YOUNG, Az. – With smoke subsiding from the Poco Fire in Arizona’s Pleasant Valley and the Mogollon Rim communities, the Central West Zone Interagency Type 3 Incident Management Team turns fire management back to the Tonto National Forest at 9:00 a.m. Friday, June 29, 2012.

On Thursday, the Type 3 team maintained 90 fire personnel, mostly assigned to patrolling the fire’s perimeter and chipping downed trees to remove fuel from the fire zone. “We want to thank our firefighters and the communities we’re working to protect. We encourage the public to practice fire safety because the trees and shrubs are very dry and we remain in extreme fire danger,” says Andy Mandell, the incident commander trainee.

Mandell points out that two Type 1 firefighting crews and two engines will stay at the Pleasant Valley Ranger District along with miscellaneous fire personnel during the transition and due to the extreme fire danger.

As recreation increases in the area over the 4th of July, visitors and residents are warned to stay out of the Poco Fire zone as smoldering continues. Trees could fall and hotspots remain. For continued information, the public may contact the Pleasant Valley Ranger District in Young, Arizona, at: 928-462-4300

YOUNG, Az. – Fire officials got an aerial view today of the 11,950 Poco Fire northeast of Young, Arizona, and increased its containment to 80 percent.

“Smoke has dissipated from the town of Young, Payson, and the Mogollon Rim communities. We are still seeing smoldering in the center of the deep canyons within the Tonto National Forest,” says Incident Commander Trainee Andy Mandell, Central West Zone Interagency Type 3 Team.

All around the perimeter, the Fort Apache Interagency Hot Shot crew and Prescott National Forest Hot Shots gathered downed trees and limbs, feeding them into chippers to remove fuel. Much of this work takes place adjacent to Forest Road 512 (Young Road) which reopened today. “We are seeing residents traveling the road again and ranchers working cattle, so we’re asking our firefighters and the public to drive with considerable caution,” Mandell emphasizes. Water tenders and an air craft were released from the fire today; the Central West Zone Interagency Type 3 Team resources remaining on the fire consist of three engines and two hot shot crews, for a total of 100 personnel.

YOUNG, Az. – The Central West Zone Interagency Type 3 Team resources have completed rehabilitation tasks on the Poco Fire, northeast of Young, Arizona, including grading Forest Road 512 that connects travelers from the Payson area off of State Route 260 south to Young. Barring no new fire starts, FR 512 (Young Rd.) opens at 6:00 a.m. Wednesday.

“We have several fire engines and heavy equipment on scene, so we’re asking the public to drive slowly and carefully. Under no circumstances should travelers stop on the 512 to look at or walk into the fire zone,” urges Incident Commander Trainee Andy Mandell.

According to Mandell, the Poco Fire is contained at 75 percent. The Central West Zone Interagency Type 3 Team resources consists of four engines, two hot shot crews, air support, water tenders, and a dozer, for a total of 110 personnel.

If thunderstorms pass without lightning strikes or new fire starts, the Type 3 team will begin releasing a few firefighters on Wednesday, June 27, as containment of the Poco Fire increases. “Several firefighters will remain stationed at the Tonto National Forest, Pleasant Valley Ranger District, during this extreme fire danger period,” Mandell explains.

The Poco Fire has not exceeded 11,950 acres. At the height of the human-caused incident, 768 personnel were stationed in Young who traveled from Arizona, California, Indiana, Idaho, Louisiana, Montana, New Mexico, Texas, Utah, Wyoming, and Wisconsin to protect central Arizona communities. Six community meetings were held within eight days in the towns of Young, Forest Lakes, Colcord, Heber, and Payson and two Fire Camp tours conducted. Five firefighters were injured; no structures were burned; estimated costs are $9 million.