Single Publication

Size: 3,996 acres
Start Date: August 16, 2023
Cause: Lightning
Completion: 57%
Total personnel: 173
Location: 11 miles northeast of Young, Arizona and 27 miles
east of Payson, Arizona
Fuels: Ponderosa Pine, Hardwood litter and timber
Highlights: Yesterday, as of 6 a.m., Chamberlain Trail Road (FSRD 200) will be closed until 6 p.m. on September 30, 2023 for firefighter and public safety. The communities of Gordon Canyon, 13 Ranch, and The Cove are in SET status. For more information on Ready, Set, Go, please visit: https://ein.az.gov/ready-set-go.
Operations: Yesterday, crews on the northwest end of the fire conducted some hand ignitions, moving west towards the Chamberlain Trail (FSRD 200) building depth; however, conditions were limiting. Tactical firing operations were performed down the drainages from the north to the south towards FSRD 411 building depth and evening out the fire line. Today, crews will continue moving the fire’s edge towards Chamberlain Trail (FSRD 200) along that west fire perimeter line to the south, adding more depth.
Fire Ecology: A crown fire is when a fire burns along the top of trees, also known as the canopy. Crown fires produce high-severity fire effects. The term “torching” refers to when a fire burns the crown of one tree or a small group of trees but does not move around. Surface fire is when the fire stays on the surface, consuming grass and forest litter and reducing the ladder fuels.
Weather: Yesterday, there were scattered storms along the west fire perimeter up to ½”. Today, there is a 10-15% chance of showers with the relative humidity in the teens. Later this week, wind is expected to increase from the southwest, with temperatures expected to continue on a downtrend.
Closures: An emergency closure order for the Valentine Fire has gone into effect as of 6 a.m. Sept. 5, 2023. The public is asked to avoid the fire area. The purpose of the closure order is to protect public health and safety during the Valentine Fire and to protect assigned firefighting personnel engaging in wildland firefighting operations. Signs and gates will be in place to remind the public not to enter the fire area. Please visit the Alerts and Notices page for more information. https://www.fs.usda.gov/alerts/tonto/alerts-notices.
Safety: The health and safety of firefighters and the public are always the highest priority. Members of the public are asked to avoid the fire area.
Smoke: The fire may produce additional smoke due to excessive fuel accumulation. Smoke from the Valentine Fire may be visible in the surrounding areas for many days. Smoke-sensitive individuals and people with respiratory problems or heart disease are encouraged to take precautionary measures. An interactive smoke map at https://www.airnow.gov/wildfires/ lets you zoom into your area to see the latest smoke conditions.
Information Links and Contacts
Tonto National Forest: https://www.fs.usda.gov/main/tonto/fire
InciWeb: https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident-information/aztnf-valentine-fire
Fire Email: 2023.valentine@firenet.gov
Fire Information Line: (928)-421-4579 • Office Hours: 8:00 AM – 8:00 PM