Young

Firefighters plan to resume burnout operations related to the Bears Fire beginning on Sunday, August 19. Burning temporarily was suspended Aug. 9 due to rainfall from monsoons.

If proper conditions continue, firefighters will burn an additional 1,800 acres of Ponderosa Pine and brush in the Mistake Peak and Picture fire scars and conclude burnout operations on Friday, August 24. To date, burnout operations have removed understory fuels from approximately 6,500 acres of pine.

Burnout operations began August 1 as part of the Forest Service’s containment strategy to:

Burnout operations began August 1 along Forest Roads 609 and 416 in an east direction towards Forest Road 486.

The temporary Closure Order for the area remains in effect. A map of the closed area along with the full Closure Order is available on the Tonto’s website at: https://www.fs.usda.gov/alerts/tonto/alerts-notices/?aid=48015.

Bears Fire Overview:

Name Fire:  Bears Fire

Fire personnel continue boundary preparations today involving Forest Roads 416, 486 and 609 and are scheduled to begin burnout operations July 31 for the Bears Fire.

The Forest Supervisor for the Tonto National Forest issued a temporary Closure Order for the area on July 29. A map of the closed area along with the full Closure Order is available on the Tonto’s website at: https://www.fs.usda.gov/alerts/tonto/alerts-notices/?aid=48015.

The Tonto National Forest is advising the public that road conditions for all National Forest System Roads north of Young, Arizona, that travel off of Gila County Road 512 are impassible due to recent heavy snowfall accumulation.  Travel off the 512 Road north of Young is discouraged unless absolutely critical.

The Juniper Fire located approximately 10 miles south of Young remains at 30,631 acres and estimated at 30 percent contained.

A few hot spots continue to burn and smolder on the Juniper Fire, producing only light smoke in the area. Crews are monitoring these hot spots and preparing for any potential flare-ups that could spread as the weather becomes hotter and drier. Additional crews continue to focus on rehabilitation of containment lines and remain alert for any new fire starts.

The Juniper Fire is  burning approximately 10 miles south of Young.  The fire is approximately 30,631 acres and estimated at 30 percent contained.

The Juniper Fire continues to provide significant benefits to the ecosystem in the Sierra Ancha Mountains, meeting the expectations of fire managers.

Yesterday, firefighters conducted burnout operations using both hand and aerial ignitions in the Parker Creek and Pocket Creek areas. Ground crews completed handlines on a significant portion of the northwestern section of the fire.

The Juniper Fire continues to effectively reduce fuel-loading on the forest floor and benefit the ecosystem by recycling much-needed nutrients into the soil. Yesterday, firefighters worked to minimize the eastward spread of the spot fire that occurred near the Cherry Creek drainage. Crews have been actively monitoring the northwestern section of the wildfire as it moves slowly down the slopes toward the creek bottom.