April 27, 2018, For Immediate Release — Coconino National Forest firefighters are responding to a wildfire, the Tinder Fire, in East Clear Creek was spotted today at approximately 11:45 a.m.
Firefighters from the Mogollon Rim Ranger District began fighting a wildfire near Forest Road 95, approximately 1.5 miles east of C.C. Cragin Reservoir, which was burning in approximately 50 acres of standing pine and mixed conifer forest going to the bottom of East Clear Creek.
The fire as of 5 p.m. has grown to approximately 150 acres and has six engines, four type I handcrews, two dozers, two water tenders, three air tankers, five helicopters, an air attack aircraft and a lead aircraft battling the wildfire. A type I Incident Management Team has been ordered to work this wildfire incident and are expected to be in the area tomorrow.
More than 100 firefighters are working on the ground and the air to stop the wildfire. There was no recorded lightening in the area and the fire is under investigation.
Drivers in the area are asked to drive cautiously while other resources may be responding on highways and forest roads near the Blue Ridge Ranger office. These responders, smoke, and the crews on the ground create hazardous driving conditions in the area.
The fire is producing a smoke which may be limit visibility on state Route 87 and local forest roads. Arizona Department of Transportation has responded to the area to assess traffic needs.
Notifications of fires are provided regularly by news releases and by the following online resources:
• Inciweb: http://inciweb.nwcg.gov/
• Twitter: www.twitter.com/CoconinoNF
• Coconino website: www.coconinonationalforest.us, (Under News and Events)
• Sign up to receive news releases: www.fs.fed.us/news/subscription.shtml

Burnout Activities Increase Smoke Visibility

Location: Southeast of Whiteriver
Size: 19,409
Containment: 25%
Cause: Human caused, under investigation

Fire activity: The Rattlesnake Fire put up more smoke today due to tactical ground firing operations and planned aerial ignitions that helped to consume unburned fuels and strengthen control lines. Firefighters plan on completing the last mile or so of firing along the edge of Road 25 east to the junction with Highway191. When weather and operational progress dictate, tactical firing operations will continue from Highway 191 west along the southern edge of the Bear Wallow Wilderness to join up with firefighters burning out coming from the west. Fire crews supporting the firing operation worked to secure the edge of their control lines and mopped up hot spots. Mop up and fire line suppression repair will continue over the next several days. Initial attack resources remain at the ready for immediate response.

Safety: Motorists should be prepared again for possible delays due to pilot cars and/or a temporary road closure as firefighters conduct burnout operations along Forest Road 25 and the 309 Trail up to Highway 191. Timing of the firing operations, scheduled for early this morning, will be dictated by safety, weather, and operational progress. ADOT personnel are in position to implement safety measures if and when the highway is affected by smoke and fire. Checkpoints will be located at Hannagan Meadow to the north and Stray Horse to the south on Highway 191.

Weather: A warming trend continues to bring higher daytime temps, dryer relative humidity and light winds from the west. No significant wind events are forecast for the next several days. We expect smoke to drift to the east then shift and settle into Eagle Creek, Blue River and San Francisco upper Gila River valleys overnight. On Tuesday valley smoke should lift out by 9a.m., and drift to the east throughout the day then shift and settle to the south. The heaviest smoke impacts will peak from 3-5p.m. over the next few days on highway 191 between mile markers 226 north to 245, visibility could be limited to 1.5 miles.

Values: Resource advisors deployed on the Rattlesnake Fire are identifying values at risk so that firefighters can employ tactics to reduce impacts to threatened and endangered species and their habitat because of fire suppression activities.

Closures: Closures are in place on the San Carlos Apache Reservation, White Mountain Apache Reservation and the Apache-Sitgreaves National Forests. Visit the Rattlesnake Fire Inciweb page for details.

Restrictions: Monday the Apache-Sitgreaves National Forests entered into Stage 1 Fire Restrictions in order to reduce human-caused fires and protect public safety. San Carlos Apache Reservation implemented Stage 2 Fire Restrictions on April 17, 2018. Modified Stage 2 Fire Restrictions continue on the Fort Apache Indian Reservation.

InciWeb https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/5740) – BIA Fort Apache Facebook https://www.facebook.com/BIAFAAFireMgt/ – Stage 1 Fire Restrictions https://www.fs.usda.gov/detail/asnf/fire/?cid=fseprd538403 – Arizona Department of Environmental Quality https://www.phoenixvis.net/PPMmain.aspx

Location: Southeast of Whiteriver
Size: 16, 891 acres
Containment: 25%
Cause: Human caused, under investigation

Fire activity: On Sunday aerial ignitions were utilized to successfully burn out the largest unburned interior island west of Forest Road 25. Increased acreage reported today is a result of interior burning. Fire operations were coordinated along both the southeast and southwest flanks of the fire by strengthening constructed fire lines. Fire line repair was completed for contingency lines north of the Black River. Today tactical firing operations are planned as weather conditions permit along Forest Road 25 east of Reno Lookout toward Highway 191 and along the 309 Trail east of Anderson Flat also toward Highway 191. Over the next several days fire managers will work to tie-in these two major firing operations near Highway191. Numerous resources continue to be relocated to areas with high priority work to assist with safe and timely suppression efforts.

Safety: Motorists should be prepared for possible delays and/or a temporary road closure as firefighters conduct burnout operations along Forest Road 25 and the 309 Trail up to Highway 191. Timing of the firing operation will be dictated by safety, weather, and operational progress. ADOT personnel are in position to implement safety measures if and when the highway is affected by smoke and fire. Checkpoints will be located at Hannagan Meadow to the north and Stray Horse to the south on Highway 191.

Weather: A warming trend will bring higher daytime temps, dryer relative humidity and light winds from the west. No significant wind events are forecast for the next several days. Today smoke will drift to the east then shift and settle into Eagle Creek, Blue River and San Francisco upper Gila River valleys overnight. On Tuesday valley smoke will lift out by 9a.m., will drift to the east throughout the day then shift and settle to the south. The heaviest smoke impacts will peak from 3-5p.m. over the next few days on highway 191 between mile markers 226 north to 245, visibility could be limited to 1.5 miles.

Values: Resource advisors are deployed on the Rattlesnake Fire, and are identifying values at risk so that firefighters can employ tactics to reduce impacts to threatened and endangered species and their habitat within the fires footprint.

Closures: Closures are in place on the San Carlos Apache Reservation, White Mountain Apache Reservation and the Apache-Sitgreaves National Forests. Visit the Rattlesnake Fire Inciweb page for details.

Restrictions:  Today the Apache-Sitgreaves National Forests entered into Stage 1 Fire Restrictions in order to reduce human-caused fires and protect public safety. San Carlos Apache Reservation implemented Stage 2 Fire Restrictions on April 17, 2018. Modified Stage 2 Fire Restrictions continue on the Fort Apache Indian Reservation.

InciWeb https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/5740) – BIA Fort Apache Facebook https://www.facebook.com/BIAFAAFireMgt/ – Stage 1 Fire Restrictions https://www.fs.usda.gov/detail/asnf/fire/?cid=fseprd538403 – Arizona Department of Environmental Quality https://www.phoenixvis.net/PPMmain.aspx