Single Publication

Community Meeting Tonight, Sunday, July 30, 2023, at 7pm 

Cottonwood Ridge Fire Quick Facts 

Acres: 345 

Cause: Lightning 

Containment: 45% 

Start Date: July 23, 2023 

Location: 4 miles south of Show Low, AZ 

Fuels: Timber, grass, brush 

Snake Ridge Fire Quick Facts 

Acres: 42 acres 

Cause: Lightning 

Containment: 0% 

Start Date: July 28, 2023 

Location: 11 miles southwest of Show Low, AZ. 

Fuels:  Grass, Brush 

Total personnel for all incidents: 342 (Includes Cottonwood Ridge, Snake Ridge, Mustang Ridge and Spoon Fires)

Overview

The Southwest Area Incident Management Team 5 will host a Community Meeting tonight, Sunday, July 30, 2023, at 7 p.m. MST. It will be held at the Show Low Public Library Council Chamber at 181 N. 9th St, Show Low, AZ 85901. The meeting will also be Live streamed to the BIA Forestry & Wildland Fire Management- Fort Apache Agency Facebook Page at https://www.facebook.com/BIAFAAFireMgt. You do not need a Facebook account to view the video. There will be a question-and-answer portion at the end of the meeting. 

Cottonwood Ridge Fire Update: Crews continued to construct line on the north and eastern edges of the fire Saturday bringing containment up to 45%. Crews were forced off the fireline around 1 p.m. due to thunderstorms and lightning in the area. Some interior pockets of vegetation, mostly in drainages, will continue to put up smoke for the next few days. Sunday, crews will continue to improve fireline and mop up hotspots working their way around the northern edge of the fire to prevent any chance of the Cottonwood Ridge Fire moving toward the communities of Linden and Show Low. 

Snake Ridge Fire Update: Crews were successful in preventing the Snake Ridge Fire from increasing in size on Saturday. On Sunday crews will continue to secure and improve firelines around the fire perimeter. Crews will continue to secure fireline and mop up hotspots. 

Mustang Ridge Fire Update: The Mustang Fire has minimal to no heat and will continue to be monitored by air resources. 

Weather: Sunday, thunderstorms and light precipitation are expected to develop in the afternoon. Conditions may force air resources and crews off the line. Temperatures are expected to be in the high 80s for Cottonwood Ridge and Snake Ridge fires and may reach mid 90s for Spoon Fire. Cloud cover and higher humidity in the afternoon may help keep fire activity minimal, but outflow winds could push the fires and cause increased fire and smoke activity. 

Evacuations: None. Residents and visitors should take time to become familiar with the Ready, Set, Go evacuation model. These steps help you to be READY in the event of an emergency by preparing now. Additionally, sign up for the Navajo County Alert System at https://tinyurl.com/y4vwrasw. 

Smoke: The Spoon and Snake Ridge fires may continue to put up smoke as interior pockets of vegetation continue to burn. Please use caution when traveling along smokey roadways. For information on smoke and air quality visit https://www.airnow.gov. 

Closures: Highway 60 remains open. 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 Forests: Stage 1 Fire Restrictions - No campfires (except in developed recreation sites), no smoking outdoors, no welding, no fireworks.