Single Publication

Round 3 Fire reaches 100% containment; Sand Stone close behind
Daily Update – Thursday, August 8, 2024

Highlights: Successful firefighting efforts on the ground, in combination with aviation support, lower temperatures, and light precipitation, resulted in 100% containment of the Round 3 Fire and 96% containment of the Sand Stone Fire. Firefighters continue to operate through the night to increase containment on all other fires while also remaining available for initial attack of any new fire starts.

Total personnel on all incidents: 530

Clair: 2,170 acres, 24% containment 
Bartlett: 6,161 acres, 17% containment 
Y Bar: 297 acres, 0% containment
Sheep: 2,483 acres, 0% containment
Round 3: 41 acres, 100% containment 
Sand Stone: 27,390 acres, 96% containment
Deer: 378 acres, 18% containment

Operational Update: Fire behavior was moderated on the Bartlett, Clair, and Sheep fires yesterday due to scattered precipitation and lower temperatures. Helicopters dropped water on the western side of the Y Bar Fire throughout the day to prevent further growth. Today, firefighters are identifying suppression repair needs near the Y Bar Fire, including repairing fire control lines constructed by bulldozers along nearby roads. During an aerial reconnaissance flight, firefighters recorded updated fire perimeters on the Bartlett and Clair Fires. Firefighters will continue to direct air support toward the most active fires to moderate fire behavior and secure the perimeters. The Deer Fire experienced minimal fire activity yesterday, with some fire slowly backing along the northwestern side. Firefighters will maintain daily monitoring of the fire perimeter with reconnaissance flights. With containment reaching higher percentages on the Sand Stone Fire, chipping and mastication efforts will continue today on the 201 and 201A roads. Road grading will also begin today near Horseshoe Dam to clear out debris from storms and fires earlier this year. Aviation resources are expected to support the ongoing fire response today.

Weather: Today will return to a trend toward above normal temperatures and scattered afternoon/evening thunderstorms into the weekend. The highest chances for storms will be towards the higher terrain. This next increase in heat will peak on Saturday, potentially reaching excessive heat levels.

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