March 28, 2024 2:31 PM
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Arizona Wildfires Update – June 29, 2021

Map: Rafael Fire actions

Rafael Fire

Acres: 78,708

Percent Containment: 59%

Date/Time Detected: Friday, 06/18/2021 at 1927 MST

Structures Damaged/Destroyed:  0
Number of Personnel: 596

Cause: Lightning

Origin/Location: 4 miles north of Perkinsville

Smoke is expected to settle into the Chino and Verde Valleys as well as the Williams area.  Smoke forecasts are available at Wildfire Smoke Forecast | ADEQ Arizona Department of Environmental Quality (azdeq.gov) and https://fires.airfire.org/outlooks/NorthCentralArizona.

 Today on the north side of the fire, firefighters continued to be heavily engaged in securing the fire with patrol and mop up activities. All perimeter firing operations have been substantially completed, but smoke from burning interior fuels will continue for a few days. With the potential for spot fires caused from pockets of unburned fuel, firefighters remain diligent in their efforts to keep the fire within its control lines.

 On the south side of the fire, aircraft assisted hand crews with firefighting activities in Mooney Canyon. Structure protection specialists continued monitoring values at risk to prevent damage. Firefighters are prepared for initial attack over the next few days as the probability of thunder storms and lightning increases. As containment increases some crews and equipment are no longer needed, and will be released for reassignment or rest and recuperation.

Due to the decrease in fire activity and increased fire containment, there will only be a morning update beginning tomorrow, June 29.

Evacuation status as of 6 p.m. June 28 (Notifications are in place until status is rescinded or changed by each respective

County Sheriff’s Office):

“GO” in Coconino County Sycamore    Canyon.

“SET” – In Yavapai County, Loy Ranch

 “READY” -– in Coconino County, Garland Prairie South and Garland Prairie North, South of Williams, Sherwood Forest, Camp Navajo, West of I-17 south of 1-40, Westwood Estates, Flagstaff Ranch (including W.L. Gore), Mountain Dell, Pine Del, Forest Highlands, Kachina Village, University Heights, Equestrian Estates, Upper Oak Creek Canyon, West Fork, Lower Oak Creek Canyon, and in Yavapai County, Grey Ranch, Windmill Ranch, Bear Mountain and Sedona.

Information about evacuation status can be found on the Coconino County Facebook page at: https://www.facebook.com/CoconinoCounty and at the Yavapai County Sheriff’s Department Facebook page at: https://www.facebook.com/YavapaiCountySheriff/ 

 Maps of evacuation status in Coconino County can be found at: Coconino County Situational Awareness Viewer (arcgis.com)

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Backbone Fire

Acres: 40,855 acres
Percent Containment: 43%
Start Date: June 16, 2021
Cause: Lightning
Origin Location: Approximately 12 miles west of Pine and Strawberry, Arizona
Fuels: Pinyon Juniper, Chaparral, Brush, Grass, Cactus
Personnel Assigned: 632

Monday begins a trend towards cooler and wetter conditions, which will moderate fire behavior and aid suppression efforts.  Fire crews will be working the fire’s edge looking for any remaining hot spots.  They are being supported by drones with infrared and aircraft conducting bucket drops as needed.  Crews are also finishing chipping debris along the corridor of State Routes 260 and 87.  Firefighters will continue suppression repair work across the fire area.

Public Land Closures: Because of the extreme fire danger, many of the National Forests in Arizona have been closed to protect public health and safety. Please check the website for your specific National Forest for closure notifications.

Road Closures: State Route 260 is closed between Camp Verde and State Route 87. State Route 87 is closed at mile post 270.5 north of Strawberry to Clint’s Well. Motorists are advised to visit https://www.az511.com for current road closures.

Arizona Public Service Co. (APS) is working closely with the agencies responding to wildfires across the state. While there has been some damage to APS infrastructure due to wildfire activity, at this time there are no customers without power because of the fires and disruption in service is not currently anticipated. APS is monitoring fire progress and will coordinate with emergency response agencies in the event there is a need to take power lines out of service to protect firefighters and/or if the fire or smoke impacts electrical infrastructure. Given the unpredictability of fires and weather, APS encourages customers to visit aps.com/outagecenter for tips on how to prepare for an outage, to sign up for outage alerts and to view the APS outage map.
Evacuations: The communities of Hunt Ranch, Strawberry, and Pine are at “Set.” Residents and visitors should contact their county or visit https://ein.az.gov/ready-set-go for information regarding evacuation status.

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Wyrick & West Chev Fires

Wyrick

Start Date: Saturday, June 19, 2021

Acres: 7,592

Cause: Lightning

Location: 2 miles north of Mogollon HS, Heber, AZ

Containment: 79%

Yesterday crews worked to extinguish hotspots along containment lines and well into the interior of the fire. In some cases infrared imagery was used to detect and guide firefighters to these areas of heat. Repair work was completed on secondary containment lines built earlier in the suppression effort. Wind will start out today from the northeast. This is the third day in a row with wind from a different direction testing areas along containment lines. Today crews will continue to monitor lines and look for areas of heat. Depth of containment lines will continue to increase as firefighters move further into the interior of the burn looking for hotspots. Efforts will again be concentrated along the southern boundary of the fire between the 504 and 95 roads as well as the northeast corner of the fire. Although resources will concentrate in these areas, patrols will monitor the entire perimeter of the fire.

West Chev Fire

Start Date: Saturday, June 19, 2021

Acres: 1,170

Cause: Lightning

Location: 12.5 miles northwest of Heber, AZ

Containment:  85%
Announcement: As of 6:00 AM this morning, all evacuation notices have been rescinded. The Wyrick and West Chev Fires no longer pose a threat to any communities. As a reminder, the ponderosa pine forests along the Mogollon Rim are subject to frequent fires as well as other natural hazards. Navajo County has adopted the “Ready, Set, Go”, educational program so residents are prepared for these emergencies when they happen.

Firefighters completed the containment line across Circle Bar draw yesterday tying existing roads and hand lines together resulting in a containment line around the entire West Chev Fire. Helicopters dropped water on areas of active fire behavior in the afternoon to slow progression of the fire toward that new containment line. Fire crews will monitor fire behavior and activity today. They will take action as necessary to hold and secure containment lines and ensure the fire advances evenly to the containment line constructed yesterday.

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