3/8/16 8:50 am

***NEWS RELEASE***

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

FIRES IN NAVAJO COUNTY

For more information Contact:
Chief Deputy James Molesa, (928)220-1051

Within the past 10 days residents in Navajo County have experienced 3 large human caused fires. With the absence of the El Nino, conditions are dry and we are entering the month of March which is the start of the windy season. The most recent fire, the “Phoenix Fire” located outside of Heber was caused by target practice shooting. This fire was burning in a juniper wooded area and went from 6 acres to an estimated 600 acres in just a few hours. Propelled by wind gust of 40 miles per hour it spread very rapidly. The forest conditions are extraordinarily dry for this time of year. Navajo County and our fire fighting and prevention partners in the White Mountains, encourage all residents to use caution when burning weeds, or other material. Please be aware of the weather conditions as well as the dryness of the land. Sheriff Clark advised “the difference between a controlled burn and a wild fire is 30 seconds.”

The Navajo County Sheriff’s Office reminds people with any information on a crime to contact WETIP at 800-78CRIME or contact the Sheriff’s Office at (928)532-6060 or (928)524-4050. Callers may request to remain anonymous.

U.S. Forest Service
Apache-Sitgreaves National Forests
30 S Chiricahua Drive
Springerville, AZ 85938

Web: www.fs.usda.gov/asnf
Twitter: @A_SNFs
www.facebook.com/apachesitgreavesnf

News Release
Media Contact: Steve Johnson
928-333-6280
stevenmjohnson02@fs.fed.us
Phoenix Fire
March 07, 2016; 11:00 a.m.
Location:
• Black Mesa Ranger District on the Apache-Sitgreaves National Forests
• Navajo County, Arizona
• North of Highway 260, South of Highway 277 in the Phoenix Park Wash

Start Date: March 06, 2016, reported at approx. 12 p.m.
Size: 500 acres
Cause: Human
Personnel Assigned: 60 Firefighters from Local, State and Forest Service on scene
Resources Assigned: 2 Hand Crews, 4 engines, 1 Water Tender, 1 Dozer
Vegetation: Grassy fuels

Summary:

The Phoenix fire, which started at approximately 12 Noon on 03/06/2016, is estimated at 500 acres and is burning North of Highway 260 in the Phoenix Park Wash area about 1.5 miles South of Highway 277. The Phoenix fire is a wind-driven fire burning in mostly grassy fuels in the old Rodeo-Chediski burn area. The fire was human caused and is under investigation. The fires momentum slowed significantly overnight allowing a dozer to get a line around approximately two-thirds of the Phoenix fire, and Fire officials expect the dozer line to be completed today sometime. Additional smoke may be visible on the west side of the Phoenix fire as fire managers plan to conduct burning operations today to support the dozer line. The Phoenix fire received no moisture on 03/06/2016 and the National Weather Service is calling for a 30% chance of precipitation tonight and tomorrow morning.

Fire Information:

For further information on this incident please contact the Black Mesa Ranger District at (928) 535-7300.

3/7/16 10:10 am
As of this morning the Phoenix Fire has burned an estimated 500-600 acres North of Aripine. Forest service has 60 personnel on scene and is working dozer line on the east side and crews are working the west side