The Southwest Area Type 2 Incident Management Team 4, led by Incident Commander Aaron Hulburd, assumed command of the lightning-caused Valentine Fire at 7:00 AM this morning, Friday, August 25, 2023. The Type 2 Incident Management Team brings additional resources and management capabilities to manage the Valentine Fire. The intended results of managing naturally caused fires are to reduce hazardous fuels, encourage the growth of native forage, improve range conditions, increase species diversity, protect and improve wildlife habitat, improve watershed conditions, and restore ecological balance. The objectives of the Valentine Fire are designed to meet the intent of the Forest Service Wildfire Crisis Strategy, a national strategy to address the wildfire crisis in places where it poses the most immediate threats to communities. To learn more about the Wildfire Crisis Strategy, please visit: https://www.fs.usda.gov/managing-land/wildfire-crisis.
Operations: Taking the opportunity to use natural fire to restore ecosystems helps creates conditions where fire crews can more safely and effectively manage future wildfires, and also reduce the risk to communities from future fires. Firefighters are working to improve access into the fire area, remove hazardous trees along roadways, and remove vegetation surrounding values that require protection from fire, including powerlines, fences, and range infrastructure. Fire managers are developing a strategy that protects valuable resources in the area, including State Routes 260 and 512, the communities of Ponderosa and Colcord Estates, wildlife habitat, cultural resources, timber, recreation, and other environmental and social values.
Weather: Scattered showers and thunderstorms are expected each day and evening through Saturday. Some storms will produce heavy rainfall, frequent lightning, and gusty, erratic outflow winds of 30 to 40 miles per hour (MPH). Winds will generally be variable less than 15 MPH away from thunderstorms.
Closures: The Tonto National Forest has issued an emergency area closure for the Valentine Fire. The purpose of the closure order is to protect public health and safety during the Valentine Fire, and to protect assigned firefighting personnel engaging in wildland firefighting operations. The full closure order (No. 03-12-05-23-22) and map are available on the Tonto National Forest website: https://www.fs.usda.gov/alerts/tonto/alerts-notices/?aid=82769.
Safety: The health and safety of firefighters and the public are always the first priority. Members of the public should stay away from Valentine Fire operations. A temporary flight restriction (TFR) is in place over the area, which includes unmanned aircraft, or drones. More information on the dangers drones pose to wildland firefighting aircraft and personnel on the ground can be found at: https://uas.nifc.gov/.
Smoke: Smoke from the Valentine Fire may be visible in the surrounding areas. Smoke will be heavier in the mornings as it settles into the lower elevations and will lift as temperatures increase. Smoke-sensitive individuals and people with respiratory problems or heart disease are encouraged to take precautionary measures. Learn more about smoke impacts on the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality website at https://azdeq.gov/wildfire-faqs. An interactive smoke map at https://fire.airnow.gov/ allows you to zoom into your area to see the latest smoke conditions.
Email: [email protected] • Phone: (928) 588-4033 • Office Hours: 8:00 AM – 8:00 PM
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Fire updates are posted on InciWeb and the Tonto National Forest Facebook, and Twitter pages
Tonto National Forest website: https://www.fs.usda.gov/tonto
Tonto National Forest Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TontoNationalForest