Suppression efforts continue on the Blue River and Dry Lake Fires

Aviation resources continue to support the firefighting efforts on the ground.  Helicopter water drops continued to support firefighters as they worked their way around the fires toward containment. Firefighters have been using heavy equipment such as dozers and graders to enhance area roads so they can be used as containment lines, further enhancing their effectiveness by burning out the vegetation between the active fire and the roads to slow and contain the fire spread. An Infrared (IR) Flight took place over the Blue River Fire last night and is planned over both fires tonight. IR flights help firefighters prioritize the positioning of resources on the fire line.

The Dry Lake Fire continues to burn, backing and creeping through the grass and timber understory and dead and down fuels on the forest floor making occasional pushes with winds when aligned with the terrain. Areas around Dry Lake have either had fires previously or had been thinned by the local tribal forestry program which has decreased the fire behavior potential in that general area.  

SMOKE: The team is working closely with Arizona Department of Environmental Quality (ADEQ) to monitor smoke impacts to the communities of San Carlos as well as Whiteriver. Smoke monitors will be positioned at strategic locations in San Carlos and in Whiteriver to monitor the impacts of smoke within the communities. Smoke monitoring during the COVID-19 pandemic is critical to insuring the continued health of communities. Smoke-sensitive individuals and people with respiratory problems are encouraged to take precautionary measures. Information on air quality and protecting your health can be found at the Centers for Disease Control – Wildfire Smoke: https://www.cdc.gov/nceh/features/wildfires/index.html

BACKGROUND: Firefighters have been working to actively suppress the Blue River and the Dry Lake fires since their discovery after a June 5 thunderstorm.  Firefighters and fire managers have been challenged by many factors which have been significant in the growth of these fires. Factors including several days of wind driven fire behavior, difficult topography, as well as limited available resources due to the COVID-19 pandemic, compounded by increased fire activity in the area further drawing down available resources have proven challenging.

 

Ko’ doo bena golde’da - Do not play with fire!

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