Prescott

The emergency closure area for the Crooks Fire has been reduced allowing for the opening of Upper Goldwater Lake and additional trails north of County Road 101, including portions of the Circle Trail and School House Gulch.  Trails in Groom Creek and Spruce Mountain remain closed for public safety.  All roads, trails and recreation sites including Upper and Lower Wolf Creek Campgrounds and Palace Station remain closed within the closure area. 

Critical fire weather entering the state may challenge firefighters over the next few days as conditions align for extreme fire danger. The National Weather Service has issued a Red Flag Warning for most of Arizona through Sunday night due to strong southwest winds and low relative humidity which can potentially intensify fire behavior and increase fire activity. Fuels remain critically dry and receptive to fire. Crews have been staged ahead of the incoming weather to provide for initial attack on new starts and to patrol the fire lines for any possible holding concerns.

Fire suppression and repair work continues on the fire as crews build contingency line in the Spruce Mountain-area. The contingency line acts as a secondary fire line and helps slow potential fire spread. It also provides for community safety due to the potential for increasing terrain driven winds pushing the remaining unsecured edge to the north and northeast. On Thursday, crews also picked up a flare up on the northwest side of the fire with the help of aircraft providing bucket work.

Due to the hard work of the firefighters and after the red flag warning tested the fire line, evacuations were lifted in all areas except Lookout Mountain on Monday, May 2, 2022. The fire has not grown, and containment increased to 83%. Friendly reminder to all returning residents to please drive carefully, as there is still fire personnel and heavy equipment working in the fire area and on the roads. For the latest on re-population, please refer to the Yavapai County Sheriff’s Facebook page. 

Effective Thursday, May 5 the following agencies will implement campfire and smoking restrictions:  

Red flag conditions tested containment lines Sunday on the fire with strong southwest winds and low relative humidity.  Blowing ash and dust were present with some interior pockets of fuels producing smoke.  The hard work of firefighters paid off as containment lines held during 44 mph wind gusts.  The fire area did not expand, and containment increased to 75%.  

Saturday was a success for firefighters on day 13 of the Crooks Fire. Smoke was minimal and the fire grew by only 9 acres. Crews from across Arizona and the nation working the fire made great progress protecting homes and holding the fire from moving north.  Firefighters on the day and night shifts focused on ‘firewise’ structure defense and preparing for Red Flag critical fire weather expected Sunday. Due to the hard work on the fire, hundreds of participants were able to join the Whiskey 50 bike race event that occurred across the Prescott National Forest.

Despite the winds and dry conditions there has been little fire progression along the perimeter, there are still areas of concern where firefighters are still actively fighting. Currently the priority remains on preventing the fire moving north on the northwest perimeter and protecting structures near Mount Tritle.

Beginning 8 a.m.

The Prescott National Forest is planning to enter Stage 1 Fire Restrictions effective May 5, 2022, at 8:00 a.m. due to increasing fire activity and dry conditions. The increased fire danger is due to insufficient moisture and dry fuel conditions across the forest.