Single Publication

Team 4 assumes command of the Clair, Bartlett, and Sheep Fires

Daily Update – Wednesday, August 7, 2024

Highlights: At 6:00am this morning, Southwest Area Incident Management Team 4 assumed command of the Clair, Bartlett, and Sheep Fires. Team 4 is now managing seven incidents on the Tonto National Forest (see table below for fire statistics). Yesterday, Team 4 gathered information and began developing suppression strategies for the three new fires. Engines, crews, aircraft, and other firefighting resources are engaged on all incidents, working together to prioritize fires based on threats to communities and infrastructure. 

Total personnel on all incidents: 417 

Clair: 2,170 acres; 0% containment

Bartlett: 5,600 acres; 0% containment

Y Bar: 297 acres; 0% containment

Sheep: 1,085 acres; 0% containment

Round 3: 33 acres; 0% containment

Sand Stone: 27,390 acres; 82% containment

Deer: 378 acres; 18% containment

Operational Update: Yesterday, no smoke was observed on the Sand Stone or Round 3 Fires. Crews will continue to chip vegetation along Forest Road 201 and complete suppression repairs on both the Sand Stone and Deer Fires. Mastication will continue on Forest Road 201A toward the Mount Peeley Trailhead. Crews are working to improve dozerline on the Y Bar Fire as helicopters drop water to slow the fire’s progression. Engines and other resources will be sent to the Clair Fire to identify contingency lines to protect the KA Ranch and Humboldt Tower. Firefighters will continue to use aircraft to support ground operations by dropping water on hot spots, conducting mapping missions, and monitoring fire activity. Yesterday, crews conducted strategic firing operations off Bartlett Dam Road and will spend today holding the Bartlett Fire within its current footprint. Firefighters are monitoring the Sheep Fire by air and plan to develop a strategy to prevent fire spread to the west toward the Verde River. Resources remain available to respond to fires 24 hours a day with both a day and night shift. 

Weather: Scattered to numerous thunderstorms are possible today with gusty outflow winds and cloud-to-ground lightning. Temperatures will run near normal for early August after the recent streak of above normal temperatures. Thursday will return to a trend toward above normal temperatures and afternoon/evening thunderstorms.

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 recreation sites, and Bartlett Dam Road are closed due to the Bartlett and Clair Fires. For more information on road closures, see https://www.az511.com/. 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