Incident Media Photographs

Firefighters work to create "bone piles" or small bonfires to encourage burning of the unnatural buildup of fuels. Burning these sticks and logs now makes communities safer in the future because when the next fire starts, there will be less fuel on the ground. (Photo Credit: Lauren Hill E-14)

The Payson Hotshots have played an important role in containing the West Fire because they are local, know the area and are familiar with how fire behaves on the Tonto National Forest (Photo credit: T. Davila)

Fire managers understood it wasn't the right time to let the fire progress off the Rim, so they used a helicopter with water buckets to cool it down and keep it in place until the conditions were right. (Photo credit: R Melendez)

With use of aerial ignitions, firefighters have been encouraging fire to establish in the tops of drainages so it can slowly back down the slope and achieve the objective of reducing the unnatural buildup of fuels. (Photo credit: T. Davila)

Firefighters have exercised patience with the West Fire, waiting for the right conditions to apply fire when it would be most beneficial and hold off on ignitions when conditions would get too hot. (Photo credit: T. Davila)

Firefighters work to make important values, like Camp Geronimo, safer for the future. 

Engines continue to patrol the perimeter of the West Fire, looking for any hot spots that need attention. (Photo credit: R Shaffer)

A firefighter hikes through the forest applying fire by hand drip torch around Camp Geronimo (Photo credit: R Shaffer)

Engine crews continue to mop up the perimeter of the West Fire, gaining containment along the edges. (Photo credit: R Shaffer)

Firefighters on the West Fire bring water to a large log to make sure it is cooled down near the edge of the containment line. (Photo credit: D Melendez)

Firefighters hand ignite using drip torches at nighttime to moderate fire behavior near Bray Creek Ranch on the West Fire (Photo credit: D Melendez)

Firefighters keep a watchful eye on ignitions to be sure fire doesn't cross the containment lines on the West Fire (Photo credit: D Melendez)