Mangum Fire

Effective at 10:00 a.m. today, the Kaibab National Forest decreased the area closure on the North Kaibab Ranger District that has been in place due to the Mangum Fire, allowing more public access.

At 7:00 A.M. tomorrow the Gila/Las Cruces Incident Management Team will transfer command of the
Mangum Fire to the North Kaibab Ranger District.

Yesterday crews substantially completed suppression repair and began back hauling supplies. Today most heavy equipment and engines will be released, and the number of firefighters will be greatly reduced. Warm and dry conditions will continue. Fire activity is expected to be minimal. Firefighters will patrol the fire perimeter to mitigate any threats to containment lines

Yesterday crews neared completion of suppression repair.  Another lightning ignition was discovered outside the Mangum Fire containment lines. The fire was cooled off by helicopter bucket drops, and lined by firefighters on the ground. Today firefighters will be patrolling the Mangum Fire perimeter, looking for “sleeper” fires started by Friday’s lightning storms.  Crews will also be removing hazard trees, and taking a second look at suppression damages, to ensure no needed repairs have been missed.  Warm and dry conditions are forecasted again today.

Yesterday crews continued with suppression repair, and constructed fire line around pockets of smoking fuel adjacent to Highway 89A.   During the afternoon a very small lightning ignition was discovered outside the Mangum Fire containment lines.  Firefighters quickly extinguished this fire.  Today firefighters will be patrolling the fire perimeter, looking for new fires started by yesterday afternoon’s lightning storms.  Crews will continue suppression repair, grading and repairing damaged roads, filling and re-contouring hand lines and chipping woody debris.

Yesterday crews continued with suppression repair, while monitoring areas where fuel is still burning. Fire crews will continue suppression repair today, grading and repairing damaged roads, filling and re-contouring hand lines and dozer lines, chipping woody debris, and felling and removing standing dead trees that pose a risk to public and firefighter safety.  Fire activity is expected to be minimal, but there is an increased potential for widely scattered thunder storms, and a 40% chance of wetting rain this afternoon.

Yesterday firefighters made steady progress with suppression repair, while monitoring the predominantly creeping and smoldering fire.  Fire crews will continue to focus on suppression repair today.  Fire activity is expected to be minimal, but there is a potential for widely scattered thunder storms.  Strong gusty outflow winds from these storms, if they develop, could increase the intensity of the fire and threaten containment lines.

Winds subsided yesterday, and limited fire behavior resulted in no growth in acreage on the fire. However, helicopters made a few bucket drops on a flare up in the Burro Springs area.  Fire crews will continue to focus on suppression repair today.  Low humidity and extremely dry fuels present the potential for active fire behavior.  Interior creeping and torching remain in isolated areas of the fire, which are being monitored to prevent threats to containment lines.

Effective 6:00 this morning, the Gila/Las Cruces Incident Management Team assumed command of the Mangum Fire. Although strong, gusty winds continued yesterday, containment lines held and there was no growth in acreage on the fire.  Predominantly westerly winds are expected to moderate over the next few days, providing an opportunity for fire crews to focus on suppression repair today.  Repair of dozer lines and containment lines, and felling hazard trees will occupy crews not engaged in suppression.  Isolated areas of active fire remain around the fire.  

As predicted, strong wind gusts yesterday tested fire lines constructed over the last three weeks on the Mangum fire. By late afternoon, some internal smoke was detected along with some isolated smoke near containment lines that was quickly suppressed. Another round of red flag conditions will occur today as part of a passing front.

Today firefighters will continue conducting suppression repair and secure the fire’s edge while positioned to respond to another round of red flag conditions. Two residences along House Rock remain in “Ready” status.