Single Publication

Containment increases on the Deer, Y Bar, Clair, and Bartlett Fires

Daily Update – Friday, August 9, 2024

Highlights: Containment on the Deer, Y Bar, Clair, and Bartlett Fires increased yesterday. Many of the fires received substantial rainfall, with more expected today. The Tonto National Forest has begun the assessment of the post-fire flooding and erosion risk on the Sand Stone, Bartlett, and Claire Fires. Firefighters continue to complete work to secure fire perimeters and prepare for any initial attack needs.

Total personnel on all incidents: 443 

Clair - 2,170 acres, 51% contained, started 08/04/2024

Bartlett - 6,161 acres, 69% contained, started08/04/2024

Y Bar - 297 acres, 34% contained, started 08/04/2024

Sheep - 2,483 acres, 0% contained, started 08/04/2024

Sand Stone - 27,390 acres, 96% contained, started 07/25/2024

Deer - 378 acres, 26% contained, started 07/17/2024

Operational Update: Yesterday, minimal heat was detected on the Sheep, Clair, Bartlett, and Sand Stone Fires. The Deer Fire exhibited minimal fire activity in the northwest corner of the fire area. The only heat observed on the Y Bar Fire was in the interior of the existing fire footprint. All fires received some level of rain, with the Deer and Y Bar receiving approximately 1-2 inches. During these storms, over 1,300 lightning strikes were recorded within a 6-hour period in a 25-mile radius around the fires. Mastication and vegetation removal efforts will continue as weather conditions allows. Today, higher humidity and chances of precipitation are expected to result in even less fire activity. Firefighters on the Clair and Bartlett Fires are monitoring the perimeter and remain ready to respond to any new fire starts. Today, crews are beginning to evaluate road conditions to assess the potential for continued vegetation and debris removal. Y Bar suppression repair efforts are also ongoing, with additional heavy equipment arriving today to help complete repairs. The Tonto National Forest has ordered a Burned Area Emergency Response (BAER) Team to identify, assess, and address potential erosion and subsequent flooding from runoff in areas impacted by wildfires.

Weather: Temperatures will continue to move further above normal Friday and Saturday while drier air will bring limited afternoon/evening thunderstorm coverage. The highest chances for storms will be in the higher terrain of the northern fires. This next increase in heat will peak on Saturday before temperatures dip slightly Sunday into early next week.

Smoke: Smoke may be visible from Fountain Hills, Sunflower, Deer Creek, Rye, Rio Verde, Goldfield, and unincorporated communities in the Rio Verde Foothills. An interactive smoke map is available at https://fire.airnow.gov/. 

Closures: Horseshoe Lake campgrounds, Bartlett Lake recreation sites, Bartlett Dam Road, Bartlett Lake Flats Road (National Forest System Road #459), and Horseshoe Dam Road (National Forest System Road #205) are closed due to the Bartlett and Clair Fires. The Tonto National Forest has issued a closure order for the Sand Stone Fire area. See https://www.fs.usda.gov/alerts/tonto/alerts-notices/ for more information about forest closures. Trail users should avoid using the Arizona National Scenic Trail near the fire areas.

Safety: The health and safety of firefighters and the public are always the first priority. Drivers are reminded to use caution and be aware of firefighters working along State Route 87. Temporary flight restrictions are currently in place for the Bartlett, Clair, and Y Bar Fires. Flying drones near wildfires is dangerous for pilots and firefighters and can bring wildfire suppression efforts to a halt. Know before you fly. If you fly, we can’t. More information can be found at: https://uas.nifc.gov/. 

More Information: 480-409-9683 / https://www.facebook.com/TontoNationalForest / 2024.sandstone@firenet.gov 

https://inciweb.fs2c.usda.gov/incident-information/aztnf-clair / https://inciweb.wildfire.gov/incident-information/aztnf-bartlett / https://inciweb.wildfire.gov/incident-information/aztnf-sand-stone