North Kaibab Ranger District

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.

Widespread dry, hot weather, and low humidity have increased activity on several wildfires in far northern Arizona and southern Utah, contributing to noticeable smoke impacts in the area. However, as the Castle Fire burns through the remaining pockets of unburned vegetation within its interior, smoke production from the wildfire is expected to diminish over the coming days.

The Castle Fire's acreage held at 16,538 today due to more consistent showers over the fire area. While precipitation does have a direct effect on fire behavior, it can be very effective in moderating or temporarily halting the fire's spread. However, this doesn't necessarily mean that the fire is over.  Warmer, drier days, such as those predicted in the long-term forecast can provide just enough heat to keep the fire moving through the fuels that are still available in the unburned areas.

 Excellent progress is being made in securing the entire perimeter of the 19,368-acre planning area which defines the outermost boundary of the Castle Fire. The fire has burned north and south from its point of origin, traversing almost 12 miles of the eastern perimeter of the planning area. As the fire established itself, it gained depth and started spreading southwest towards Riggs Canyon.

The Castle Fire on the North Kaibab Ranger District of the Kaibab National Forest grew to 200 acres yesterday while continuing to clean up downed, woody debris and improve overall forest health.

The fire, which was discovered July 12, has been creeping and smoldering through dense mixed conifer forest about 11 miles south of Jacob Lake, 3 miles west of Highway 67, and just east of Forest Road 761 near Oquer Canyon. Gradual fire growth is anticipated over the coming days as dry conditions persist.

The 50-acre Castle Fire on the North Kaibab Ranger District of the Kaibab National Forest grew slowly but steadily yesterday while wildland fire crews prepared boundary roads and other potential control lines for the fire's likely growth.

The Kaibab National Forest plans to allow the lightning-caused Castle Fire to continue growing within a defined area in order to fulfill its natural role of reducing dense forest fuels and improving overall ecosystem health.

The Kaibab National Forest is planning to allow the lightning-caused Castle Fire on the North Kaibab Ranger District to continue growing within a defined area in order to fulfill its natural role of reducing dense forest fuels and improving overall ecosystem health.

Fire managers for the North Kaibab Ranger District of the Kaibab National Forest plan to initiate the Moquitch-1 and Moquitch-3 (Phase 2) prescribed burn units as early as Wednesday if weather, resources, and fuel moisture conditions remain favorable to assure firefighter and visitor safety, while still achieving the desired objectives outlined during the planning process.

As fuel moisture levels fall within prescriptive parameters, firefighters will focus on treating approximately 3,500 acres between the two prescribed burn units.

Boundaries and acreage are as follows:

Fire managers for the North Kaibab Ranger District of the Kaibab National Forest are tracking opportunities to pursue three prescribed fires at various locations across the district through the end of this month. Pending the appropriate fuel moistures and weather conditions, fire managers anticipate having an opportunity to begin burning in about one to two weeks and possibly continue into monsoon season.