Burnout Operations Complete on San Juan Fire
Acres: 6,400 Reported Date: June 26, 2014 at 11:45 a.m. Cause: Human, under investigation Location: 18 miles southeast of Show Low, Az. Containment: 5% percent Fuels: Mixed conifer and Ponderosa pine Terrain: Variable Resources: 6 helicopters, 6 hotshot crews, 7 hand Total Personnel: 683 crews, 31 engines, 12 water tenders, 4 dozers
VERNON, AZ – The San Juan Fire grew approximately 700 acres yesterday due to low intensity burnout operations. The operations were conducted to increase the defensibility of fire lines. As a result, most of the fire activity will be on the west side of the fire today. On the north and east sides of the fire, firefighters will continue to perform mop-up duties and work towards containment. Engines were assigned to patrol the fire’s edge and surrounding roads last night.
Smoke has been heavy at times in recent days, mostly due to the burnout operations which have concluded. Smoke has settled into low lying areas surrounding the fire this morning.
A public meeting was held at the Vernon Fire District last night to update the status of the San Juan Fire and projected outlook in fire behavior and continuing suppression actions. Approximately 200 area residents and media attended the public meeting. Members of the Incident Management Team as well as the White Mountain Apache Tribe, Bureau of Indian Affairs and the Apache-Sitgreaves National Forests were present to answer questions.
Mandatory evacuations remain in effect for the subdivisions of Red Cabin Ranch, Whiting Homestead, Carlock Ranch south of Buckelew Springs and Forest Service Road 61 and 2. Pre-evacuation notices remain in effect for the area of Greens Peak Hideaway and the Hidden Meadows Ranch.
A closure has been put in place by the Apache-Sitgreaves National Forests. Road blocks are in place at Forest Service Road 271B, County Road 3140 at Carlock Ranch, Forest Road 267 at Forest Road 224, Forest Road 117 and Forest Road 96, and County Road 3140 at County Road 3261. A closure is also in place for a portion of the White Mountain Apache Tribe.