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Southwest Area Incident Management Team 5 Assumes Command  of Three Fires on Fort Apache 

Cottonwood Ridge Fire Quick Facts 

*Acres: 345 

Cause: Lightning 

Containment: 0% 

Start Date: July 23, 2023 

Location: 4 miles south of Show Low, AZ 

Fuels: Timber, grass, brush 

Total personnel for all incidents: 250 

Overview: The Southwest Area Incident Management Team 5 assumed command of three fires — Cottonwood Ridge Fire, Mustang Ridge Fire and the Spoon Fire — on the Fort Apache Indian Reservation. Thank you for welcoming us to your community as we work to contain these fires. 

Cottonwood Ridge Fire Update: There was no growth on the Cottonwood Ridge Fire Wednesday. After more accurate infrared mapping, acres decreased from 411 to 345. The fire produced minimal heat and smoke. A type-1 helicopter dropped buckets of water on hotspots identified by firefighters on the ground. On Thursday, crews will continue to construct fireline directly at the fire’s edge on north side of the fire. Crews will also be securing fireline on the south/southwest side of the fire.  Aerial resources will be available if needed.  

Weather: Temperatures tomorrow will be in the upper 90s on the Cottonwood Ridge Fire. Light winds 5-10 mph are forecasted. There is a chance of rain tomorrow afternoon/evening as monsoonal moisture passes across parts of Arizona. The lower wind speeds will help decrease fire behavior on the Mustang and Cottonwood Fires. 

Evacuations: None.  
Residence and visitors and should take this time to familiarize themselves with the Ready, Set, Go evacuation model. The three steps encourage Arizonans to get READY by preparing now for what threatens their community. Additionally, sign up for the Navajo County Alert System at https://tinyurl.com/y4vwrasw. 

Smoke: Please use caution when traveling along smoky roadways. For information on smoke and air quality visit https://www.airnow.gov. 

Closures: There are no Highway closures in place. The southwest portion of Fort Apache is closed, including all Salt River sites within the closure area.  

Fire Restrictions: There are several fire restrictions in place depending on location. 

• Fort Apache Agency: Stage 2 Fire Restrictions - No campfire, fireworks, outdoor smoking, debris burning or discharging of firearms. Power saws cannot be used between 10 am and 8 pm. All motorized travel is restricted to developed roads.     

• Show Low, Navajo County and Apache Sitgreaves National Forest: Stage 1 Fire Restrictions - No campfires (except in developed recreation sites), no smoking outdoors, no welding, no fireworks.