Emergency Bulletins

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Crown King residents return home
10/24/2020 - 9:47 am
Horse Fire | Prescott National Forest | Crown King | wildfire | Prescott

The Southwest Area Type 1 Incident Management Team is winding down operations Saturday on the Horse Fire after containment increases to 63 percent. 

With no perimeter growth, evacuations were lifted for certified residents of Crown King. Firefighters remain in the area to ensure safety. There is no evidence of heat or smoke from the western edge to the southern tip of the fire perimeter. The FSR 52 is secure, though smoke will be seen from smoldering Ponderosa. Heavy equipment is still being used to improve the FSR 52 and FSR 58, and crews continue chipping downed vegetation.   

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BAER Team starts initial assessment of Horse Fire impacts
10/23/2020 - 1:26 pm
Prescott National Forest | Horse Fire | Burned Area Emergency Response (BAER) | post-fire flooding

The Prescott NF Burned Area Emergency Response (BAER) Team will be conducting an in-depth assessment of emergency post-fire risks that could potentially impact human safety, impact property, and damage sensitive resource values of the Horse Fire.  A BAER assessment will be initiated when the fire is fully contained. Post fire risks are normally affiliated with flashfloods and unstable soils.  The footprint of the fire is located within steep and rugged terrain that is susceptible to post fire soil instability and higher run-off.  However, the fire perimeter is in a remote area and initial...

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Cow Canyon Fire update: fire reaches 22 percent containment
10/23/2020 - 1:21 pm
Apache-Sitgreaves National Forests | Alpine Ranger District | smoke | Cow Canyon Fire

The Cow Canyon Fire is burning in a remote location within the Blue Range Primitive Area near the Arizona and New Mexico state border. 28,160 acres of the fire are located on the Apache-Sitgreaves National Forests, and 7,211 acres are burning on the Gila National Forest.

Operations: Firing operations were completed yesterday, and containment lines were put into place along the last portion of the 90 Trail where spot fires had occurred. Fire managers will assess the need to conduct additional firing operations along the northern boundary to mitigate the threat of the main fire pushing...

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No new growth on Horse Fire; containment at 49 percent
10/23/2020 - 9:04 am
Horse Fire | Yavapai County | Crown King | wildfire | Prescott National Forest | Bradshaw Ranger District

There has been significant progress in the suppression of the Horse Fire. With 49% containment, the western perimeter is secure. Crews successfully extinguished all heat sources on the southern tip and southeastern area.  Heavy equipment is being used to improve FSR 58 and FSR52, making it accessible to emergency vehicles.  There is no new growth or movement of the fire. 

The only remaining heat and smoke are well within the interior of the northeast corner of the fire, which is inaccessible. Aircraft is being used to monitor the interior pockets of heat which will smolder until a...

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Tonto National Forest reinstates Bush Fire area closure due to weather
10/22/2020 - 6:38 pm
Tonto National Forest | flash flooding | post-fire flooding | weather safety

Tonto National Forest officials are reinstating the original Bush Fire area closure area to protect the public from an incoming weather system that has the potential for flash flooding over the weekend. This expanded area public safety closure will be in effect Saturday, Oct. 24, 2020 at noon.

While forest officials are set to implement the closure at noon, visitors are advised that they may need to vacate the closure area earlier if weather conditions warrant. A post-fire flash flooding event has the potential to cause significant injury or death. The purpose of this closure order...

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