High winds push the Bringham Fire northward
Bringham Fire – June 18, 2020 Daily Update
Acres: 17,423
Jurisdiction: Apache-Sitgreaves National Forest, Clifton Ranger District
Resources: 2 hotshot crews, 2 Type 2 initial attack crews, 3 Type 3 engines, 4 Type 6 engines, 6 water tenders, 1 dozer, 1 Type 1 helicopter, 1 Type 2 helicopter, 1 Type 3 helicopter, miscellaneous overhead
Start Date: June 6, 2020
Percent Containment: 5%
Origin Location: 22 miles north of Morenci, AZ
Cause: Lightning
Personnel:
315
Strong winds challenged
firefighters on Wednesday afternoon as fire spread further north off Red
Mountain and down into the southwestern side of Strayhorse Canyon. Smoke was
more visible than it has been for the past several days, particularly in the
afternoon when temperatures and winds reached their peak. Despite the visible
smoke column, the main fire did not advance beyond the firelines constructed
earlier this week. Helicopters lent support to the crews on the ground by
dropping water buckets on the most active portions of the fire. A small fire
spotted across Strayhorse Canyon but was quickly extinguished by the water
buckets. Rappelers worked throughout the night to contain the small
lightning-caused Pinal Fire that ignited on Tuesday evening, and plan to hike
out today to rejoin the Bringham Fire crews.
Although wind speeds are expected to decrease to 16-19 miles per hour (MPH) with gusts of 25 MPH, fire managers anticipate continued fire movement to the north and east. Incident Meteorologists from the National Weather Service predict that the atmosphere will become increasingly unstable throughout the day with increasing sunshine in the afternoon that could increase terrain-driven winds. With this expected fire spread, crews are working to protect structures by covering nearby cabins in aluminum wrap to shield from radiant heat and embers, if the fire were to move further in their direction. Fire activity has moderated along Highway 191, although the potential remains for hot spots to spread as conditions dry out later in the week.
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 personnel are using Highway 191 to travel to and from the incident, and to transport important supplies and equipment. 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 2020.bringham@firenet.gov. 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/
- 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