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The Preacher Fire is a lightning-caused wildfire that is burning four miles northeast of Pine, Arizona. The fire is being managed under a confine and contain strategy with the goal of protecting private lands and the communities of Tonto Village, Thompson Draw, Diamond Point Summer Homes, and Diamond Point Estates while reintroducing fire into a fire dependent ecosystem. The intended result is to reduce hazardous fuels, improve watershed conditions and wildlife habitat. This will decrease accumulations of fuels and the potential for future fires to burn with high severity that may be more difficult to suppress. The fire is being managed with the West Fire under the Southwest Complex Incident Management Team 3.
| Current as of | Sun, 09/08/2024 - 22:37 |
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| Incident Time Zone | America/Phoenix |
| Incident Type | Wildfire |
| Cause | Lightning |
| Date of Origin | |
| Location | 8 miles northeast of Payson, Arizona |
| Incident Commander | Southwest Complex Incident Management Team 3 Matthew Rau |
| Incident Description | The Preacher Fire is being managed with the West Fire under the Southwest Complex Incident Management Team 3. |
| Coordinates |
34° 17' 57'' Latitude
-111° 10' 50
'' Longitude
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| Total Personnel: | 89 |
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| Size | 15 Acres |
| Percent of Perimeter Contained | 0% |
| Fuels Involved | Dormant brush, hardwood slash, hardwood litter, timber (litter and understory) Predominate fuels are Ponderosa pine litter with areas of scabby pinyon-juniper with low continuity of available fuels and pockets of mixed conifer. Grass is currently fully greened up and not contributing to fire spread. |
| Significant Events | Moderate Flanking Creeping Fire behavior moderated by moisture from yesterday's thunderstorms. By afternoon, creeping and primarily low-intensity surface spread in timber litter with flareups in jackpots. |
| Planned Actions |
Firing operations will be conducted along the 65 Road next to the Preacher Fire. Potential firing operation will occur south of the Tonto Village south of the Control Road. Additionally, will assess the environmental conditions by the 65 Road and Control Road Road. Structure Group will continue establishing water source locations and continue structure assessments in Tonto Village and Summer Homes in vicinity to the Preacher Fire. |
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| Projected Incident Activity |
Primarily low-intensity surface spread in timber litter fuels with flareups in jackpots. Isolated torching. Additional smoke draining into the Highway 260 corridor overnight. Potential firing operations would increase active fire area, but overall fire behavior expected to still primarily be low-intensity underburn. |
| Weather Concerns | A few showers may develop on the Mogollon Rim Monday afternoon but are not expected to reach the Preacher Fire. Otherwise, the week will be seasonably warm, dry and rain-free. Southwest winds will increase by mid-week with frequent afternoon gusts over 25 mph. |
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