Expect to See Fire and Smoke as Fuels Within the Bush Fires Perimeter

Related Incident:

Publication Type: News Sun, 06/21/2020 - 12:00

Bush Fire - June 21, 2020 Morning Update

Acres: 184,531 acres (based on infrared flight) Percent Containment: 15%

Start Date: Saturday, June 13, 2020 Cause: Human-caused

Origin Location: 22 miles NE of Mesa, AZ Fuels: Tall grass and brush

Resources: 846 total including 11 Type 1 Crews; 8 Type 2 Crews; 46 Engines; 5 bulldozers; 21 water tenders; 9 helicopters

Expect to See Fire and Smoke as Fuels Within the Bush Fire’s Perimeter Continue to Burn;

Firefighters Also Responding to the Central Fire; Online Community Meeting 6pm Tonight

Yesterday firefighters brought fire off Mount Ord and tied it in to SR 87 on the northwest side of the fire. Firefighters will be holding the area today. Firefighters will continue to patrol and protect communities as needed.

Residents along the Highway 188 corridor should expect to see fire and smoke as fuels burn within the large pocket of unburned fuel within the fire’s perimeter. Interactive Bush Fire perimeter map: https://tinyurl.com/Bush-Fire-Map

Firefighters continue to use sing a range of tactics to fully suppress the fire. They are working to protect values at risk including nearby communities, state highways, communication sites and power lines.

The incident management team has assumed command of the Central Fire. https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/6792/

There will be an online community meeting tonight on the Bush and Central Fires at 6 pm on Fb.com/bushfireinfo. An American Sign Language interpreter and captioning will be provided. A recording will be posted following the meeting. No account is required to view the video. If a pop-up box appears when you first navigate to the link, you can use the scroll bar on the right to scroll down to the view and/or click “not now” to minimize the login pop-up. We will monitor online Facebook questions during the meeting or you can e-mail us your questions at 2020.bush@firenet.gov.

Sunflower and residents and visitors to Apache Lake remain under “Go” evacuation notice. The communities of Tonto Basin, Punkin Center, Pioneer Pass, Brownsville, Slate Creek, and Jake’s Creek have returned to “Set” mode. Gisela, Rye, Deer Creek, 76 Ranch and Bar T Bar Ranch (BT Ranch) remain in “Set” status. Evacuation and shelter info map: https://tinyurl.com/bushfirepublicinfo. Visit Maricopa County https://ready.maricopa.gov/ and Gila County: www.readygila.com/ for more information.

Smoke Outlook: https://fires.airfire.org/outlooks/CentralArizona

Visit https://az511.com/ or call 511 for current road closure information. State Route 87 is closed from Payson (milepost 251) to Bush Highway (milepost 199). State Route 188 is closed between SR 87 (milepost 276) and Roosevelt Lake at milepost 243. In addition, State Route 88 is closed between Apache Lake (milepost 229) to State Route 188 (milepost 242). The long-term SR 88 closure from east of Tortilla Flat to Apache Lake also remains in effect.

The Tonto National Forest has an area closure surrounding the Bush Fire. Fire restrictions remain in place. Details are available at https://www.fs.usda.gov/alerts/tonto/alerts-notices.

Wildfires are a No Drone Zone. If you fly, we can’t. Every time a drone is spotted near the fire all aircraft are grounded until we can be sure the drone is clear of this area. More info visit http://knowbeforeyoufly.org.

Fire Information: 928-351-7596 (public) 928-351-7723 (media)

Inciweb: https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/6773/ Facebook: Fb.com/bushfireinfo Email: 2020.bush@firenet.gov Twitter: twitter.com/TontoForest

Changes in Evacuation Orders for Gila County

Related Incident:

Publication Type: Announcement Sat, 06/20/2020 - 12:00

The below information is from the Gila County Sherriff's Office, released at 5:00 p.m., June 20, 2020:

For immediate release: Bush Fire Evacuation Order

Sheriff J. Adam Shepherd would like to release the following information regarding lifting the evacuation orders for the communities of Tonto Basin, Punkin Center, Pioneer Pass, Brownsville, Slate Creek, and Jake's Corner.

On June 21, 2020, at 9:00 a.m. residents within the evacuated communities from Jake's Corner to Tonto Basin will be allowed to return home. Fire personnel have determined that conditions are favorable for the safe return of our citizens.

Roadblocks will remain on State Route 87 at the State Route 188 Junction (Beeline Highway at the Roosevelt Lake turn off) and on State Route 188 at the State Route 88 junction (Roosevelt Dam). Only residents will be allowed to return to their homes. Please be prepared to show proof that you live in one of the listed communities.

State Route 87 from State Route 188 to Bush Highway will remain closed until further notice!

Residents of the Tonto Basin and surrounding communities will remain in the "Set" mode until further notice!

Sheriff Shepherd would like to extend his thanks to all those affected by the evacuation for their patience and cooperation. The evacuation order was in place for the protection of not only residents but those responsible for fire containment and security. Sheriff Shepherd would like to further add there were no homes lost or personnel injured.

Expect To See Smoke As Crews Conduct Burnouts to Help Secure Northwest Side

Related Incident:

Publication Type: News Sat, 06/20/2020 - 12:00

Bush Fire - June 20, 2020 Morning Update

Acres: 174, 397 acres (based on infrared flight) Percent Containment: 7%

Start Date: Saturday, June 13, 2020 Cause: Human-caused

Origin Location: 22 miles NE of Mesa, AZ Fuels: Tall grass and brush

Resources: 769 total including 11 Type 1 Crews; 8 Type 2 Crews; 41 Engines; 5 bulldozers; 19 water tenders; 7 helicopters

Expect To See Smoke As Crews Conduct Burnouts to Help Secure Northwest Side of the Bush Fire

Yesterday crews made progress securing and improving the Highway 188 corridor from Tonto Basin north to the Highway 87 intersection. Firefighters continue to use sing a range of tactics to fully suppress the fire. They are working to protect values at risk including nearby communities, state highways, communication sites and power lines.

Firefighters will continue to use burnout operations, supported by aerial resources as needed, where they can do so safely and effectively. Expect to see smoke as firefighters are burning along the SR 87 / Beeline Highway to create a buffer for fire backing downslope from the top of Mount Ord. They are using aerial ignition to help slowly back the fire downslope to help minimize fire severity and post-fire impacts in the area. On the southeast side, smoke will also be visible as an fire continues to burn a large pocket of unburned vegetation within the fire’s interior. Today structure protection groups will continue to focus on patrolling the communities along Highway 188.

Brownsville, Jake's Corner, Slate Creek, Pioneer Pass, Tonto Basin, Punkin Center, Sunflower, and residents and visitors to Apache Lake remain under “Go” evacuation notices. Gisela, Rye, Deer Creek 76 Ranch and Bar T Bar Ranch (AKA BT Ranch) are in “Set” status. All residents in the area are encouraged to be prepared and stay alert to rapidly changing conditions. An evacuation and shelter info map is available at https://tinyurl.com/bushfirepublicinfo. Visit Maricopa County https://ready.maricopa.gov/ and Gila County: www.readygila.com/ for more information.

American Red Cross Evacuation Centers are located at the Payson Senior Center 514 West Main Street, Payson, AZ 85541 and the Lee Kornegay Intermediate School at 4635 Railroad Ave, Miami, AZ 85539.

The largest potential for smoke impacts is expected in the afternoon moving along the Mogollon Rim from Payson mid-day East to Heber Overgaard later into the day. https://fires.airfire.org/outlooks/CentralArizona.

Visit https://az511.com/ or call 511 for current road closure information. State Route 87 is closed from Payson (milepost 251) to Bush Highway (milepost 199). State Route 188 is closed between SR 87 (milepost 276) and Roosevelt Lake at milepost 243. In addition, State Route 88 is closed between Apache Lake (milepost 229) to State Route 188 (milepost 242). The long-term SR 88 closure from east of Tortilla Flat to Apache Lake also remains in effect.

The Tonto National Forest has an area closure surrounding the Bush Fire. Fire restrictions remain in place. Details are available at https://www.fs.usda.gov/alerts/tonto/alerts-notices. Saguaro Del Norte and Saguaro Lake Marina are now open for recreation use. These sights will ONLY be accessible via Bush highway; there is no access off State Highway 87 at this time. Once boat parking is at capacity, vehicles towing boats WILL BE TURNED AWAY at the entrance.

Wildfires are a No Drone Zone. If you fly, we can’t. Every time a drone is spotted near the fire all aircraft are grounded until we can be sure the drone is clear of this area. More info visit http://knowbeforeyoufly.org.

Fire Information: 928-351-7596 (public) 928-351-7723 (media)

Inciweb: https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/6773/ Facebook:Fb.com/bushfireinfo Email: 2020.bush@firenet.gov Twitter: twitter.com/TontoForest

Tonto National Monument Closed to Public Access

Related Incident:

Publication Type: Closures Fri, 06/19/2020 - 12:00

Effective on June 19, 2020, Tonto National Monument will be closed to all visitors until further notice.

The Monument is monitoring the nearby Bush Fire and making decisions to protect the health and safety of visitors, employees, and park resources.

We apologize for any inconvenience. We look forward to your visit after the potential danger to visitors and park resources passes. We will update our website and social media when possible.

More information on Tonto National Monument at: https://www.nps.gov/tont/index.htm

Fire Behavior Analyst Video for June 19 2020

Related Incident:

Publication Type: Announcement Sat, 06/20/2020 - 12:00

Stewart Turner is the Fire Behavior Analyst for the #BushFire. Learn about what his position entails in this short video.
Visit https://www.facebook.com/bushfireinfo/videos/3011778348937341/

61920 Virtual Community Meeting Closed Caption Text

Related Incident:

Publication Type: Announcement Fri, 06/19/2020 - 12:00

The virtual community meeting video from the evening of June 19, 2020 is posted to Facebook. The direct is https://www.facebook.com/bushfireinfo/videos/748218375998422/ This is the transcript below.

JUNE 19, 2020 1800 HRS VIRTUAL COMMUNITY MEETING BUSH FIRE >> Michelle Fidler: GOOD EVENING. MY NAME IS MICHELLE FIDLER. I'M THE PUBLIC INFORMATION OFFICER WITH THE SOUTHWEST AREA TYPE 1 INCIDENT MANAGEMENT TEAM. I WOULD LIKE TO WELCOME YOU TONIGHT TO OUR BUSH FIRE VIRTUAL COMMUNITY MEETING. WE ARE COMING TO YOU LIVE TONIGHT TO MAKE SURE WE GET THIS OUT TO OUR AUDIENCE. WE'LL BE TAKING QUESTIONS, WE ARE MONITORING YOUR COMMENTS ON FACEBOOK, AND FOR FOLKS THAT AREN'T ABLE TO POST COMMENTS ON FACEBOOK, WE ENCOURAGE YOU TO SEND US AN E‑MAIL IF YOU CHOOSE TO, YOU CAN E‑MAIL US AT OUR E‑MAIL WHICH IS 2020.BUSH@FIRENET.GOV. INCIWEB IS PRIMARY SOURCE OF INFORMATION FOR THIS FIRE, ON THAT SITE WE ARE POSTING OUR DAILY UPDATES, MAPS, LINKS TO ALL OF OUR COOPERATOR INFORMATION, IF YOU HAVE QUESTIONS ABOUT EVACUATIONS, STATUS, THINGS LIKE THAT, ROAD CLOSURES, TRAVEL INFORMATION, ALL THAT INFORMATION IS ON THAT INCIWEB PAGE. OUR GOAL IN THIS FIRE IS TO HELP MAKE INFORMATION AVAILABLE ON MULTIPLE PLATFORMS, SEVERAL WAYS TO REACH FOLKS, AS WELL AS FOLKS OUT IN THE COMMUNITY. WHAT YOU SEE ON INCIWEB WE'LL ALSO BE SHARING ON FACEBOOK, WE'LL ALSO BE AVAILABLE IF YOU WANT TO GIVE US A CALL AND WE CAN TALK TO YOU OVER THE PHONE, THEN WE HAVE SOME LOCATIONS OUT IN THE COMMUNITY, INFORMATION BOARDS, FOR COMMUNITY MEMBERS, HELPING SPREAD INFORMATION ABOUT THE FIRE SO YOU CAN GET QUESTIONS ANSWERED. OUR GOAL TONIGHT IS TO GIVE YOU AN UPDATE ON THE CURRENT FIRE SITUATION, AND THEN HAVE A CHANCE TO TAKE SOME OF YOUR QUESTIONS SO WE CAN FOLLOW UP HERE AND THEN MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE GETTING YOU THE INFORMATION YOU NEED THROUGHOUT THE COURSE OF THE INCIDENT. SO AT THIS POINT WE'RE GOING TO GO AHEAD AND WE'LL HAVE SEVERAL SPEAKERS TONIGHT. WE WILL MONITOR YOUR QUESTIONS AND WE'LL COME BACK TO THOSE. SO WE WANT TO THANK YOU FOR JOINING US, AND WITH THAT, I'M GOING TO TURN OVER TO ONE OF OUR OPERATIONS PERSONNEL, TO GIVE US AN UPDATE ON THE CURRENT FIRE STATUS. >> THANK YOU, MICHELLE, THANKS FOR BEING HERE WITH US VIRTUALLY, TO BE ABLE TO PROVIDE INFORMATION TO YOU. WE WANT TO PROVIDE IT IN A WAY WE CAN ALL UNDERSTAND. SOME OF THE TERMS AND STUFF ARE PRETTY HARD. OBVIOUSLY EVERYTHING HERE IN RED IS THE ACTUAL FIRE. THAT IS THE BUSH FIRE. CURRENTLY AT 151,000 ACRES. AND GROWING. AND THIS IS NORTH, SOUTH, WEST, AND THIS IS EAST. LAKE ROOSEVELT IS OVER HERE. SAGUARO LAKE IS OVER HERE. PAYSON, WAY OFF THE MAP. GLOBE OFF TO THE EAST. WE BREAK THE FIRE INTO SECTIONS, FROM POINT A TO POINT B, SO IF WE WERE TO TAKE THE 87 ROAD, WHICH IS THE BUSH HIGHWAY, OVER HERE ON THE SOUTHWEST CORNER OF THE FIRE, I'LL START THERE, WE'LL SAY THIS POINT TO THIS POINT IS A, WE WOULD CALL THAT DIVISION A OR ALPHA. WITHIN THAT DIVISION WE HAVE A BUNCH OF RESOURCES. FIRE ENGINES, HOTSHOT CREWS, THEY COULD BE PEOPLE HELPING TO MINIMIZE THE IMPACTS OF THE FIRE, TO CREWS AND ENDANGERED SPECIES. DIVISION ALPHA, THINGS WERE LOOKING REAL GOOD TODAY. WE'LL PUT A PORTION OF IT IN BLACK. CURRENTLY ABOUT 7 PERCENT CONTAINED. SO IF YOU DRIVE UP BUSH HIGHWAY FROM THE NORTHEAST SCOTTSDALE AREA, YOU WOULD SEE A FIRE. MOVING UP INTO THE NEXT DIVISION, WE CALL THAT DIVISION DELTA, AND GULF. DELTA AND GULF. YOU GO AROUND THE FIRE ALPHANUMERICALLY. SO IN DELTA, THINGS ARE LOOKING GOOD. WE HAVE PUT A LOT OF FIRE ON THE GROUND. I THINK YOU ALL KNOW, SOMETIMES WE HAVE TO FIGHT FIRE WITH FIRE, SO WE DO BACKFIRES, WHEN THE CONDITIONS ARE RIGHT, IN EFFORTS TO CONTAIN THE FIRE. THIS IS WORKING GOOD FOR HOTSHOT CREWS. SOME OF THE EXISTING ROAD SYSTEM OFF TO THE EAST OF THE 87 ROAD AND CONTAIN THE FIRE. THESE LITTLE WHITE POCKETS HERE, THOSE ARE PLACES WE SHOW AS PRIVATE PROPERTY, LAND OWNERSHIP, THINGS LIKE THAT, THE GREEN IS FOREST SERVICE. SO WE GET AROUND THESE HOMES. NO HOMES WERE THREATENED OR IMPACTED BY EFFORTS IN THAT AREA. MOVING ON UP INTO WHAT WE WOULD CALL DIVISION GULF IS AN AREA THAT WE HAVE A LOT OF FORCES WORKING RIGHT NOW. AS A MATTER OF FACT, WE'RE HAVING A LITTLE BIT OF A FIRE SPREAD OFF TO THE NORTH AND WEST RIGHT NOW. WE HAVE HOT SHOTS THERE ACTIVE, WITH THAT ROUTE. AT THE VERY TOP, AT THE INTERSECTION OF THE 87 AND THE 188, WE HAVE A LITTLE BLACK TRIANGLE UP THERE. THE AREA WHERE THERE IS ‑‑ THE OVERALL OBJECTIVE IS FOR US TO PITCH THE ATTACK FIRE, RIGHT AT THE 87 AND 188 ROAD. THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT WE'RE DOING. UP HERE ON MOUNT ORD, AND LITTLE ORD, WE'RE LAYING DOWN WHAT WE CALL PFD OPERATIONS, THEY ACTUALLY COME OUT OF THE HELICOPTER, THEY'RE INJECTED WITH A CHEMICAL, AND THEN ABOUT 15 SECONDS AFTER THEY HIT THE GROUND THEY IGNITE. THE PURPOSE OF THAT IS SO THAT WE CAN BRING FIRES DOWN OFF MOUNT ORD VERY SLOWLY AND EASILY WITH SLOW INTENSITY. WHEN I WAS DRIVING IN THIS EVENING, IT WAS WONDERFUL, FROM THE ROADWAY, I COULD SEE THIS CLEAR LINE OF WHITE SMOKE THAT TOLD ME THAT THE TREES WEREN'T BURNING, BUT THE UNDERSTORY OR THE GROUND FUELS WERE JUST GENTLY ON FIRE AND BURNING UP THOSE FUELS. THAT'S KIND OF THE GOAL. WE'LL BRING IT DOWN OFF MOUNT ORD OVER THE NEXT FUEL DAYS, WHEN WE CAN BRING THE FIRE OFF 87, LOW INTENSITY HOPEFULLY MEETS LOW INTENSITY, ALL THE WAY TO THE TOP. GOING AROUND ON THE 188 ROAD ALL THE WAY TO THE LAKE IS LOOKING EXCEPTIONALLY GOOD. I'M CONFIDENT, 18 MILES OF BURNING IN A SINGLE NIGHT, THAT BURNING WENT AROUND, WITHOUT RISK TO TONTO BASIN AND COMMUNITIES ON 188. A REALLY, REALLY GOOD LOOK OVER THERE TODAY, EVERYTHING LOOKED GREAT. MOVING AROUND OVER TOWARDS ROOSEVELT, SOUTH END OF THE FIRE SLOWLY AND GENTLY BACK DOWN, IT IS NO THREAT AT ALL, IT'S MOVING THROUGH THOSE PATCHES AND THINGS LIKE THAT. VERY LOW INTENSITY. SO WITH THAT, I'LL PASS IT OVER TO THE NEXT SPEAKER AND I'LL BE AVAILABLE TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS. THANK YOU. >> THANKS FOR THAT UPDATE. SO OUR NEXT SPEAKER TONIGHT, WE ARE GOING TO INTRODUCE OR INCIDENT COMMANDER, ALAN SINCLAIR TO GIVE US AN UPDATE ON WHAT WE'RE DOING AT THIS POINT. >> Alan Sinclair: GOOD EVENING. I'M ALAN SINCLAIR, INCIDENT COMMANDER FOR SOUTHWEST AREA TEAM NUMBER ONE. OUR TEAM ASSUMED COMMAND AT 0600 THIS MORNING, AND I WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE CREWS THAT DID THE INITIAL ATTACK ON THE FIRE, AND THE TEAM THAT WAS HERE BEFORE US, SOUTHWEST AREA TEAM NUMBER 5. YOU KNOW, THIS IS A LARGE FIRE FOR THIS AREA, A LARGE FIRE IN THE DESERT. I STARTED MY CAREER BACK IN 1990 AND HAVE FOUGHT A LOT OF FIRES WITHIN THE FOOTPRINT OF THIS AREA CURRENTLY THAT'S ON FIRE. I CAN SAY WITH CERTAINTY THE INITIAL ATTACK CREWS ARE FACED WITH A WIND DRIVEN FIRE IN THE DESERT THAT IS EXTREMELY HARD TO ENGAGE AND KEEP PEOPLE SAFE AND THEY DID AN OUTSTANDING JOB OF GETTING THE PUBLIC OUT OF THE WAY, A LOT OF FOLKS THAT WERE OUT RECREATING IN THE SYCAMORE AREA, GET FOLKS OUT OF THERE, AND KEEP FIREFIGHTERS SAFE. THEY WERE FACED WITH A VERY DYNAMIC WIND‑DRIVEN FIRE. WE KNOW THE FIRE CLIMBED UP FOUR PEAKS AND BURNED DOWN OVER THE OTHER SIDE TOWARDS 188 AND THE PREVIOUS TEAM LEFT US WITH A REALLY GOOD PLAN TO STEP IN AND TAKE OVER. SO AS RALPH SAID, CREWS HAVE BURNED OUT ALONG 188, THEY'VE GONE TO 87, AND THEY'RE BRINGING FIRE OFF OF MOUNT ORD DOWN TO 87. I CAN SAY WITH CERTAINTY, IT'S LOOKING REALLY GOOD, I WAS ONE OF THE GUYS THAT GOT TO BURN 20 YEARS AGO WHEN WE DID THE FIRE UP THERE THAT LOOKED VERY SIMILAR, THAT I RECALL FROM BACK THEN. SO WE UNDERSTAND THE IMPACTS EXIST WHEN WE HAVE A BIG FIRE IN AN AREA LIKE THIS. WE'VE FOUND A LOT OF PEOPLE OUT OF THEIR HOMES TONIGHT. WE'VE GOT ROADS THAT ARE MAJOR THOROUGHFARES TO PHOENIX, FROM PHOENIX TO THE HIGH COUNTRY IMPACTED, AND WE'VE GOT RECREATION ON THE LAKES IMPACTED RIGHT NOW. SO THAT IS NOT LOST ON THE TEAM. WE ARE GOING TO WORK DILIGENTLY TO ENSURE THAT THOSE AREAS ARE OPENED BACK UP, AND WE'VE GOT CREWS OUT THERE WORKING VERY HARD TO BRING A QUICK END TO THIS FIRE. I WOULD ASK YOU TO BE PATIENT. WE WANT TO TAKE THE TIME WITH MOUNT ORD TO DO WHAT WE CAN TO BRING THE FIRE DOWN GENTLY WITHOUT MAJOR IMPACTS TO IT. A LOT OF THE COUNTRY DID TAKE A BIG HIT WITH THE FIRE, SO WE'RE GOING TO TAKE OUR TIME WITH THIS, WE'LL OPEN UP WHAT WE CAN WHEN WE HAVE THE ABILITY TO. THANK YOU. >> GOOD EVENING, EVERYONE. MY NAME IS MATTHEW LANE, I AM THE DISTRICT RANGER ON THE MESA RANGER DISTRICT, TONTO NATIONAL FOREST, AND WITHIN THE FIRE, IT I WORK WITH THE TEAM TO HELP MAKE DECISIONS AND COORDINATE BETWEEN THE TEAM AND THE NATIONAL FOREST. SO THE IMT ARE IN ALIGNMENT, WITH THIS FIRE, AS QUICKLY AND SAFELY AS WE CAN. WE ARE AWARE OF THE FACT THAT THE FIRE IS HAVING ON YOU RIGHT NOW, AND AGAIN, WE ARE WORKING JUST AS FAST AS WE CAN TO ENSURE THAT WE CAN GET EVERYONE BACK IN, WE NEED TO GET PEOPLE BACK IN VERY SAFELY. WE ARE AVAILABLE FOR QUESTIONS. I KNOW A LOT OF YOU HAVE QUESTIONS ON RECREATION AND ROADS, SMOKE, AND WE'LL DO OUR BEST TO ANSWER THOSE QUESTIONS TONIGHT. >> Michelle Fidler: SO I KNOW WE'RE GETTING LOTS OF QUESTIONS ONLINE; WE WANT TO ADDRESS SOME OF THEM. WE'RE MONITORING THOSE NOW, WE'LL ADDRESS A COUPLE KEY ONES NOW WE'RE SEEING, AND IF WE DON'T GET TO YOUR QUESTIONS, WE ENCOURAGE YOU TO GIVE US A CALL, SEND US AN E‑MAIL, WE'LL CONTINUE TO MONITOR FACEBOOK COMMENTS AND TRY TO GET BACK TO FOLKS. BUT I THINK THE BIG ONES THAT WE'RE SEEING ARE ANY CHANGES IN THE EVACUATION STATUS, AND AT THIS POINT THERE ARE NOT. WE REMAIN AS OUR MORNING UPDATE THIS MORNING. SO NO CHANGE THERE. WE ENCOURAGE YOU TO FOLLOW THE COUNTY WEBSITE. SO WE'VE GOT MARICOPA, GILA COUNTY INFORMATION, READY, SET, GO INFORMATION, HOW TO SIGN UP FOR EMERGENCY ALERTS, UPDATES ARE AVAILABLE ON INCIWEB PAGE. FOLLOW UPDATES THERE. WHEN THEY SHARE THEIR STATUS, WE'LL BE SURE TO SHARE THAT ON INCIWEB. THE RED CROSS SHELTERS ALSO STILL REMAIN. THAT INFORMATION IS ALSO AVAILABLE ON INCIWEB. SO ONE LOCATION DID CHANGE IN PAYSON, TO THE SENIOR CENTER THERE. SO WE'RE MAKING THAT UPDATE, AT OUR NEXT UPDATE THERE AS WELL. SO NO CHANGE AT THIS POINT, BUT AS SOON AS THAT DOES, WE'LL BE SURE TO SHARE THAT INFORMATION AS IT HAPPENS. WE'RE WORKING DIRECTLY SO WE CAN SHARE TIMELY INFORMATION. THERE'S ALSO NO CHANGES ON THE ROAD STATUS AT THIS POINT. AGAIN, WE UNDERSTAND FOLKS WANTING TO GET BACK IN AND ACCESS THINGS, SO AS SOON AS THINGS CHANGE, WE'LL BE WORKING WITH THE HIGHWAY FOLKS, ARIZONA DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION HAS UPDATES, YOU CAN EITHER CALL 511 OR VISIT AZ511.GOV FOR UPDATES, THAT LINK IS ALSO AVAILABLE ON INCIWEB. OTHER QUESTIONS, SMOKE AND AIR QUALITY. SO WE KNOW WHERE SMOKE IS TRAVELING, AFFECTING FOLKS IN DIFFERENT WAYS. SO WE HAVE AN AIR RESOURCE ADVISOR WORKING WITH US, WE'RE WORKING WITH AIR QUALITY FOLKS, SO THEY ARE HELPING US PUT TOGETHER A SMOKE OUTLOOK, AND SOME GRAPHICS AND INFORMATION ON SMOKE AND AIR QUALITY, SO THAT PRODUCT WILL BE SHARED ON INCIWEB DAILY AS WELL. WE HAVE A COUPLE QUESTIONS HERE. >> MICHELLE, WE HAVE A QUESTION. WHAT HAZARDS WILL WE FACE WHEN THE HEAVY RAINS COME TO THIS AREA? >> Michelle Fidler: GREAT. SO THE QUESTION WAS, WHAT HAZARDS WILL COME WHEN THE HEAVY RAINS COME TO THIS AREA? >> OKAY. WHAT CAN BE EXPECTED IN FIRE‑CHARRED AREA WHEN WE GET HEAVY RAIN, THIS AREA HAS GOT, DUE TO THE VEGETATION, WITH THE DRAINAGES THAT ARE VERY ACTIVE WHEN WE GET RAIN, ARE LEFT ACTIVE WITHOUT VEGETATION THERE, SO WE HAVE POTENTIAL FOR FLOODING WHEN OUR MONSOONS ARE HERE. I REMEMBER A FIRE IN 1996 ON FOUR PEAKS. WHEN WE GOT HEAVY RAINS AFTER THAT, WE SAW A LOT OF DEBRIS. SO THERE WERE OPPORTUNITIES FOR A LOT OF STUFF COMING OFF THE MOUNTAIN, AND POTENTIAL FOR FLOODING. >> THANKS. ONE QUESTION WE HAVE IS HOW CAN WE SHARE THIS VIDEO WITH OTHERS IF THEY DON'T HAVE FACEBOOK? THAT'S A GREAT QUESTION. NO, YOU DON'T HAVE TO HAVE A FACEBOOK ACCOUNT. PRETTY MUCH IF YOU TYPE IN THE WEB ADDRESS, YOU CAN SHARE THAT, JUST LIKE YOU SHARE ANY OTHER LINK. SO FOLKS ARE ABLE TO GO WATCH THAT LINK LIVE ONLINE. WHAT WE'LL DO IS RECORD IT, THIS VIDEO WE'LL SAVE ONTO THE FACEBOOK FEED WHEN IT'S DONE HERE, IT MIGHT TAKE IT A FEW MINUTES TO PROCESS, BUT LATER THIS EVENING THIS RECORDING WILL BE AVAILABLE, WE'LL SHARE THE LINK TO IT ON INCIWEB, AS WELL AS THE CAPTIONS FROM HERE TONIGHT, TO MAKE THAT AVAILABLE. SO FROM THERE, YOU'LL BE ABLE TO SHARE THE LINK FROM INCIWEB OR DIRECTLY FROM FACEBOOK, WE'LL SEND OUT A TWEET AS WELL. OTHER QUESTIONS? >> WHY HAVEN'T YOU BROUGHT IN THE DC10 TANKERS OR THE 747 AIR TANKERS? >> GOOD QUESTION. THE QUESTION WAS WHY HAVEN'T WE BROUGHT IN THE DC10 TANKERS? >> OKAY. I CAN ANSWER THAT. I'VE HAD QUITE A FEW AERIAL FORCES, INCLUDING VERY LARGE AIR TANKERS, ENGAGED IN THIS FIRE. THE IMPORTANT THING ABOUT AIRCRAFT IS THAT IT'S USED WHEN IT'S MOST EFFECTIVE, AND FIRE MASTERS ARE VERY GOOD ON WHEN AND HOW TO USE THOSE AIRCRAFT. VERY IMPORTANT TO THE INITIAL ATTACK STOPPING THE FIRE AT THE VERY BEGINNING, AND ALONG THE WAY, STRUCTURE PROTECTION. >> ONE OF OUR OTHER QUESTIONS WAS, WHAT'S THE GREEN, THE AREA ON TOP, WHAT DO WE EXPECT TO SEE IN THOSE AREAS? WE'LL HAVE RALPH TAKE THAT. >> THE GREEN AREAS, THESE WILL SLOWLY CLEAN UP ON THEIR OWN. WE MAY USE AERIAL RESOURCES AND GROUND RESOURCES, WE HAVE TO CHECK THEM OFF AND SLOW THEM DOWN, AND OVER TIME, IF THE VEGETATION IS THERE, ALL THIS WILL TURN RED, ALL THIS WILL TURN RED, AND AS IT SLOWLY CREEPS DOWN, IT WILL TURN RED. THIS PORTION, WE'RE HELPING IT RIGHT NOW. WE MAY DO THE SAME OUT HERE, WITH AERIAL IGNITION. BUT AGAIN, THE GOAL IS TO KEEP IT LOW INTENSITY, KEEP IT IN CHECK, NOT TO BUILD A LOT OF STEAM AND MOVE FORWARD. EVEN IF IT DID, WE'RE CONFIDENT THAT WE HAVE ENOUGH GROUND FIRE AND HOLDING FEATURES. >> OKAY. I THINK ONE OF OUR LAST QUESTIONS IS PAYSON. SO THE QUESTION WAS, PAYSON, HOW FAR THE FIRE IS FROM THAT AREA AT THIS POINT, KIND OF WHERE THAT IS IN PROXIMITY ON THE MAP. AT THIS POINT PAYSON IS NORTH OF THIS AREA, SO IT'S NOT CURRENTLY IN THE PATH OF THE FIRE AT THIS POINT. SO WHEN WE'RE LOOKING AT THE FIRE, WE LOOK AT THE CURRENT SITUATION AND ALSO LOOK AT WHAT THE WEATHER SEEMS TO BE AND THINGS LIKE THAT, SO WE CONTINUE TO LOOK FURTHER OUT. SO WE KIND OF CONSIDER EVERYTHING. SO REALLY WE'RE FOCUSED KIND OF WHERE THE FIRE IS CURRENTLY MOVED IN. SO IF THERE'S MORE SPECIFIC QUESTIONS ABOUT KIND OF WHERE IT IS RELATED TO PAYSON, WE'LL FOLLOW UP ON THOSE AS WELL. ANOTHER BIG ONE WE HAD WAS DONATIONS. SO WE APPRECIATE ALL THE OFFERS TO HELP OUR FIREFIGHTERS. OFFERS HAVE BEEN COMING IN. OUR FIREFIGHTERS ARE SPREAD OUT WORKING IN LOTS OF DIFFERENT AREAS. THEY'RE WELL TAKEN CARE OF THIS TERMS OF WE'VE GOT FOOD WE'RE GETTING OUT TO THEM, WATER, GATORADE, THINGS LIKE THAT. THE BEST THING YOU CAN DO IS IF YOU LIVE IN AREAS NEARBY, IS TO BE A FIRE WISER ON YOUR HOME, CREATE DEFENSIBLE SPACE, DO THINGS NOW TO HELP FIREFIGHTER IN THE FUTURE. THOSE THINGS MEAN A LOT TO US. ONE OF THE BEST THINGS SHOWING YOUR SUPPORT TO THE FIREFIGHTERS, IF YOU APPRECIATE THEIR WORK, POSITIVE MESSAGES ON SOCIAL MEDIA, THINGS THAT GET SHARED, FOR THEM, THEIR FAMILIES. IF YOU WANT TO SEND IN CARDS OR NOTES, YOU CAN GIVE US A CALL AT OUR PUBLIC INFORMATION LINE AND THAT'S SOMETHING WE CAN TRY TO HELP FACILITATE GETTING OUT TO THE FIREFIGHTERS SO THEY CAN ACTUALLY SEE YOUR MESSAGES, THINGS LIKE THAT. THAT'S REALLY THE BEST WAY TO HELP. IF YOU'RE INTERESTED IN HELPING OTHER ENTITIES AND FOLKS THAT ARE WORKING WITH US, WE HAVE FOLKS IN SHELTERS RIGHT NOW, THERE'S FIREFIGHTERS, THERE'S ANIMAL FOLKS THAT ARE ASSISTING, THERE'S LOTS OF DIFFERENT ENTITIES, REALLY FINANCIAL CONTRIBUTIONS ARE OFTEN THE MOST HELPFUL. SO REACHING OUT TO AN ORGANIZATION OF YOUR CHOICE IS ANOTHER OPTION AS WELL. SO I THINK WE'VE COVERED A LOT OF THINGS. WE MAY NOT HAVE HIT ON YOUR INDIVIDUAL QUESTIONS. WE'LL CONTINUE TO FOLLOW UP ON YOUR QUESTIONS AS WE GET THEM. AND I WOULD ENCOURAGE YOU TO GIVE US A CALL, SEND US AN E‑MAIL OR FOR UPDATES. INCIWEB IS PRIMARY SOURCE OF INFORMATION, WE'LL POST INFORMATION THERE, MORNING UPDATE WE'LL POST THAT UPDATE AND THEN SIGNIFICANT EVENTS AS THEY HAPPEN THROUGHOUT THE DAY. AGAIN, WE'LL BE ONLINE LATER THIS EVENING, THIS VIDEO WILL BE ONLINE LATER THIS EVENING, YOU'LL BE ABLE TO SHARE IT, AND FUTURE VIDEO UPDATES WILL BE THERE AS WELL. SO WE THANK YOU FOR JOINING US TONIGHT. WE UNDERSTAND THIS IS A DIFFERENT FORMAT IN MANY WAYS. SO GIVE US YOUR FEEDBACK. LET US KNOW IF THERE ARE DIFFERENT WAYS THAT WE CAN HELP ADDRESS YOUR QUESTIONS IN THE FUTURE. THANK YOU. AND HAVE A GOOD NIGHT. (THE VIRTUAL COMMUNITY MEETING HAS CONCLUDED) * * *

Type 1 Incident Management Team Assumed Command Bush Fire Community Meeting

Related Incident:

Publication Type: News Fri, 06/19/2020 - 12:00

Acres: 151,075 acres (based on infrared flight)
Percent Containment: 7%
Start Date: Saturday, June 13, 2020 Cause: Human-caused
Origin Location: 22 miles NE of Mesa, AZ Fuels: Tall grass and brush
Resources: 855 total including 10 Type 1 Crews; 8 Type 2 Crews; 45 Engines; 5 bulldozers; 16 water tenders; 8 helicopters

Type 1 Incident Management Team Assumed Command; Bush Fire Community Meeting 6 pm Tonight

There will be an online Bush Fire community meeting tonight at 6 pm on Fb.com/bushfireinfo. An American Sign Language interpreter and captioning will be provided. A recording will be posted following the meeting. No account is required to view the video. If a pop-up box appears when you first navigate to the link, you can use the scroll bar on the right to scroll down to the view and/or click “not now” to minimize the login pop-up. We will monitor online Facebook questions during the meeting or you can e-mail us your questions at 2020.bush@firenet.gov.

Firefighters are using a range of tactics to fully suppresses the fire. Fire fighter and public safety remain the highest priority. Firefighters are working to protect values at risk including nearby communities, state highways, communication sites and power lines. Yesterday firefighters used a UAS (or drone) to conduct aerial ignition around the Mt. Ord communication site which helped firefighters protect values at risk as the fire moved through the area.

Today firefighters will continue to focus on holding the fire west of Highway 188. Firefighters will use burnout operations, supported by aerial resources as needed, where they can do so safely and effectively. They will continue to focus on putting out any fire caused by embers floating from the fire that may spot over the highway and protect structures as needed. Extreme fire behavior is expected again today. Fire behavior is expected to pick up mid-afternoon as the sun heats up the terrain and winds reach their strongest.

Brownsville, Jake's Corner, Slate Creek, Pioneer Pass, Tonto Basin, Punkin Center, Sunflower, and residents and visitors to Apache Lake remain under “Go” evacuation notices. Gisela, Rye, Deer Creek 76 Ranch and Bar T Bar Ranch (AKA BT Ranch) are in “Set” status. All residents in the area are encouraged to be prepared and stay alert to rapidly changing conditions. Evacuation details and information on how to sign up for emergency alerts can be found online: Maricopa County: https://ready.maricopa.gov/ and Gila County: www.readygila.com/.

American Red Cross Evacuation Centers are located at Payson Police Department 303 N. Beeline Hwy, Payson, AZ and the Lee Kornegay Intermediate School at 4635 Railroad Ave, Miami, AZ 85539.

A smoke outlook is available at https://fires.airfire.org/outlooks/CentralArizona.

The Tonto National Forest has an area closure surrounding the Bush Fire. Fire restrictions remain in place. Details are available at https://www.fs.usda.gov/alerts/tonto/alerts-notices.

Fire Information: 928-351-7596 (public) 928-351-7723 (media)
Inciweb: https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/6773/
Facebook: Fb.com/bushfireinfo
Email: 2020.bush@firenet.gov
Twitter: twitter.com/TontoForest

Brownsville Jakes Corner Slate Creek Pioneer Pass in GO mode

Related Incident:

Publication Type: Announcement Thu, 06/18/2020 - 12:00

Brownsville, Jake's Corner, Slate Creek and Pioneer Pass have all been put into 'GO' evacuation mode on the Ready, Set, Go evacuation model.

GO! – Evacuate

Danger in your area is imminent and life threatening.

Residents should evacuate immediately to a shelter or with family/friends outside of the affected area.
Residents should avoid close contact with those who are sick and should practice public health recommendations when relocating.
If you choose to ignore this advisement, you must understand emergency services may not be able to assist you further
Follow instructions from emergency personnel, stay on designated evacuation routes and avoid closed areas.

The 76 Ranch, BT Ranch (aka Bar T Bar Ranch), Deer Creek, Gisela, and Rye remain in 'Set' mode

SET – Be Alert
Know there is significant danger in your area.

Residents should consider voluntarily relocating to a shelter or with family/friends outside the affected area. Residents should avoid close contact with those who are sick and should practice public health recommendations when relocating.
Grab your emergency go kit.
Keep in mind unique needs for your family or special equipment for pets and livestock.
Stay aware of the latest news and information from public safety and public health officials.
This might be the only notice you receive. Emergency services cannot guarantee they will be able to notify everyone if conditions rapidly deteriorate. Be SET to GO.

https://ein.az.gov/ready-set-go

Bush Fire Update June 18 2020

Related Incident:

Publication Type: News Thu, 06/18/2020 - 12:00

Bush Fire Morning Update, Thursday, June 18, 2020
Additional communities put on “Set” notice
Type 1 Incident Management Team Take Command on Friday

The communities of Gisela, Rye, Deer Creek, 76 Ranch and BT Ranch (aka Bar T Bar Ranch) were placed in “Set” status. Jake’s Corner remains in ‘Set’ status on the Ready, Set, Go evacuation model.

Start date: Saturday, June 13, 2020
Personnel: 609
Cause: Human-caused
Size: 114,941 acres
Percent containment: 5%
Vegetation: Tall grass and brush
Fire Resources: 10 Type-1 Crews; 5 Type-2 Crews; 27 Engines; 4 bulldozers; 14 water tenders; 7 helicopters; 4 airtankers, plus additional support personnel

Fire activity: No structures have been damaged and no injuries have been reported. The 609 personnel fighting the fire on the ground are receiving support from the air, as multiple airtankers and helicopters dropped fire retardant and water on the eastern side of the fire, which reached Highway 188 Wednesday near the Bermuda Flat recreation site. There was a small spot fire on the north side of Highway 188, which was contained to less than one half acre. Firefighters burned out around Sunflower, and along Highway 87 to protect structures and control the spread on the Northwest portion of the fire. Crews burned out around Tonto Basin overnight and will continue to work protecting Tonto Basin and Punkin Center. Winds are forecasted to decrease today which will help firefighters. High temperatures and low relative humidity, combined with a steep terrain and a heavy grass crop, will continue to challenge firefighting efforts. Unlike other fires, which tend to calm down at night as temperatures drop, this fire remains active overnight.

Evacuations: The communities Gisela, Rye, Deer Creek, 76 Ranch and Bar T Bar Ranch (aka BT Ranch) were placed in “Set” status. Jake’s Corner remains in ‘Set’ status on the Ready, Set, Go evacuation model. Tonto Basin, Punkin Center, Sunflower, and residents and visitors to Apache Lake remain under evacuation notices. We encourage all residents in the area to be prepared and stay alert to rapidly changing conditions. Evacuation details and information on how to sign up for emergency alerts can be found at the county websites below.

Maricopa County Evacuation Information: https://ready.maricopa.gov/
Gila County visit www.readygila.com/

Evacuation Centers:

Payson Police Department 303 N. Beeline Hwy, Payson, AZ
Lee Kornegay Intermediate School at 4635 Railroad Ave, Miami, AZ 85539.

Smoke: Winds from the south will allow smoke to push to the north and northeast and be noticeable into the four corners region. Payson and communities to the east along the Mogollon Rim may experience short periods of moderate to heavy smoke by mid-day. As the fire continues to move north and northeast, chances of smoke settling into Fountain Hills and the Scottsdale area overnight will decrease. A full smoke report is available through https://fires.airfire.org/outlooks/CentralArizona.

Weather: Hot and dry weather will continue with relative humidity dipping below 10 percent. Winds are expected to decrease, blowing at 10-20 miles per hour.

Values: Fire fighter and public safety remain the highest priorities on the Bush Fire. The Bush Fire area includes multiple communities, state highways, communication sites and power lines, which firefighters are working hard to protect.

Road and Area Closures: State Route 87 is closed from Payson (milepost 251) to Bush Highway (milepost 199). State Route 188 is closed between SR 87 (milepost 276) and Roosevelt Lake at milepost 243. In addition, State Route 88 is closed between Apache Lake (milepost 229) to State Route 188 (milepost 242). The long-term SR 88 closure from east of Tortilla Flat to Apache Lake also remains in effect. Please visit https://az511.com/ for current information about highway closures.

Closures and Restrictions: The Tonto National Forest has an area closure surround the Bush Fire. Fire restrictions remain in place. Both the fire area closure and Stage II Fire Restrictions information can be found at: https://www.fs.usda.gov/alerts/tonto/alerts-notices. A Temporary Flight Restriction (TFR) has been placed around the fire. This includes all drones. Remember If You Fly. We Can’t!

Fire Map June 18, 2020: https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/map/6773/0/98226

76 Ranch BT Ranch Deer Creek Gisela Jakes Corner Rye in Set Mode

Related Incident:

Publication Type: Announcement Thu, 06/18/2020 - 12:00

The 76 Ranch, BT Ranch, Deer Creek, Gisela, Jake's Corner & Rye have all been placed in 'Set' mode on the Ready, Set, Go evacuation model.

SET – Be Alert
Know there is significant danger in your area.

Residents should consider voluntarily relocating to a shelter or with family/friends outside the affected area. Residents should avoid close contact with those who are sick and should practice public health recommendations when relocating.
Grab your emergency go kit.
Keep in mind unique needs for your family or special equipment for pets and livestock.
Stay aware of the latest news and information from public safety and public health officials.

This might be the only notice you receive. Emergency services cannot guarantee they will be able to notify everyone if conditions rapidly deteriorate. Be SET to GO.
https://ein.az.gov/ready-set-go

Subscribe to