Acres: 11,162 
Start Date: July 11, 2024 
Location: South of Roosevelt Lake on the edge of the Superstition Wilderness 
Cause: Lightning 
Personnel: 379
Fuels: Tall Grass and Brush 
Containment: 45%
Resources: 9 Crews | 4 Engines | 5 Helicopters | 3 Bulldozers | 6 Water Tenders

Highlights: Gila County Division of Emergency Management along with the Gila County Sheriff’s Office lifted evacuation orders for all residences affected by the Black Fire except for the Reavis Mountain School, which remains in “GO”. Tonto National Monument was moved to a “SET” status and will remain closed to the public. All lands lakeside of Highway 188 remain in a “READY” status, Frazier Horse Camp and Grapevine Campground remain closed to fire personnel activity. We do ask that all other residences affected by the Black Fire remain in “READY”. Which means be aware of the hazards that can threaten your community and follow local news, weather watches, weather warnings and public health recommendations. For more information about Ready, Set, Go and to sign up for alert notifications visit https://ein.az.gov/ready-set-go. 

Southwest Incident Team 3 will host a virtual public meeting tonight; Friday, July 19, 2024, at 7 p.m. to share information regarding the Black Fire. The meeting can be viewed live on Facebook @TontoNationalForest. 

Operations: During the cooler nighttime temperatures, firefighters safely hiked into the Northwest portion of the fire and were successful in securing the fires edge and extinguishing a spot fire on the southern edge of the wilderness. They continued securing the fire’s edge working from the wilderness and up to the north flank to the Cottonwood Wash Drainage. Firefighters will continue to monitor the smoldering pockets of fuel inside the Superstition Wilderness; depending on weather conditions and fire activity in the wilderness, firefighters may be inserted for suppression operations. Thunderstorms early yesterday morning produced some rain, but not enough to help with suppression efforts within the fire perimeter. Firefighters continue to extinguish burning fuels along the uncontained fire perimeter while monitoring for increased activity during thunderstorm events. Heavy equipment has started working to improve access and clean up debris along Forest Road 341 north to State Highway 188, in addition to Forest Road 1457 near Black Brush Ranch.  

Weather: There is a 40% chance of showers and thunderstorms, mainly after 3 p.m. Friday. Mostly sunny, with a high near 106 degrees. Breezy, with an east-northeast wind of 5 to 15 mph becoming west southwest in the afternoon. 

Smoke: Individuals who are sensitive to smoke or have conditions aggravated by smoke are encouraged to take precautionary measures. An interactive smoke map at https://fire.airnow.gov/  allows you to zoom into your area to see the latest smoke conditions. 

Closures: The Tonto National Forest has issued a closure for land surrounding the Black Fire. 03-12-00-24-31_Black Fire_Closure_Order. Additionally, the Tonto National Monument is closed. National Park Service Alerts.

Evacuations: For current evacuation information please call Gila County Emergency Management at 928-910-4009 EXT 1 or visit the Gila County Government Facebook page at -  https://www.facebook.com/gilacountygovernment/

Safety: The health and safety of firefighters and the public are always the highest priority. Please avoid the area while crews conduct fire suppression operations. Citizens are urged to sign up for the Gila and Maricopa County Emergency Notification System. To learn more about the Arizona Emergency Information Network visit: https://ein.az.gov/ready-set-go.  

Texas Fire – Update
July 19, 2024, 8:30 AM PT
Information Line: 208-901-7295 Email: 2024.texas@firenet.gov
InciWeb: https://inciweb.wildfire.gov/incident-information/idids-texas-fire
Date of Origin: Monday, July 15, 2024
Location: East of Kendrick, Idaho
Cause: Human
Size: 1,564 acres Containment: 10% Personnel: 175

Current Situation:
Fire Operations reported containment at 10% last night, as control lines along portions of the fire are reasonably
expected to stop the fire from spreading further. Yesterday, firefighters patrolled constructed fireline, addressing
areas of remaining heat and improving fireline as needed. Throughout the day, helicopter-resources assisted
firefighters on the-ground with bucket drops to cool areas of active fire, allowing work to occur directly on the fire’s
edge. Yesterday, new fire starts within the geographic area re-committed local initial attack resources, including
helicopters.

Today, firefighters will focus on completing control line, consisting of handline and dozer line, around the entire
perimeter of the fire, working as close to the fire’s edge as possible. As control lines are completed, firefighters will
search for and extinguish remaining areas of heat up to 200 feet within the fire’s interior. Fire activity continues to
be moderate, with mostly creeping and smoldering surface fire. Areas of the fire that remain active during peak
high temperature and low humidity portions of the day, will be monitored and prioritized with suppression
resources.
Weather: Currently, there is a “heat dome” over the fire area allowing for increased temperatures, pushing the
low-100s and mid- to low-teen relative humidity values. Winds will remain fairly light and generally terrain driven.
Evacuations and Road Closures remain in place. Please refer to the Latah County Sheriff’s Office Facebook
page for evacuation and closure information: https://www.facebook.com/LatahCountySO.

**Silver King Fire Daily Update - July 19, 2024**

Hand crews have brought fire down slope to the creek and road in the Deer Creek drainage, helping to secure the f ires edge. The eastern portion of the fire has been suppressed and firefighters are working to secure, or button-up, the east portion of the fire between Indian Hollow and Deer Creek. Pumps, hose, and portable water tanks have been removed from the Miners Park area.

Suppression repair will continue on the southeast portion of the fire, excavators and a masticator are being used to repair dozer lines. A special blend of native seed is being mixed with the disturbed soil as work is being done to help prevent erosion and the growth of invasive species. The objective of suppression repair is to mitigate adverse impacts from fire suppression activities. Some goals of the repair operation is to, minimize erosion and erosion potential associated with control line structures, minimize slash created when developing fire lines, and return roads and trails used during suppression to, as close to possible, pre-fire conditions.

Monsoon moisture remains in the area. There is a 20% chance of wetting rains, with scattered showers and thunderstorms. Relative humidity will likely remain above 20%, with temperatures in the upper 70’s to low 80’s.

Air quality for most areas around the fire has improved. For more smoke information go to https://www.wildlandfiresmoke.net/outlooks.

The Fishlake National Forest has issued a Forest Closure Order and Stage 1 Fire Restrictions that can be found here: https://www.fs.usda.gov/alerts/fishlake/alerts-notices. The Castle Rock Campground remains open to the public.

Start Date & Location: July 9, 2024,    5 miles south of York, MT 

Cause: Human, under investigation       Size: 14,935 acres Containment: 40% 

KEY MESSAGE 

Evacuation warnings were lifted around the Horse Gulch Fire area yesterday evening at 6 PM for all residents. Traffic restrictions remain in place on Jimtown Road between Riverside Road and Trout Road, as well as on Black Bear Road due to heavy emergency vehicle traffic. Additionally, the fire area itself is still closed to everyone except emergency personnel. The Helena-Lewis and Clark National Forest closure remains in place, which includes Vigilante Campground. The Bureau of Land Management Butte Field Office land closure remains in place. Drivers are urged to reduce speed around the fire area to eliminate conflicts with emergency traffic. 

CURRENT STATUS AND PLANNED ACTIONS 

Yesterday, many fire crews were tasked with mop up along the fire perimeter on the south, west, and northwest sides of the fire area. Mop-up involves systematically combing through burned areas in a grid pattern to detect and extinguish any remaining sources of heat. Firing operations were successful in removing much of the unburned islands of fuel within spotting distance of control lines at the top of Cave Gulch near Hedges Ridge. Night crews monitored fire activity to make sure no spot fires took hold across the line. 

Today, unmanned aerial systems (UAS), also known as drones, and ground crews will continue with tactical firing operations to the north in the Bar Gulch area, as conditions allow, to remove the islands of unburned fuel that remain too close to the fire line to allow for containment. Along the south flank, suppression repair will begin with excavators working to repair damage and minimize soil erosion. 

WEATHER AND FIRE BEHAVIOR 

Thunderstorms were observed yesterday to the south and east of the fire area. However, no precipitation was produced. Winds were variable in the morning, then westerly at 5-10 mph with gusts up to 20 in the afternoon. Today, the forecast is similar but with winds coming out of the northwest and will shift to the northeast in the afternoon.  

EVACUATIONS AND CLOSURES 

Evacuations: Effective 7/19/24, all evacuation warnings have been lifted. 

Road Closure: Residents only access on Jimtown Road from Riverside Road to Trout Creek Road and on Black Bear Road. All other roads including Canyon Ferry Road are open, except roads within the fire perimeter. 

Forest Closure: The Helena-Lewis and Clark National Forest closures remain in place around the fire area. Details can be found at Helena-Lewis and Clark National Forest - Home (usda.gov)  

Campground Closure: The Vigilante Campground, within the forest closure area, remains closed. As of 7/19/2024, all other campgrounds are now reopened.  

BLM Closure: The Butte Field Office has issued a closure on BLM lands near the fire area. https://inciweb.wildfire.gov/incident-publication/mthlf-horse-gulch-fire/signed-blm-area-closure-07-14-2024

Cedar City, Utah– The Graff Point Fire remains at 544 acres and is now 85% contained. In total, 302 personnel are assigned to the incident. 

This will be the final update unless fire activity increases.

Fire behavior continues to be minimal, with smoldering and creeping. Crews and engines are still mopping up and “cold trailing,” feeling heat by hand, and an infrared flight showed no significant pockets of heat. Areas of unburned fuel within the interior could still put smoke up during the afternoon. Chipping operations continue along containment lines and will be completed by the end of shift today. Transfer of command, of the incident will occur Saturday at 6 a.m. to the Utah Division of Natural Resources. Two helicopters will stay on the incident and the hose lays will remain in place. Repair and rehabilitation work has begun in some areas to stabilize soil and prevent erosion. Contained line are still being patrolled and monitored across the fire.

The weather pattern remains unchanged and afternoon showers and thunderstorms are possible as moisture continues to build at midday over higher elevations. The highs for the day will be in the upper 80’s to lower 90’s with light winds and gusts to 17 MPH. Humidity will be as low as 20 percent. Yesterday’s winds on the fire provided a test on containment lines with positive results.

Evacuations and road closures will be lifted Saturday, July 20 at 6 a.m.

For information regarding evacuations, please contact the Iron County Sheriff. We kindly ask that you respect these measures and avoid the area. For more information, please visit: https://inciweb.wildfire.gov/incident-information/ututs-graff-point-fire or https://utahfireinfo.gov 

For private landowners, information is available from the Utah DNR on reducing wildfire threats to homes and property. Homeowner Education | Utah DNR – FFSL (Forestry, Fire and State Lands)

Durkee, Cow Valley, and Bonita Fires Update for Friday, July 19, 2024

541-208-4371, staffed 7a.m. to 7 p.m. MDT

2024.cowvalley@firenet.go

DURKEE FIRE: Start date: July 17, 2024 | Location: 5 miles southwest of Durkee, OR | Personnel: 88 | Fire size: 2,699 acres | Cause: Lightning |Containment: 0%

Yesterday, fire personnel worked quickly to develop a strategic plan to engage and suppress the Durkee Fire. The structure protection group was formed and has started structure assessments.  Firefighters were able to make progress in partnership with local Rangeland Fire Protection Associations on creating firelines. 

Aviation was used to help minimize fire behavior supporting crews on the ground. Throughout the day, there were about 14 aircraft dropping water and retardant helping to slow the fire so crews on the ground could make progress. Overnight, there was not much fire spread to the north, but the fire did spread about 5 miles to the south into Rye Valley. 

Today, firefighters will be working to establish control points to keep the fire south of Burnt River. The fire is expected to be active today because of hot, dry, and breezy weather. Fire personnel will continue to use aviation and work to establish primary and secondary firelines. 

COW VALLEY FIRE:  Start date: July 11, 2024 | Location: 9 miles east of Ironside, OR | Personnel: 303 | Fire size: 133,408 acres | Cause: Human caused |Containment: 77%

Firefighters working on the Cow Valley are patrolling to find any pockets of heat to extinguish. No fire spread is expected, and fire behavior is characterized as smoldering. 

BONITA FIRE: Start date: July 11, 2024 | Location: 9 miles south east of Ironside, OR | Personnel: 0 | Fire size: 2,727 acres | Cause: Human caused |Containment: 90%

Minimal fire behavior has been observed due to suppression efforts, containment features and fuel consumption. 

WEATHER AND SMOKE: It will be hot and dry today with temperatures ranging between 97-108 and low humidities. Winds will be north, 8-12 mph. The inversion will lift over the Durkee fire this morning that will cause gusts to reach up to 30 MPH this afternoon. For current smoke information and air quality index, visit airnow.gov. 

EVACUATIONS AND CLOSURES: All evacuation order related to the Cow Valley Fire have been lifted. Check for updates on the Malheur County Sheriff’s Office Facebook page. The Baker County Sheriff’s Office has issued evacuations for the area around Durkee Fire. Visit the Baker County Sheriff’s Office Facebook page for more information. Baker County Sheriff's Office has closed Burnt River Canyon road to non-local, non-emergency traffic due to the Durkee Fire.

BURN BAN: A burn ban is currently in effect for all of Malheur County, including all BLM lands.  For more information, visit https://www.malheurco.org/category/public-notices/. 

TEMPORARY FLIGHT RESTRICTION: There is a temporary flight restriction over the Durkee Fire, please remember if you fly we cant.

Cow Valley Fire Incident Website

Durkee Fire Incident Website

Cow Valley and Durkee Fire Facebook

Watch Fire: 2,162 acres 

Start Date: July 10, 2024

Cause: Human Caused, Under Investigation

Fuels:  Cottonwood, Brush, Understory

Containment:  100%

Resources: 127

Location: 7 Mile and Peridot Districts, San Carlos Reservation 

Central West Zone Type Three IMT To Command Watch Fire

Highlight: The Central West Zone Type Three Incident Management Team will assume command of the Watch Fire on Saturday. The team will begin shadowing Southwest Area Complex Incident Management Team Two beginning today.

Overview: Unburned materials within the Watch Fire perimeter will continue to smoke as fuels are consumed. There is no threat to containment and crews will continue to monitor the fire. Resources assigned to the Watch Fire responded to a new fire near Cutter Airport. The fire was quickly extinguished and is believed to have been the result of lightning. Crews are available to respond to any additional new starts today.

Although the Watch Fire is 100 percent contained, weather conditions are contributing to high fire danger. Residents should always be “READY” to evacuate in the event of emergencies. Information regarding what to pack in a “go bag” and how to prepare for evacuations can be found in the Fire Evacuation Check List info sheet linked below. 

Weather: Yesterday saw some rain on the Watch Fire. Today will bring a 50 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms with temperatures around 102 degrees. 

Reminder: Stage 1 Fire Restrictions remain in place on the San Carlos Apache Reservation. No burn permits will be issued at this time. For more information call Fire Prevention (928) 475-2326 Ext: 352, 321 or (928) 961-0515 or email wsteele@forestry.scat-nsn.gov

Evacuations: All areas of San Carlos remain under “READY” status. For more information, call the San Carlos Apache Tribe Emergency Response Commission at 928-475-2008 or  visit (TERC) or the San Carlos Police Department Facebook

Nowhi ni’nlt’eego anlsih

LONE ROCK FIRE UPDATE July 19, 2024

Location: Lonerock, Oregon west to west of Hwy 207 | Size: 83,922 acres | Containment: 40% 

Cause: Under Investigation | Start Date: July 13, 2024 | Total Personnel: 739

InciWeb: https://inciweb.wildfire.gov/incident-information/orprd-lone-rock-fire 

Fire Information Line: 541-208-4369 | Email: 2024.0404rvlonerock@firenet.gov

Condon, Oregon — The Lone Rock Fire is being managed under a full suppression strategy by the unified command of the Northwest (NW) Team 2 and Oregon State Fire Marshal (OSFM) Red Team.

Yesterday’s Activities: On Thursday morning, a spot fire crossed Highway 25. Crews worked throughout the day to wrap the spot fire with line; however, the persistent afternoon winds fueled fire behavior, blowing the spot fire further south. As the fire spread south it moved from heavier timber fuels to lighter grass and shrub fuels which are more responsive to wind shifts. Active fire behavior persisted through the night on the southeast area of the fire. OSFM task forces engaged heavily on the southern front of the fire. Working from the Campbell Ranch on the southwest side of the fire south all the way around to the Morrow County OHV Park on the southeast side of the fire. An additional task force arrived last night and immediately mobilized to access structures ahead of the fire, including the town of Spray. The Incident Management Team is closely monitoring this situation, especially with the weekend forecast predicting hotter temperatures and shifting winds.

On the southern area of the fire, firefighters worked directly along the perimeter of the fire and established contingency lines around using a combination of roads and dozer lines. The contingency line on the west side of stretches from Big Dutch Canyon south to Forest Service Road 21. The contingency line on the east side of the fire runs from Highway 207 to Forest Service Road 25. The north area of the fire shows minimal heat, allowing firefighters to focus on the southern perimeter.

A spike camp was set up in Heppner to locate firefighters closer to the active fire front and reduce their travel time, with night crews resting there during the day and day crews resting there at night.

Today’s Activities: Extreme fire behavior is expected as the weather heats up to the 90s, and relative humidity drops. Crews will continue to work on reinforcing lines in the southern area preparation for tomorrow’s weather which is forecasted to bring shifting winds that will test the lines in the responsive fuels to the south. OSFM will mobilize two more task forces bringing the total number of task forces to nine. Structural resources will continue to work with their wildland partners to engage with the southern flank of the fire and protect structures near the fire perimeter. Structural firefighters are currently working three shifts to ensure a robust amount of structural protection is provided all day and all night.

Tomorrow, there are plans for a community meeting. We are currently working to secure a location and time. Please check Facebook and InciWeb for updates. The community is encouraged to attend and receive firsthand updates from the unified command of the Northwest (NW) Team 2 and the Oregon State Fire Marshal (OSFM) Red Team.

Evacuations:

o Township 6, Range 24. A temporary evacuation center has been set up at the Wheeler High School (600 E B Street, Fossil, Ore.). A large animal shelter is available at the County Fairgrounds (720 E 3rd Street in Fossil, Ore.).

• Level-3 Evacuations – GO NOW! Level-3 Evacuate immediately for the following areas:

Gilliam County: residences South of Lonerock. An evacuation center is set up at memorial hall in Condon. For more information on evacuations, visit Gilliam County Sheriff's Office Facebook page

Wheeler County:

Morrow County: from the West County Line along Buttermilk Canyon to HWY 207, Mile Post 10 South of Hardman to the South Morrow County line. The Red Cross will be setting up a temporary shelter at

the Heppner Elementary School. For more information on evacuations, visit Morrow County Sheriff's Office Facebook page

• Level-2 Emergency Alert – GET SET! Level-2 Be set to evacuate at a moment’s notice for the following areas:

o Gilliam County: residences North of Lonerock. o Wheeler County: community of Spray.

Weather: Hot, dry conditions are expected to increase over the weekend. Winds from the north are expected today shifting east northeast tomorrow. The increase in temperatures and poor relative humidity recovery will contribute to significant fire behavior.

Smoke Information: Visit https://fire.airnow.gov/ for local air quality information.
Flight Restrictions: A Temporary Flight Restriction (TFR) is in place above the Lone Rock Fire area. If you fly, we

can’t. Unauthorized drone flights (UAS) pose serious risks to firefighter and public safety and the effectiveness of wildfire suppression operations. Aerial firefighting is suspended when unauthorized UAS are in the area, allowing wildfires to grow larger.

###

Buckhorn Fire: 1,006 acres 

Start Date: July 10, 2024

Cause: Suspected lightning

Fuels:  Timber, Brush, Understory

Containment:  10%

Resources: 145

Location: Maylay Gap Area, San Carlos Reservation 

Central West Zone Type Three IMT To Command Buckhorn Fire

Highlight: The Central West Zone Type Three Incident Management Team will assume command of the Buckhorn Fire on Saturday. The team will begin shadowing Southwest Area Complex Incident Management Team Two beginning today. Reduction in containment is due to successful defensive burn operations. 

Overview: Yesterday, operations on the Buckhorn Fire were halted as nearly an inch of rain fell on the fire. Prior to the storm, dozers worked to construct a fire containment line near Bull Ridge. Due to the steep terrain, the line will be completed by hand crews as weather permits. Today, crews will be reassessing roads leading to the fire perimeter for firefighter safety and operations will continue as weather permits.

Weather: Yesterday, nearly an inch of rain fell on the Buckhorn Fire as a storm formed over the White Mountains and moved into the area. The storms are expected to continue today and through the weekend. Temperatures will remain in the mid 80’s with a 50 percent chance of thunderstorms.

Safety: Please do not fly drones anywhere near the fire. Drones may endanger firefighting aircraft. If you fly, we can’t.

Reminder: Stage 1 Fire Restrictions remain in place on the San Carlos Apache Reservation. Due to extreme drought, increasing temperatures, and no rain predicted soon, the potential of catastrophic wildfire remains high. This restriction is for the protection of public health, safety, property, and natural resources. No burn permits will be issued at this time. For more information call Fire Prevention (928) 475-2326 Ext: 352, 321 or (928) 961-0515 or email wsteele@forestry.scat-nsn.gov 

Closures: There is an area closure in place around the Buckhorn Fire. Closures are being adjusted based on fire activity for public and firefighter safety. Please monitor the San Carlos Apache Tribe Facebook Page for updated information. (Link Below)

Smoke: Smoke-sensitive individuals and people with respiratory problems or heart disease are encouraged to take precautionary measures. 

Nowhi ni’nlt’eego anlsih

Crews continue to work the Mestenas Canyon Fire, which has grown to 350 acres with 0% containment. Outflow winds from nearby storms pushed two heads of the fire up canyon slopes onto Mestenas Mesa where crews are securing roads as potential containment lines.

The overall suppression strategy is to contain the fire using existing roads and natural features.

“It is too dangerous to send crews into the steep, snag-choked canyon, where the fire began,” Jicarilla District Ranger Jim Eaton. “We’re opting instead to set action points on the mesa where flatter ground makes it safer for crews to engage flames.”

Forecasted rain earlier this week has so far not materialized in a manner to slow or stop the fire’s steady spread when strong winds hit the area. Lower humidity levels, however, have mostly kept fire behavior minimal. 

There are no evacuations, but oil and gas infrastructure, archeological sites, dispersed camping sites and inholdings may be threatened if the fire continues to grow.

The lightning-caused Mestenas Canyon Fire was first reported July 11. It is in the canyon of the same name, about 14 miles southwest of Dulce, N.M., and two miles north of Highway 64, where smoke may cause limited visibility to drivers.

The public can keep updated on the fire by visiting InciWeb or calling a public information officer at 505-216-6793.