Continued successful ignition on West fire and containment on Preacher fire
West Fire and Preacher Fire Update, September 14, 2024
Yesterday, firefighters successfully added fire in East Webber Creek and from the Rim Road down to Bray Creek Ranch. On the northwest side, firefighters aided by aerial ignitions from helicopters and uncrewed aircraft, added fire along the planned perimeter down to Milk Ranch Point. Late in the day fire continued to back down drainages above Camp Geronimo. Overnight, firefighters took advantage of higher humidities to continue igniting under conditions that moderated fire behavior. Today is expected to provide suitable weather for ignitions.
Ignitions are planned to continue again today on the West Fire. Firefighters are focused on adding fire to the planned area ahead of the anticipated moisture over the next few days. The focus is to carefully apply fire around Camp Geronimo when the conditions are right. Firefighters are exercising patience to time this correctly and want to allow the fire to consume hazardous fuels for the future safety of the community.
The Preacher Fire is now 27 percent contained. Containment was added to the northern perimeter from Tonto Village to Diamond Point Summer Homes. Today engines and crews will continue to secure, mop up and patrol the perimeter. Interior pockets of unburned vegetation may continue to produce smoke visible to residents in the area.
Weather: Winds will decrease a bit for Friday while remaining out of the southwest. Expect gusts between 18 and 23 mph during the afternoon, highest above 6,000 feet. High temperatures on Friday will be in the mid-70s to around 80 degrees. Minimum relative humidity will average 20 to 25 percent.
Safety: Two Temporary Flight Restrictions (TFR) are now in place over the area, which includes uncrewed aircraft systems or drones. The public is reminded, if you fly we can’t; unauthorized drone flights pose serious risks to firefighter and public safety and the effectiveness of wildfire suppression operations.
Closure: The Tonto National Forest has issued a closure for land surrounding the West Fire, this includes Pine Trailhead. https://inciweb.wildfire.gov/incident-publication/aztnf-2024-west-fire-tnf/us-forest-service-closure-order-for-west-fire-09-04-2024
Evacuations: Some residents east of Payson near the Preacher Fire have been moved to SET status and Geronimo Estates residents near the West Fire have also been placed in SET status. An interactive map is available to stay up to date with evacuation levels related to both the West and Preacher Fires: https://nifc.maps.arcgis.com/apps/instant/sidebar/index.html?appid=9bf2ca222ee74f8697bc670ae9c2531a
To receive emergency notifications from Gila County go to: Gila Ready Alerts
Smoke: During ignitions, smoke may settle in low-lying areas overnight. Residents are encouraged to close windows at night to avoid smoke impacts. Talk with your doctor and plan for how to manage your health conditions when it is smoky. Additional resources for how to prepare for wildfire smoke can be found at https://www.airnow.gov/wildfire-guide-factsheets/
Fire details:
West Fire: 1,998 Acres
Containment: 0% Wilderness
Start Date: August 28, 2024
Location: Payson Ranger District, AZ
Fuels: Ponderosa Pine, Mixed Conifer, Chaparral
Preacher Fire: 3,167 Acres
Containment: 0% Wilderness
Cause: Lightning
Personnel: 463
Important fire information:
For the latest news and information about the Tonto National Forest, follow along on Facebook @TontoNationalForest, ‘X’ (formerly Twitter) @TontoForest or Instagram @tontonationalforest and on the Tonto National Forest website: https://www.fs.usda.gov/tonto
Phone Number: (928)-291-7354 (7 am-7 pm)
Media Phone Number: (928)-291-6528 (7 am - 7pm)
Email: [email protected]
Inciweb: https://inciweb.wildfire.gov/incident-information/aztnf-2024-west-fire-tnf
