Forest Service Burned Area Emergency Response (BAER) specialists recently completed their field data evaluation to produce the Soil Burn Severity (SBS) map for the Pipeline Fire, which delineate unburned, low, moderate, and high SBS categories.

The BAER team assessing the Pipeline Fire determined that approximately 1,310 acres (1%) of the fire is unburned, approximately 15,004 acres (56%) have low soil burn severity, approximately 9,141 acres (34%) sustained a moderate SBS and approximately 1,315 acres (5%) were identified as having high SBS.

The SBS map product is an estimate of fire effects to soils, not fire effects to vegetation. SBS characterizes fire effects to the soil surface and below ground. Fire effects to vegetation would include an estimate of vegetation mortality and does not always correlate with degree of soil burn severity.

Moderate and high soil burn severity can alter or damage physical, chemical, and biological soil properties resulting in increased runoff, erosion, and negative effects to soil productivity. These soil properties include but are not limited to hydrophobicity (water repellency), soil organic matter content, soil pore space, soil cover (effective litter), and soil structure (degree of aggregation).

Changes to these soil properties determine the degree of soil burn severity. Water repellency often occurs naturally in soils, and it changes as a function of fire. It is frequently discussed as a post-fire effect. Fire can increase the strength and thickness (or depth) of water repellent layers in soil, considerably affecting post-fire water runoff and possibly extending time for recovery of the burned area.

The Pipeline BAER team used remote sensing imagery with field-validated soils data to produce the final SBS map. The BAER team will use the SBS map as an analysis tool to estimate post-fire erosion with subsequent sediment delivery, stream flows and debris flow probabilities. The map is also being shared with cooperating agencies.



The Pipeline Fire soil burn severity map can be downloaded from the Pipeline Fire BAER InciWeb site as a JPEG or PDF version under the Maps tab.

As a reminder, the Coconino National Forest has instituted a Forest Closure Order for the area affected by the Pipeline Fire.

 Fire behavior

Some monsoonal moisture was received across both fire perimeters yesterday but did not bring noteworthy rain. However, thunderstorms are expected to progress throughout the week, bringing more rain to the area.

With the present cloud cover, higher humidity and cooler temperatures, conditions are not expected to support fire spread. Some smoke may still be visible as large, heavy fuels continue to burn within the perimeter, but smoke is not expected to decrease air quality to a significant degree.

Pipeline Fire

With current weather and fire behavior conditions, suppression repair remains the focus of operations and will resume today. Dozer lines will be repaired from the south to east edge of the fire up toward the Highway 89 corridor. Moving along the western edge toward the north, firefighters will continue to rehabilitate the existing trail system that was used as fireline around the Fremont Peak area. Chipping operations and road repair continue on the containment line on north perimeter. Air resources were able to assess both fire perimeters yesterday and will remain ready to respond as needed. A Burned Area Emergency Response (BAER) Team has responded to the incident and is assessing erosion stabilization issues to minimize potential threats to life and property resulting from the effects of fire suppression activities.

With the incoming thunderstorm activity anticipated, the Initial Attack group will remain poised to quickly respond to any spotting over the line or new starts near the fire area to minimize increasing fire growth. The fire is still being monitored and patrolled to detect and extinguish hotspots where possible and firefighters are working diligently to address safety concerns. Work continues to eventually regain access to closed areas resulting from fire activity.

Haywire Fire

Crews gained additional containment in the eastern perimeter of the fire yesterday, and crews will continue to monitor and patrol containment lines today. Suppression repair continues and firefighters will be using a road grader to rehabilitate roads that were used in fire suppression activities. Similar to yesterday, firefighters are focused on the southeast edge, continuing to secure the edge of the fire.

Evacuations, road and trail closures, and restrictions

Highway 89 is now open. An area closure is in place on the Coconino National Forest for the Pipeline Fire. For full descriptions of road closures and fire restrictions go to: www.fs.usda.gov/coconino/. Evacuation information can be found at bit.ly/Pipeline-Haywire-Evacs.
 
 

Total fire resources assigned

• Roughly 614 personnel, including: six Hotshot crews, nine hand crews, 36 engines, seven water tenders, four dozers and five helicopters

Fire Behavior

An increased chance of monsoonal moisture will occur in the fire area today and last into next week, bringing an increase in cloud cover and relative humidity.

Showers and thunderstorms with the potential to produce flash flooding and debris flows off the Pipeline Fire scar, as well as the Tunnel and Museum fire scars, may occur. Higher relative humidity will minimize fire behavior. Heat and smoke will still be present within the fire perimeter as interior pockets continue to burn unconsumed fuels.

Pipeline Fire

Minimal fire growth occurred last night. As containment continues to increase, firefighters will shift focus to suppression repair, and minimizing potential soil erosion and impacts resulting from fire suppression activities. These activities will help aid in mitigating impacts to predicted incoming precipitation. In containment areas, suppression repair will take place along constructed dozer lines, as well as roads and trails that were used as fireline. These activities are occurring at the southern edge of the fire near the Timberline community and the northern edge that runs from the Strawberry Crater area toward the powerline corridor where heavy equipment is being used. On the southwest edge from Fremont Peak running north toward the Inner Basin Trailhead, crews are monitoring fire progression and will engage as necessary.

Some heat and smoke are still occurring within the fire perimeter and firefighter and aviation resources continue to assess and take action to extinguish when necessary and where possible. Crews will continue to take advantage of the conditions to perform suppression repair and address hot spots. Day and night shift initial attack groups stand ready to quickly respond to any spotting over the line or new starts caused by the incoming thunderstorms.
 

Haywire Fire

Minimal heat was detected across the fire yesterday and negligible growth occured. Favorable conditions allowed for the gain of additional containment in the northwestern perimeter of the fire. Crews will continue to monitor and patrol containment lines. Firefighters continue to secure the southern edge of the fire, and will extinguish hotspots within the interior in addition to patrolling and monitoring for areas that could potentially cause a threat to established fireline.

Evacuations, road and trail closures, and restrictions

Highway 89 is now open. An area closure is in place on the Coconino National Forest for the Pipeline Fire. For full descriptions of road closures and fire restrictions go to: fs.usda.gov/coconino/. Evacuations are still in effect around the fire area. Evacuation information can be found at bit.ly/Pipeline-Haywire-Evacs.

Total fire resources assigned: Roughly 702 personnel, including: eight Hotshot crews, 11 hand crews, 41 engines, 15 water tenders, four dozers and five helicopters

Fire behavior: A low-pressure system out of the west to southwest today will bring a slight chance of thunderstorms to the fire area. More thunderstorm activity is anticipated for the next few days with a chance of rain and lessened winds.  Due to the drying trend the last few days, scattered heat and smoke are still present within the fire perimeter as interior pockets continue to burn unconsumed fuels; however, anticipated moisture will bring an increase in cloud cover and lower temperatures with minimal fire activity expected.

Evacuations, road and trail closures, and restrictions: Highway 89 is now open. An area closure is in place on the Coconino National Forest for the Pipeline Fire. For full descriptions of road closures and fire restrictions go to: fs.usda.gov/coconino/. Evacuations also are still in effect around the fire area. Evacuation information can be found at bit.ly/Pipeline-Haywire-Evacs.

InciWeb: Pipeline Fire: https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/8152/

Haywire Fire: https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/8155/

Air quality: https://azdeq.gov/node/8262   

Twitter: @CoconinoNF

 Fire behaviorA Red Flag warning is in effect until this evening due to increased temperatures, lower relative humidity, gusty winds and drier conditions. Fire activity is expected for today and heat and smoke are still occurring within the interior of the fire perimeter. While Saturday's precipitation did increase fuel moisture, today's temperature increases will start drying out fuels once again. Due to these conditions, fire activity is anticipated to slightly increase over the next few days. 

Pipeline Fire
50% Contained
26,528 acres
6 miles north of Flagstaff, AZ
Burning in grass, brush, and pine

 Recent precipitation and fire suppression actions including improving and strengthening uncontained fireline, detecting and extinguishing hotspots and diligent monitoring have helped firefighters gain further containment on the northern edge of the fire.  Due to the recent advance in containment, efforts will be transitioning to suppression repair activities, and firefighters are removing unneeded equipment from the containment lines. While containment continues to increase, fire managers are confident in the status of containment and will start to release firefighter and aviation assets today to “right size” assigned resources. On the western perimeter of the fire’s edge near Fremont Peak to Lockett Meadow Spring, firefighting efforts have been difficult due to steep terrain. Firefighters are using natural barriers where possible, to keep the fire from moving west toward the Snowbowl Basin Road area and monitoring activity to respond as necessary. Moving from the powerline corridor southwest, some fire activity was observed yesterday, and firefighters will continue to monitor as it slowly creeps toward the Tunnel Fire burn scar. Crews that had previously been scheduled to perform drainage repair for the Tunnel Fire prior to the start of the Pipeline and Haywire fires are now able to resume scheduled work that is necessary to mitigate erosion and flooding impacts during monsoon rains. 


 Haywire Fire·        40% contained
5,575 acres
7.5 miles northeast of Doney Park, AZ
Burning in grass, brush, and pine

 Today, crews will continue to hold, monitor and patrol containment line looking for hotspots to extinguish on the northern edge of the fire. Crews will also continue to patrol the Highway 89 corridor for hotspots and will take action as necessary. Crews will continue working toward gaining further containment, and securing the fire’s edge by improving existing fireline, monitoring for hotspots, and addressing any areas of concern on the east, south and western perimeters. 


 Total fire resources assigned
About 953 personnel, including: 11 Hotshot crews, 12 hand crews, 57 engines, four water tenders, 10 dozers and five helicopters

 Evacuations, road and trail closures, and restrictions Highway 89 is now open. An area closure is in place on the Coconino National Forest for the Pipeline Fire.  For full descriptions of road closures and fire restrictions, visit fs.usda.gov/coconino/. Evacuations also are still in effect around the fire area. Evacuation information can be found at bit.ly/Pipeline-Haywire-Evacs.  

 InciWeb: Pipeline Fire: https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/8152/Haywire Fire: https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/8155/ Air quality: https://azdeq.gov/node/8262   Twitter: @CoconinoNF

Evacuations, road and trail closures, and restrictions

• Evacuations remain in place for Shultz Pass Road, Arizona Snowbowl, Crater Estates/Alpine Ranchos West, O’Leary, and east of Highway 89. Evacuation information can be found at www.coconino.az.gov/2926/Pipeline-FireHaywire-Fire.
• An area closure is in place on the Coconino National Forest for the Pipeline Fire. See the forest’s website for full descriptions of road closures and fire restrictions at www.fs.usda.gov/coconino/.
  

Fire behavior

• Several years of persistent drought has much of northern Arizona in severe or extreme drought. The drought combined with the time of year has both the live and dead fuels at critically dry levels. The fire is now burning well within the Kachina Peaks Wilderness which has minimal recorded fire history. This area has both heavy loading and a high suppression difficulty index with minimal suppression opportunities.
• Smoke may be visible within the perimeter of the fire – please do not call 911 on smoke within the burned area, only call 911 for smoke in non-burned areas outside the fire’s perimeter.
  

Pipeline Fire

• Additional containment has been added to the Pipeline fire along the northern edge. Today firefighters will assess impacts from yesterday’s rain. Crews working along the Inner Basin Trail were able to hook water lines into a well head into Flagstaff‘s water supply and will continue to monitor and improve the fireline along the western edge of the fire.
• The Pipeline fire did receive minimal moisture from yesterday’s storm.

Haywire Fire

• Today crews will engage in holding and improving constructed fireline as needed along the southern and eastern edges of the fire. Firefighters will begin vegetation removal and chipping operations along the northern edge of the fireline.
• If thunderstorms bring lightning into the area, fire crews will respond to any new fire starts located in the Temporary Flight Restriction area.

Total fire resources assigned

• About 953 personnel: 14 Hotshot crews, 16 hand crews, 60 engines, six water tenders, nine dozers and nine helicopters

InciWeb: Pipeline Fire: https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/8152/

Haywire Fire: https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/8155/

Air quality: https://azdeq.gov/node/8262   

Twitter: @CoconinoNF

June 18, 2022

Pipeline / Haywire Fire Daily Update

Fire Information: 928-421-3393 daily from 7 a.m. - 7 p.m.

Email: 2022pipeline@firenet.gov

Coconino National Forest Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CoconinoNF

Pipeline Fire

• 27% contained
• 26,473 acres
• 6 miles north of Flagstaff, Ariz.
• Burning in grass, brush and pine

Evacuations, road and trail closures, and restrictions

Evacuations remain in place for Shultz Pass Road, Arizona Snowbowl, Crater Estates/Alpine Ranchos West, O’Leary, and east of Highway 89. Evacuation information can be found at https://www.coconino.az.gov/2926/Pipeline-FireHaywire-Fire.

An area closure is in place on the Coconino National Forest for the Pipeline Fire. See the Forest’s website for full descriptions of road closures and fire restrictions at www.fs.usda.gov/coconino/.

Fire behavior

Several years of persistent drought has much of northern Arizona in severe or extreme drought. The drought combined with the time of year has both the live and dead fuels at critically dry levels. The fire is now burning well within the Kachina Peaks Wilderness which has minimal recorded fire history. This area has both heavy loading and a high suppression difficulty index with minimal suppression opportunities.

Smoke may be visible within the perimeter of the fire – please do not call 911 on smoke within the burned area, only call 911 for smoke in non-burned areas outside the fire’s perimeter.

Pipeline Fire

Today’s focus continues along patrol and containment lines. Crews will transition to holding and securing the perimeter lines. Increasing moisture will bring a chance of thunderstorms. The threat of gusty and erratic winds may require an adaptation of tactics to achieve suppression results. Firefighters will continue to build direct and indirect line today in their efforts to reach 100% containment.

Haywire Fire

Crews continued to construct fireline along the northern flank of the fire yesterday and the northeast corner is secured. Fire activity near Stewart Crater has calmed down with the help of suppression activities via helicopter bucket drops and single engine air tanker treatments. Firefighters will continue to build direct and indirect line today in their efforts to reach 100% containment.

Total fire resources assigned

• Approx. 1,157 personnel: 14 Hotshot crews, 18 hand crews, 68 engines, nine water tenders, 11 dozers and nine helicopters

InciWeb: Pipeline Fire: https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/8152/

Haywire Fire: https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/8155/

Air quality: https://azdeq.gov/node/8262   

Twitter: @CoconinoNF