Favorable weekend weather conditions curtailed fire growth on the Cat Fire.
Crews took advantage of lighter than anticipated winds and higher humidity to focus on reinforcing fireline ahead of the Cat Fire.
Cat Fire Overview:
Date reported: August 6, 2018
Size: 4,108 acres
This weekend crews made good progress with suppression efforts on the Platypus and Rhino fires located in the Secret Mountain Wilderness north of Sedona. Crews have been conducting burnout operations along the road systems to strengthen the northern and eastern control lines.
The Platypus and Rhino fires had increased activity yesterday pushing the fire on the top of the Mogollon Rim below planned firelines in Secret Canyon. The fire is now established on top of the Rim on Dave Joy Point.
The Platypus and Rhino wildfires have experienced an increase in fire activity with the weather drying out and hotter temperatures returning in northern Arizona’s Red Rock Secret Mountain Wilderness.
The two fires are burning in hazardous and rugged terrain in the wilderness north of Sedona and are predicted to merge this week.
Fire managers will conduct burnout operations to minimize fire progression to the north and also prevent fire spread to the east into Bear Sign Canyon.
A new lightning caused wildfire that was discovered on August 25 on the Williams Ranger District will be allowed to move naturally to benefit the landscape. The 5 acre Perkins Fire is located approximately 2 miles southwest of White Horse Lake and is burning slowly in grass, ponderosa pine and oak litter near the junction of forest roads 109 and 110.
Fire activity has increased once again on the Platypus Fire with recent drying weather in the area.
This fire is burning in extremely hazardous and rugged terrain in the Red Rock Secret Mountain Wilderness north of Sedona. Few ground suppression efforts can be successful in this type of area and aerial firefighting resources are being prioritized and assigned to fires throughout the nation with an immediate need to protect life and property.
Firefighters and fire managers continue working to contain the Stina Fire, burning since July 26, 2018. As fire suppression activities wind down, crews have begun the task of cleaning up after all their hard work. The task of mitigating the impact of the fight to stop the fire is referred to as “suppression repair”.
Fire managers on the Coconino National Forest observed new activity in the Platypus Fire Friday after thunderstorms earlier in the week bypassed Secret Mountain.
The monsoon has been active in northern Arizona, but the spotty rains missed the Platypus Fire and soaked the Rhino Fire as the cells moved through the area.
The Stina Fire received additional moisture yesterday that is prompting a change in suppression tactics. Prior to the rain, the suppression tactic was an indirect strategy of using road systems and dozer lines to burn off of to secure containment lines. The strategy was in place as a safer way to control the fire due to the erratic fire behavior, thus not putting fire crews directly adjacent to the fire.
Although the area has received light to moderate precipitation and smoke might not be visible in the air, the risk of fire is still present. Fires in heavy mixed conifer can lay down and wait out rain and moisture, only to reemerge once the fuels dry out.Forecasters predict a drying trend through the weekend which could rejuvenate the fire.
© {(copyright-date)} Copyright AZEIN