InciWebHORSE FIRE ARIZONA October 22 2020
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Publication Type: News
Acres: 9536 acres
Containment: 32%
Resources: 368
Vegetation: Juniper, Chaparral and Timber
Start Date: Oct. 15, 2020: noon
Cause: Human, Under Investigation
Origin Location: 7 Miles Northwest of Crown King; 18 miles south of Prescott, AZ on the Bradshaw Ranger District (T1N, R2W, S24)
Cold front moves into Arizona Thursday - brings cooler temperatures
Minimal Fire Movement – Smoldering and Smoke Continue
Crown King, Ariz., Oct 22, 2020 – The Horse Fire has had little growth over the last few days. Smoke can be seen on the northeast corner where smoldering continues as heavy dead and down continues to burn. Minimal activity is expected Thursday as a cold front approaches, though winds increase.
In preparation for the wind, firefighters are strengthening firelines and extinguishing hotspots along the southern tip and eastern side of the fire. Firefighters continue to hold the fire to the west of FR 52/Senator Highway. Two dozers and a road grader are being used improved FR 52 and have created contingency fuel breaks around the community of Crown King. The fire has not had any growth in the direction of Crown King or Towers Mountain. The west side of the fire is secured.
High temperatures will drop at least 15 degrees from today to Monday. There is a chance of light showers on Sunday or Monday and potential for snow above 6000 feet. The cold front also brings increased winds each day, with gusts up to 35 miles per hour by Saturday. Colder temperatures and higher humidity decrease chances of fire spread in fine, grass vegetation; however, heat remains on the north and northeastern side where dry and dead timber continues to burn. The fire will smolder, and smoke will be seen in those areas as pockets of interior vegetation continues to burn.
Public Information
Public Phone: 928-235-2061; (6:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m.)
Media Phone: 928-499-4736
Email: 2020.horse@firenet.gov
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/PrescottNF/
Forest Closure: https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/article/7244/58100/
Fire Weather Update October 21 2020
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Publication Type: Announcement
Catch our Fire Weather Update with Mark Stubblefield, the incident meteorologist for the Horse Fire. Mark will go over today's weather and what we can expect over the next few days into the weekend. Watch this, and all our videos in the Video Tab, or by clicking this link: https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/video/7244/0/110442.
Interview with Bradshaw Chino Valley District Ranger October 21 2020
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Publication Type: Announcement
Catch an informative interview with Sarah Clawson, District Ranger for the Bradshaw and Chino Valley Ranger District. Ranger Clawson will be answering questions regarding the Prescott National Forest's Stage 1 Fire Restrictions, as well as the closure area for the Horse Fire. Go to the videos tab for this, and all our videos, or you can watch it by clicking this link:https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/video/7244/1/110438
Horse Fire Operational Briefing with ASL Interpretation
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Publication Type: News
Today's operational briefing video is available for your viewing through the Videos Tab, or by clicking this link: https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/video/7244/2/110434
HORSE FIRE ARIZONA October 21 2020
Related Incident:
Publication Type: News
Acres: 9442 acres
Containment: 32%
Resources: 356
Vegetation: Juniper, Chaparral and Timber
Start Date: Oct. 15, 2020: noon
Cause: Human, Under Investigation
Origin Location: 7 Miles Northwest of Crown King; 18 miles south of Prescott, AZ on the Bradshaw Ranger District (T1N, R2W, S24)
Containment line holds on west side of Horse Fire
Dozer firebreaks and structure protection for Crown King
Winds increase Wednesday and each day through Saturday
Crown King, Ariz., Oct 21, 2020 – The southern perimeter of the Horse fire shows little heat Wednesday, though winds are forecast to increase each day through Saturday and could rekindle interior heat sources.
Crews are directly on the fire’s west-southwest edge holding containment there at 32%. The fire is moving and making short runs in the northeast corner where it is being monitored; helicopters are being used if needed.
Along the Forest Road 52/Senator Highway, firefighters are actively working this area to slow and hold the spread of fire to protect the community of Crown King, which is just two miles to the southeast of the fire’s perimeter. The goal is to keep the fire to the west of Forest Road 52. Dozers are being used to create firebreaks and vegetation is being cleared to protect Crown King. To date, no structures are reported damaged or destroyed.
Evacuations are still in effect. Today, the Yavapai Sheriff’s Office will escort residents into Crown King for short home visits between 8:00 a.m. and noon. Proof of local residency is required; for information, go to the Sheriff’s webpage at https://ycsoaz.gov/ or call: 928-771-3260.
Public Information
Public Phone: (928) 235-2061; (6 a.m. to 9 p.m.)
Media Phone: (928) 499-4736
Email: 2020.horse@firenet.gov
Facebook: https://wwww.facebook.com/PrescottNF/
Horse Fire Virtual Community Meeting Tonight Tuesday October 20 600 pm
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Publication Type: Announcement
Good afternoon,
First, we want to apologize for the technical difficulties we encountered at last nights community meeting. We understand that many of you are affected by the fire and have important questions.
Please joins us tonight as we host another “Horse Fire Virtual Community Meeting” that will be shared live on Facebook at 6pm.
https://www.facebook.com/PrescottNF/
Or you can scan the QR code below and it will take you to the Prescott NF Facebook page.
If you do not have a Facebook account, don’t worry, you do not need one to watch.
Hope you can join us.
HORSE FIRE ARIZONA October 20 2020
Related Incident:
Publication Type: News
Acres: 9162 acres
Containment: 21%
Resources: 330
Vegetation: Juniper, Chaparral and Timber
Start Date: Oct. 15, 2020: noon
Cause: Human, Under Investigation
Origin Location: 7 Miles Northwest of Crown King; 18 miles south of Prescott, AZ on the Bradshaw Ranger District (T1N, R2W, S24)
Firefighters install protection around Crown King homes
Fighting Fire for Full Suppression - Aircraft Heavily Used
Crown King, Ariz., Oct 20, 2020 – The Horse Fire burned actively Monday in the northeast corner of the perimeter from Blind Indian Creek to Pine Springs drainage and made short runs. Hotshot crews will aggressively work in this area on Tuesday.
Residents can expect to see aircraft that is heavily being used to supplement on the ground firefighting.
In the Crown King community, crews continue to create firebreaks; sprinkler systems are in place in the center of town and areas homes, with crews expanding protection Tuesday to the southwest areas. The community of Crown King remains evacuated.
Along FR 52 (Senator Highway), the fire is moving slowly and predicted to hold in Pine Creek and north of Thompson Butte. Activity in the Ash Spring area continues to slowly move through dry vegetation. The southern half has cooled with heat deep inside of the fire perimeter. However, temperatures are above normal and dry and dead vegetation creates the potential for fire movement if wind hits from the correct direction. Warm and dry conditions continue through Wednesday.
The Southwest Area Type 1 Incident Management Team is working to surround the fire and keep it out of the communities of Crown King, Minnehaha, Cleator, Black Canyon City, Groom Creek, Ponderosa Park, Walker, Potato Patch, Breezy Pines, Pine Flat, Lookout Mountain, Wilhoit, Wagoner, Walnut Grove, and Prescott.
In addition, protection is important for critical infrastructure, including the Towers Mountain and Wildflower communication towers; APS powerlines; Horsethief, Union, and Spruce Lookout Towers; and transportation infrastructure.
Public Information
Public Info Line: (928) 235-2061 (6 a.m. to 9 p.m.)
Media Info Line: (928) 499-4736
Email: 2020.horse@firenet.gov
Facebook: https://facebook.com/PrescottNF/
Horse Fire Operational Briefing with ASL Interpretation
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Publication Type: Announcement
A video of today's Horse Fire operational briefing with ASL interpretation is available now under the Videos tab.
Virtual Community Meeting at 600 pm Monday
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Publication Type: Announcement
There will be a virtual Community Meeting at 6:00 p.m., tonight (Monday, October 19, 2020).
You can participate via Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/PrescottNF/
Horse Fire Arizona Update October 19 2020
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Publication Type: News
Virtual Community Meeting at 6:00 p.m. Monday, Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/PrescottNF/
Acres: 8968 acres Containment: 21% Resources: 256
Vegetation: Juniper, Chaparral and Timber
Start Date: Oct. 15, 2020: noon Cause: Human, Under Investigation
Origin Location: 7 Miles Northwest of Crown King; 18 miles south of Prescott, AZ on the Bradshaw Ranger District (T1N, R2W, S24)
Above Average Temperatures, Extreme Topography Impact the Horse Fire
Type 1 Incident Management Team Assumes Command with Additional Resources
Crown King, ARZ, Oct 19, 2020 – Three firefighting divisions are protecting the community of Crown King, Arizona from the Horse wildfire Monday by creating firebreaks, constructing fireline, and installing sprinkler systems from the center of the town to outward structures. Crown King is evacuated. Additional work occurred along the southwest fire perimeter where firefighters increased containment to 21 percent.
Most of the heat and active burning is occurring in the northeast perimeter to the west of FR 52 (Senator Highway). Crews are actively engaged along Senator Highway working to keep fire activity to the west of Senator Highway. Activity at Hooper Saddle continues to consume vegetation and slowly move south.
Due to severe drought, plants are dead or dry and make for good fire fuel. Access is limited by the steep terrain and dense vegetation, making it unsafe for firefighters to fight the fire directly at the edge. Therefore, the Horse Fire will burn within its footprint for a long duration until significant moisture consistently hits the area for longer durations.
The Horse Fire started on October 15, 2020 when there was no lightning; making it a human-caused fire that is under investigation. The Prescott National Forest had no burning operations or prescribed fires.
All roads leading into Crown King have been closed – Goodwin, Senator Highway at Palace Station, and County Road 59 from Cleator. Please avoid the area to allow emergency personnel access. Yavapai County Sheriff’s Office has issued a Code Red ‘Go’ for the communities of Crown King, Minnehaha, Horsethief Cabins and any private inholdings in and around the fire area. There are evacuations currently in effect. For information on the Code Red alerts issued you can visit the Sheriff’s Office Facebook page for updates or call (928) 771-3321 or to sign up for Code Red notifications visit Yavapai County Code Red Notification.