1 engines, 26 Type 3 engines, 4 Type 4 engines, 32 Type 6 engines, 5 Type 1 helicopters, 1 Type 2 helicopter, 2 Type 3 helicopters, 18 water tenders, 6 bulldozers

Evacuation Notices

GO - Evacuate

• Mt. Bigelow & Lower Soldier HOA
• Community of Summerhaven
• Willow Canyon
• Peppersauce Canyon to Highjinks Road and Campo Bonito

SET – Be Alert

• Community of Oracle
• Portions of East Golder Ranch
• Catalina Foothills between Alvernon Way and Sabino Canyon Road, North of Skyline Drive

READY – Prepare Now

• Oro Valley area from Catalina State Park south to Magee Road
• Tucson foothills area from First Avenue east to Alvernon Way

Visit pima.gov/bighorn for the most up-to-date information on evacuation notices, an interactive map, and county resources. Sign up to receive Pima County emergency alerts at myalerts.pima.gov and Pinal County alerts at pinalcountyaz.gov/emergencymanagement.

Closures: The Coronado National Forest closure order has been expanded to include the eastern portion of the Santa Catalina Mountains. Catalina State Park is closed. View the closure maps at inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/closures/6741/. Catalina Highway is closed to the public at milepost zero. Oracle Control Road is closed.

Fire Information Phone Line: (520) 276-8981 and (520) 329-7439, 8AM-8PM

Media Phone Line: (520) 329-7640, 8AM-8PM

InciWeb: inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/6741/

Facebook: facebook.com/bighornfireinfo

Smoke Outlook: wildlandfiresmoke.net/outlooks/EasternArizona

Residents in the Oracle and San Manual areas should expect to see smoke and flames into the night as firefighters conduct back burns south of the community of Oracle along Old Mount Lemmon Highway near Peppersauce. Fire fighters will introduce controlled fire moving it towards the main fire, consuming fuel as it moves across the landscape. When the main fire reaches the burnout area, it should run out of fuel and stop movement in that direction.

Today, helicopters dropped water along the fire’s edge in Wilderness of Rocks, giving crews working on Mt. Lemmon additional time to create holding lines on the west side of Catalina Highway. Crews continue to closely monitor the fire activity in Ventana and Esperero Canyons, which is visible from the Catalina Foothills area. The containment percentage was lowered today accounting for the significant growth in the fire perimeter over the past several days.

Trico Cooperative has restored power to Willow Canyon, Organization Ridge, Mt. Bigelow, Soldier Camp and the upper Loma Linda areas. Crews are in the process of restoring power to Carter Canyon and northern Summerhaven. The east slope of Mt. Lemmon remains deenergized at this time.

Fire information:

• Acres: 37,208 
• Percent Containment: 21%
• Start Date: June 5, 2020
• Cause: Lightning
• Origin Location: Santa Catalina Mountains
• Personnel: 894
• Injuries: 3 minor heat-related illnesses
• Jurisdiction: Coronado National Forest, including portions of the Pusch Ridge Wilderness
• Resources: 7 hotshot crews, 13 Type 2 hand crews, 2 Type 1 engines, 26 Type 3 engines, 4 Type 4 engines, 32 Type 6 engines, 4 Type 1 helicopters, 1 Type 2 helicopter, 2 Type 3 helicopters, 18 water tenders, 6 bulldozers

Evacuation Notices:

GO - Evacuate

• Mt. Bigelow & Lower Soldier HOA
• Community of Summerhaven
• Willow Canyon
• Peppersauce Canyon to Highjinks Road and Campo Bonito

SET – Be Alert

• Community of Oracle
• Portions of East Golder Ranch
• Catalina Foothills between Alvernon Way and Sabino Canyon Road, North of Skyline Drive

READY – Prepare Now

• Oro Valley area from Catalina State Park south to Magee Road
• Tucson foothills area from First Avenue east to Alvernon Way

Visit pima.gov/bighorn for the most up-to-date information on evacuation notices, an interactive map, and county resources. Sign up to receive Pima County emergency alerts at myalerts.pima.gov and Pinal County alerts at pinalcountyaz.gov/emergencymanagement.

Closures: The Coronado National Forest closure order has been expanded to include the eastern portion of the Santa Catalina Mountains. Catalina State Park is closed. View the closure maps at inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/closures/6741/. Catalina Highway is closed to the public at milepost zero. Oracle Control Road is closed.

Fire Information Phone Line: (520) 276-8981 and (520) 329-7439, 8AM-8PM

Media Phone Line: (520) 329-7640, 8AM-8PM

InciWeb: inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/6741/

Facebook: facebook.com/bighornfireinfo

Smoke Outlook: wildlandfiresmoke.net/outlooks/EasternArizona

There will be an online Bush Fire community meeting tonight at 6 pm tonight on Fb.com/bushfireinfo. An American Sign Language interpreter and captioning will be provided. A recording will be posted following the meeting. No account is required to view the video. If a pop-up box appears when you first navigate to the link, you can use the scroll bar on the right to scroll down to the view and/or click “not now” to minimize the login pop-up. We will monitor online Facebook questions during the meeting or you can e-mail us your questions at [email protected].

Firefighters are using a range of tactics to fully suppresses the fire. Fire fighter and public safety remain the highest priority. Firefighters are working to protect values at risk including nearby communities, state highways, communication sites and power lines. Yesterday firefighters used a UAS (or drone) to conduct aerial ignition around the Mt. Ord communication site which helped firefighters protect values at risk as the fire moved through the area.

Today firefighters will continue to focus on holding the fire west of Highway 188. Firefighters will use burnout operations, supported by aerial resources as needed, where they can do so safely and effectively. They will continue to focus on putting out any fire caused by embers floating from the fire that may spot over the highway and protect structures as needed. Extreme fire behavior is expected again today. Fire behavior is expected to pick up mid-afternoon as the sun heats up the terrain and winds reach their strongest.

Brownsville, Jake's Corner, Slate Creek, Pioneer Pass, Tonto Basin, Punkin Center, Sunflower, and residents and visitors to Apache Lake remain under “Go” evacuation notices. Gisela, Rye, Deer Creek 76 Ranch and Bar T Bar Ranch (AKA BT Ranch) are in “Set” status. All residents in the area are encouraged to be prepared and stay alert to rapidly changing conditions. Evacuation details and information on how to sign up for emergency alerts can be found online: Maricopa County: https://ready.maricopa.gov/ and Gila County: www.readygila.com/.

American Red Cross Evacuation Centers are located at Payson Police Department 303 N. Beeline Hwy, Payson, AZ and the Lee Kornegay Intermediate School at 4635 Railroad Ave, Miami, AZ 85539.

A smoke outlook is is available at https://fires.airfire.org/outlooks/CentralArizona.

Visit https://az511.com/ or call 511 for current road closure information. State Route 87 is closed from Payson (milepost 251) to Bush Highway (milepost 199). State Route 188 is closed between SR 87 (milepost 276) and Roosevelt Lake at milepost 243. In addition, State Route 88 is closed between Apache Lake (milepost 229) to State Route 188 (milepost 242). The long-term SR 88 closure from east of Tortilla Flat to Apache Lake also remains in effect.

The Tonto National Forest has an area closure surrounding the Bush Fire. Fire restrictions remain in place. Details are available at https://www.fs.usda.gov/alerts/tonto/alerts-notices.

Wildfires are a No Drone Zone. If you fly, we can’t. Every time a drone is spotted near the fire all aircraft are grounded until we can be sure the drone is clear of this area. More info visit http://knowbeforeyoufly.org.

Fire Details:

Acres: 151,075 acres (based on infrared flight) 
Percent Containment: 7%
Start Date: Saturday, June 13, 2020 Cause: Human-caused
Origin Location: 22 miles NE of Mesa, AZ Fuels: Tall grass and brush
Resources: 855 total including 10 Type 1 Crews; 8 Type 2 Crews; 45 Engines; 5 bulldozers; 16 water tenders; 8 helicopters

Information Resources:

Fire Information: 928-351-7596 (public) 928-351-7723 (media) 
Inciweb: https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/6773/ 
Facebook: Fb.com/bushfireinfo 
Email: [email protected] 

Twitter: twitter.com/TontoForest

Fire managers have increased the containment of the Bringham Fire from 5% to 20% to reflect the hard work done by firefighters along the southern end of the fire and portions of Highway 191. Firefighters continue to patrol the containment lines and keep a watchful eye out for any fire activity. Weather will become hotter and drier over the weekend and into next week, with increasing temperatures and no chance for precipitation. Today strong winds will continue to test the containment of the Bringham Fire with possible gusts up to 25 miles per hour. Skies will remain mostly clear, although the Bringham Fire area may be impacted from smoke from other large fires in the region.

Numerous management action points have been established throughout the fire planning area to signify when and where the next action is needed. If the fire was to reach any of these points, a corresponding pre-planned action would be initiated. Firefighters are continuing to mitigate the threat of the fire crossing Highway 191 by scouting for renewed fire activity, chipping cut limbs and other vegetation, and preparing to burnout if necessary. Crews are focusing on those structures in close proximity to the fire’s edge and prioritizing their protection. Although spot fires have occurred across Strayhorse Creek, aircraft were used to limit any further spread. If fire becomes established in Strayhorse Canyon, it may prompt the need to conduct burnout operations to remove excess fuel in the path of the advancing fire.

For the protection of the public and our firefighters, Highway 191 is closed in both directions between Mile Marker 189 (just past Juan Miller Road) and Mile Marker 225 (Blue Vista). This closure will remain in place through June 21, 2020 and may be extended as firefighters continue to secure the road corridor. Fire managers and local Forest Service personnel are currently working together to identify when it would be safe to reopen Highway 191 to the public. At this time, fire personnel are continuing to use Highway 191 to transport crews, supplies and equipment to and from the incident. Members of the public are advised to drive with caution and leave roadways clear for emergency vehicles and equipment to pass. More information can be found at https://azdot.gov/adot-news/us-191-closed-eastern-arizona-mountains-due-bringham-fire.

Fire Details:

Acres:17,872 acres

Jurisdiction: Apache-Sitgreaves National Forests, Clifton Ranger District

Resources: 3 hotshot crews, 2 Type 2 initial attack crews, 3 Type 3 engines, 4 Type 6 engines, 8 water tenders, 1 Type 1 helicopter, 1 Type 2 helicopter, 1 Type 3 helicopter, miscellaneous overhead

Start Date: June 6, 2020

Percent Containment: 20%

Origin Location: 22 miles north of Morenci, AZ

Cause: Lightning

Personnel: 335

Information Resources:

InciWeb: https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/6747/
Facebook (updates and daily operational videos): https://www.facebook.com/apachesitgreavesnfs/
Interactive Bringham Fire Map: http://www.fs.usda.gov/goto/BringhamFireWebMap
Temporary Closure Order: https://www.fs.usda.gov/detail/asnf/alerts-notices/?cid=stelprd3793918
Southwest Region Smoke Outlook: https://wildlandfiresmoke.net/outlooks/SouthwesternRegion

Southwest Incident Management Team
928-288-2154
[email protected]
Bringham Fire: https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/6747/

Thursday winds diminished and humidity levels rose over night to lessen fire intensity. Fighters made great progress around the fire. Other locations around the south, east, and west perimeter are steadily improving.

The northern sections of the fire remained active but less intense than Wednesday as fire fighters continued their efforts to secure anchor points and construct lines. Wind direction changed late in the afternoon, becoming northwesterly.

Today’s weather forecast is for west wind, warmer, and with lower humidity. Fire behavior will be active with smoke blowing eastward. Firefighters will attempt to hold and secure fire lines, maintain anchor points, and on the northern section of the fire, construct new lines where needed.   

Fire Details:

Closures: Highway 89A is closed from Mile Post 545 near the Cliff Dwellings to Fredonia. Highway 67 from Jacob Lake to the North Rim of  Grand Canyon National Park is also closed. Due to the road closures, the North Rim of the Grand Canyon National Park is presently inaccessible. The South Rim of the Grand Canyon National Park remains open. The U.S. Forest Service has closed the North Kaibab Ranger District. The Bureau of Land Management has also closed its lands east of Fredonia, both closures are for public safety. See: https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident.article/6748/52037/

Restrictions: Kaibab National Forest has implemented Stage 2 Fire Restrictions. For a full list of prohibitions, please visit https://www.fs.usda.gov/alerts/kaibab/alerts-notices/?aid=58061  

Evacuations: Jacob Lake and several residences along House Rock Road.

Temporary Flight Restrictions: Temporary flight restrictions (TFR) are in effect around the entire fire area. Remember, that temporary flight restrictions also apply to unmanned aircraft systems (drones). If you fly, we can’t!   

Information Resources:

Smoke Outlooks: https://fires.airfire.org/outlooks/NorthCentralArizona
CDC Wildfire Smoke and COVID-19: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/php/smoke-faq.html
Public Information: (602) 345-0469 
Media Information: (602) 456-0878
Inciweb: https://inciweb.nwcg.gov  
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/KaibabNF/ and https://www.facebook.com/MangumFire/

Twitter: @KaibabNF and @MangumFire

Due to lower wind speeds, smoke will be more settled and visible in the communities around the fire area. Today’s weather will exemplify a typical June Southern Arizona day, with temperatures around 100 degrees, low humidity and mild winds.

Fire managers expect growth to the northeast in Cañada del Oro and Alder Canyons today. Crews working south of Oracle and San Manuel will tie in containment lines today, in preparation for additional firing operations this evening. Firefighters on Mt. Lemmon are using all available tools, including controlled burning, to protect the communities along the Catalina Highway.

As the high winds that had been keeping the fire burning up on Samaniego Ridge and at the top of Ventana Canyon subside, the public can expect to see fire move downslope at a moderate pace. The fire still has a long way to move before crews can successfully engage it on flat ground.

Wildfires are a No Drone Zone. If you fly, we can’t. A temporary flight restriction is in place over the fire area.

Evacuation Notices

GO - Evacuate

• Mt. Bigelow & Lower Soldier HOA
• Community of Summerhaven
• Willow Canyon
• Peppersauce Canyon to Highjinks Road and Campo Bonito

SET – Be Alert

• Community of Oracle
• Portions of East Golder Ranch
• Catalina Foothills between Alvernon Way and Sabino Canyon Road, North of Skyline Drive

READY – Prepare Now

• Oro Valley area from Catalina State Park south to Magee Road
• Tucson foothills area from First Avenue east to Alvernon Way

Visit pima.gov/bighorn for the most up-to-date information on evacuation notices, an interactive map, and county resources. Sign up to receive Pima County emergency alerts at myalerts.pima.gov and Pinal County alerts at pinalcountyaz.gov/emergencymanagement.

Fire Details:

Closures: The Coronado National Forest closure order includes Sabino and Bear Canyons. Catalina State Park is closed. View the closure orders and maps at inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/closures/6741/. Catalina Highway is closed to the public at milepost zero. Only residents and business owners may pass. Oracle Control Road is closed.

Acres: 37,058 

Percent Containment: 40%

Start Date: June 5, 2020

Cause: Lightning

Origin Location: Santa Catalina Mountains

Personnel: 924

Injuries: 3 minor heat-related illnesses

Jurisdiction: Coronado National Forest, including portions of the Pusch Ridge Wilderness

Resources: 8 hotshot crews, 12 Type 2 hand crews, 2 Type 1 engines, 27 Type 3 engines, 4 Type 4 engines, 31 Type 6 engines, 3 Type 1 helicopters, 1 Type 2 helicopter, 2 Type 3 helicopters, 11 water tenders, 6 bulldozers

Information Resources:

Fire Information Phone Line: (520) 276-8981 and (520) 329-7439, 8AM-8PM
Media Phone Line: (520) 329-7640, 8AM-8PM
InciWeb: inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/6741/

Facebook: facebook.com/bighornfireinfo

Smoke Outlook: wildlandfiresmoke.net/outlooks/EasternArizona

Tonight, crews will get a slight reprieve from the wind events that have been stoking the Bighorn Fire since Tuesday. Unfortunately, the humidity will remain too low to significantly reduce fire behavior. On Mt. Lemmon, firefighters are working in the Bear Wallow area down through Willow Canyon HOA, clearing fire line from the 2002 Bullock and 2003 Aspen Fires. This work will protect values at risk from the spot fires in Stratton and Alder Canyons that grew together over the course of the day. Air tankers continued to drop fire retardant throughout the day to limit spread of the fire burning in the Wilderness of Rocks.

The fire spread further northeast today reaching Pig Spring, with slow fire progression expected overnight. Depending on weather conditions, crews may conduct backburn operations south of Oracle and San Manuel tonight to create a buffer between the fire and those communities.

Fire burning on Samaniego Ridge and in Ventana Canyon will continue to be visible and slowly back downslope. Fire managers are confident in the preparatory work crews have done in those areas to hold the fire.

Fire information:

• Acres: 31,208 
• Percent Containment: 40%
• Start Date: June 5, 2020
• Cause: Lightning
• Origin Location: Santa Catalina Mountains
• Personnel: 924
• Injuries: 3 minor heat-related illnesses
• Jurisdiction: Coronado National Forest, including portions of the Pusch Ridge Wilderness
• Resources: 8 hotshot crews, 12 Type 2 hand crews, 2 Type 1 engines, 27 Type 3 engines, 4 Type 4 engines, 31 Type 6 engines, 3 Type 1 helicopters, 1 Type 2 helicopter, 2 Type 3 helicopters, 11 water tenders, 6 bulldozers

Evacuation Notices

• GO - Evacuate: Mt. Bigelow & Lower Soldier HOA; Community of Summerhaven; Willow Canyon; Peppersauce Canyon to Highjinks Road and Campo Bonito
• SET – Be Alert: Community of Oracle; Portions of East Golder Ranch; Catalina Foothills between Alvernon Way and Sabino Canyon Road, North of Skyline Drive
• READY – Prepare Now: Oro Valley area from Catalina State Park south to Magee Road;

  Tucson foothills area from First Avenue east to Alvernon Way

Visit pima.gov/bighorn for the most up-to-date information on evacuation notices, an interactive map, and county resources. Sign up to receive Pima County emergency alerts at myalerts.pima.gov and Pinal County alerts at pinalcountyaz.gov/emergencymanagement.

Closures: The Coronado National Forest closure order includes Sabino and Bear Canyons. Catalina State Park is closed. View the closure orders and maps at inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/closures/6741/. Catalina Highway is closed to the public at milepost zero. Only residents and business owners may pass. Oracle Control Road is closed.

Fire Information Phone Line: (520) 276-8981 and (520) 329-7439, 8AM-8PM

Media Phone Line: (520) 329-7640, 8AM-8PM

InciWeb: inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/6741/

Facebook: facebook.com/bighornfireinfo

Smoke Outlook: wildlandfiresmoke.net/outlooks/EasternArizona

As a result of the Bush Fire, the US Forest Service, Gila County Sheriff’s Office, and Gila County Emergency Management has recommended that the following areas be placed on a “GO” mode on the Ready, Set, Go model:

• Brownsville 
• Jakes Corner 
• Slate Creek 
• Pioneer Pass

GO – Be Alert

• Danger in your area is imminent and life threatening. 
• Residents should evacuate immediately to a shelter or with family/friends outside of the affected area. Residents should avoid close contact with those who are sick and should practice public health recommendations when relocating to minimize risk of exposure to COVID-19. 
• If you choose to ignore this advisement, you must understand emergency services may not be able to assist you further. 
• Follow instructions from emergency personnel, stay on designated evacuation routes and avoid closed areas. Red Cross has set-up an evacuation center located at the Payson Police Department (300 N Beeline Hwy, Payson, AZ85541).

The Town of Payson has set-up an evacuation area for larger animals at the Payson Rodeo Grounds (S. Green Valley Pkwy, Payson, AZ 85541).

The Gila County Emergency Operations call center is available for any questions or concerns at (928) 402-8888.

Tonto Basin and Punkin Center remain under evacuation. 76 Ranch, BT Ranch, Deer Creek, Gisela, and Rye are still in the SET mode.

Although these communities are not immediately threatened, the SET notification is simply a preparatory measure. For more information go to https://ein.az.gov/ready-set-go

To receive emergency notifications from Gila County please sign up for Everbridge at www.gilaready.com.

The communities Gisela, Rye, Deer Creek and Bar T Bar Ranch were placed in “Set” status.  Jake’s Corner remains in ‘Set’ status on the Ready, Set, Go evacuation model.

Fire activity:  No structures have been damaged and no injuries have been reported. The 609 personnel fighting the fire on the ground are receiving support from the air, as multiple airtankers and helicopters dropped fire retardant and water on the eastern side of the fire, which reached Highway 188 Wednesday near the Bermuda Flat recreation site.  There was a small spot fire on the north side of Highway 188, which was contained to less than one half acre.  Firefighters burned out around Sunflower, and along Highway 87 to protect structures and control the spread on the Northwest portion of the fire. Crews burned out around Tonto Basin overnight and will continue to work protecting Tonto Basin and Punkin Center.  Winds are forecasted to decrease today which will help firefighters.  High temperatures and low relative humidity’s combined with a steep terrain and a heavy grass crop will continue to challenge firefighting efforts.  Unlike other fires, which tend to calm down at night as temperatures drop, this fire remains active overnight.
 

Evacuations: Overnight the communities Gisela, Rye, Deer Creek and Bar T Bar Ranch were placed in “Set” status.  Jake’s Corner remains in ‘Set’ status on the Ready, Set, Go evacuation model.  Tonto Basin, Punkin Center, Sunflower, and residents and visitors to Apache Lake remain under evacuation notices.  We encourage all residents in the area to be prepared and stay alert to rapidly changing conditions.

Evacuation details and information on how to sign up for emergency alerts can be found at the county websites below.

Maricopa County Evacuation Information: https://ready.maricopa.gov/
Gila County: visit www.readygila.com/

Evacuation Centers:

Payson Police Department 303 N. Beeline Hwy, Payson, AZ
Lee Kornegay Intermediate School at 4635 Railroad Ave, Miami, AZ 85539.

Smoke: Winds from the south will allow smoke to push to the north and northeast and be noticeable into the four corners region.  Payson and communities to the east along the Mogollon Rim may experience short periods of moderate to heavy smoke by mid-day.  As the fire continues to move north and northeast, chances of smoke settling into Fountain Hills and the Scottsdale area overnight will decrease. A full smoke report is available through https://fires.airfire.org/outlooks/CentralArizona.

Weather:  Hot and dry weather will continue with relative humidity dipping below 10 percent. Winds are expected to decrease be calmer tomorrow blowing at 10-20 miles per hour.

Values:  Fire fighter and public safety remain the highest priorities on the Bush Fire.  The Bush Fire area includes multiple communities, state highways, communication sites and power lines, which firefighters are working hard to protect.

Road and Area Closures:  State Route 87 is closed from Payson (milepost 251) to Bush Highway (milepost 199). State Route 188 is closed between SR 87 (milepost 276) and Roosevelt Lake at milepost 243. In addition, State Route 88 is closed between Apache Lake (milepost 229) to State Route 188 (milepost 242).  The long-term SR 88 closure from east of Tortilla Flat to Apache Lake also remains in effect. Please visit https://az511.com/for current information about highway closures.

Closures and Restrictions:  The Tonto National Forest has an area closure surround the Bush Fire.  Fire restrictions remain in place.  Both the fire area closure and Stage II Fire Restrictions information can be found at: https://www.fs.usda.gov/alerts/tonto/alerts-notices.  A Temporary Flight Restriction (TFR) has been placed around the fire. This includes all drones. Remember If You Fly. We Can’t!

Fire Details:

Location:  22 miles NE of Mesa, AZ

Start date: Saturday, June 13, 2020 

Personnel: 609

Cause:  Human-caused

Size:  114,941 acres

Percent containment:  5%

Vegetation:  Tall grass and brush

Fire Resources: 10 Type-1 Crews; 5 Type-2 Crews; 27 Engines; 4 bulldozers; 14 water tenders; 7 helicopters; 4 airtankers, plus additional support personnel.

Information Resources:

Bush Fire InciWeb: https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/6773/

Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/bushfireinfo #BushFireTontoNF