For Immediate Release 9 p.m. June 23, 2013 Contact: Jonetta Trued, 928-594-2017 Email: eazfireteam@gmail.com Twitter: twitter.com/firescoop Rock Creek Fire Update Fire Facts Date started: Friday, June 21 9:45 a.m. Number of personnel: 374, including 9 20-person hand crews Location: 8 miles East of Whiteriver, AZ Equipment: 21 engines Cause: Human, under investigation Aircraft: 1 helicopter Size: 795 acres according to infrared flight mapping Percent contained: 30% Estimated containment date: 6/26/2013 Injuries to date: none Cost to date: $595,280 Structures threatened: None Fire Activity: Gusty afternoon winds today helped the Rock Creek fire to continue burning in needle cast and duff all on the interior of the fire perimeter. Hand crews reinforced containment lines focusing on stump holes where fuel continues to hold heat. Dozer lines established as containment lines were also rehabbed. Information provided by an overnight infrared flight assisted fire managers with mapping the fire area more accurately resulting in 795 acres identified in the fire area. The fire did not grow past the already established perimeter. Significant Events: A Red Flag warning is in effect from 10 am to 8 pm on Monday for high winds and low relative humidity. Winds from the Southwest are expected to be 13 to 20 MPH with gusts around 35 MPH. A Red Flag warning means critical fire weather conditions are either occurring now or will shortly. They are issued by the National Weather Service. Closures: The R30 road is closed at Eastfork on the south end and at Diamond Creek on the north end. General Information: The Eastern Arizona Incident Management Team is in command of fire management activities. The Incident Command Post is located at the Rick Lupe Fire Management Center in Whiteriver, AZ. Residents and visitors in the Rock Creek Fire area are advised to be extremely careful on Monday when they are involved in any activity that could cause a fire to start, particularly because of the Red Flag warning that will be in effect the majority of daylight hours.

The good news for the Rock Creek fire is that there has been NO expansion and holding at 795 acres and at 30% containment. There are as many as 375 personnel working the fire and cost almost $600,000. Tomorrow approximately 1/3 of the ground crews will be released to head to other fires. Their service is greatly appreciated. The remaining ground crews will continue with more air attacks and additional containment is expected.

Smoke will settle in the low lying areas during the night again. Please use caution if you are driving and encounter thick smoke.

Rock Creek Fire Update

 Fire Facts

Fire Activity: Gusty afternoon winds are expected in the area of the Rock Creek Fire today, as 6 hand crews continue to build containment line around the perimeter of the fire located in the Rock Creek drainage. The fire’s northern progression was stopped when it moved into an area of a prescribed fire conducted by local fire managers in November of last year. Better mapping, conducted Saturday, established the fire at 750 acres. Today crews will continue to reinforce hand and dozer lines that were built Saturday. They will have air support in the form of Air Attack and two helicopters. Fire managers expect to see unburned fuel within the existing perimeter burn today as winds progress. Smoke may be visible to residents and visitors in Whiteriver, Hawley Lake and many communities north and northeast of the fire area.

Significant Events:  A fire weather watch for extremely dry and windy conditions is forecast for Monday.  Beginning Tuesday, weather conditions are forecast to become increasingly hot and dry but with less wind.

Closures: The R30 road is closed at Eastfork on the south end and at Diamond Creek on the north end.

General Information: The Eastern Arizona Incident Management Team assumed command of the fire Saturday evening. The Incident Command Post is located at the Rick Lupe Fire Management Center in Whiteriver, AZ.

Fire managers are expecting to see down drainage smoke from the Rock Creek Fire collecting in the Eastfork and Whiteriver valleys. Area residents and visitors are urged to use caution while driving in the area as smoke can suddenly become thick and obscure visibility. Additionally, those who have respiratory issues should remain indoors and away from smoke saturated areas.