Rattlesnake Fire Update, Wednesday, April 18, 2018
Łťiish bitseghál kó bighą nagoďíi
Crews make progress despite winds!
Location: Southeast of Whiteriver, AZ
Cause: Human Caused-under investigation
Percent containment: 5%
Start date: Wednesday, April 11, 2018
Size: 11,339 acres
Vegetation: Ponderosa pine and grass understory
Resources: Approximately 276 personnel
Public Meeting: There will be a community meeting in Alpine on Thursday night, April 19, 2018, at 6:00 pm, which be held at the Alpine Community Center, located at 12 County Road 2061, Alpine, AZ 85920.
Location: The Rattlesnake Fire is located approximately 43 miles southeast of Whiteriver, 20 miles southwest of Alpine, and over 50 miles northwest of San Carlos, burning on the Fort Apache Indian Reservation, San Carlos Indian Reservation and the Apache-Sitgreaves National Forests.
The Rattlesnake Fire was mapped from the air for the first time Tuesday night, which provided a more accurate determination of the fire size. This mapping shows an increase of over 4,500 acres, not all of which occurred on Tuesday. There are areas inside the fire that have not burned. The fire grew on the south and southwest, on the San Carlos Indian Reservation and the Bear Wallow Wilderness on the Apache-Sitgreaves National Forests. The fire is approximately one mile northwest of Arkie Canyon on the San Carlos Indian Reservation and two miles north of Helen Canyon in the Bear Wallow Wilderness. The northern edge of the fire remains south of Forest Road 25, burning within the old Wallow Fire scar. Fire crews are improving Forest Road 25 along the northeast side of the fire and are improving line on Forest Road 8341 to Gobble Point. They will continue working south on Forest Road 8154 to Reno Lookout, and are also scouting potential fire line on the southeast and southwest sides of the Rattlesnake Fire to keep the fire within the area previously burned by the Wallow Fire. The fire is burning in the canyons souths of Forest Road 25, and prevailing winds are pushing smoke toward Alpine and surrounding communities northeast of the fire.
Closures: Closures are in place on the San Carlos Indian Reservation, White Mountain Apace Reservation and the Apache-Sitgreaves National Forests. Visit the Rattlesnake Fire Inciweb page for details.
Restrictions: San Carlos Indian Reservation implemented Stage 2 Fire Restrictions on April 17, 2018. Modified Stage 2 Fire Restrictions continue on the Fort Apache Indian Reservation. Campfires will NOT be allowed during the hours of 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. and debris burning is prohibited until further notice.
InciWeb page (https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/5740)
BIA Fort Apache Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/BIAFAAFireMgt/)
Apache-Sitgreaves National Forests Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/apachesitgreavesnfs)
Apache-Sitgreaves National Forests Twitter page (https://twitter.com/A_SNFs)
Northeastern Arizona Public Information System (www.311info.net)
Nowhi ni’ nłt’eego anłsih – Take care of our land