Today fire crews with the assistance of heavy equipment, where feasible, will continue to make access to the portions of the fire’s perimeter and construct line along the fires edge. The assessment of values at risk and protection efforts needed will resume. With forecasted winds, crews will look for opportunities to slow the fires progression to the north.  Little growth was reported last night as cooler temperatures moderated fire behavior.

The recent moisture across the state provides an opportunity for the Arizona Department of Forestry and
Fire Management (DFFM) to begin two prescribed fire projects on Tuesday, February 4, 2025. The projects include a pile burn operation east of Flagstaff and a broadcast burn southwest of Buckeye. In total, project managers plan to treat approximately 30 acres and each project should take one day to complete.

Fire managers plan to continue prescribed fire operations on the Lakeside Ranger District of the Apache-Sitgreaves National Forests between January 30 through January 31, 2025, as weather and vegetation conditions allow for successful operations.

The Lewis Canyon prescribed fire piles project is 2 acres of piles located directly south of Pinedale, Arizona in the Lewis Canyon Campground on Forest Road 130.

Coconino National Forest fire managers plan to continue pile burning this week following Monday’s snowstorm.

Firefighters will ignite piles located in three different areas of the Flagstaff Ranger District this week, and smoke is expected to be widely visible during burning.

Arizona State Department of Forestry and Fire Management and Coconino National Forest fire managers plan to take advantage of current weather conditions and begin work on a highly visible prescribed burn project southwest of Flagstaff starting tomorrow.

Prescribed burns are always dependent upon multiple conditions, including personnel availability, fuel conditions, weather and approval from the Arizona Department of Environment Quality. Prescribed burns may be changed or canceled last-minute if burn conditions do not meet criteria outlined in advance.

Highlights:

Firefighters are focusing on mop-up operations and suppression repair throughout the fire-affected area. Crews are closely monitoring interior pockets of heat to ensure the fire remains within its current footprint. Visible smoke from unburned pockets of fuel within the fire's interior is expected. Monitoring and containment efforts continue along the SR-260 corridor.

Highlights:

The management of the Horton Fire transitioned to a Type 3 team with the Tonto National Forest at 7 a.m. today. Yesterday, crews strengthened containment lines to a depth of nearly 200 feet along the powerline corridor. Mop-up operations and suppression repair continue throughout the affected area, and the forest closure order has been updated to reflect current conditions.

Highlights:

Firefighters worked through snow and frigid temperatures yesterday to strengthen containment along the fire perimeter. With increasing containment, excess equipment is being backhauled, and crews are actively monitoring and patrolling the area. Efforts continue to address remaining pockets of heat within the fire perimeter to ensure the fire stays within its current footprint.

Highlights:

With cold and wet conditions reducing fire behavior, firefighters continued patrols, mop-up efforts, and prep work along the fire perimeter. Crews addressed internal pockets of unburned fuels, which may produce visible smoke and flames but remain well within the interior of the fire. Improved containment lines have led Gila County to lower evacuation levels to READY for communities along the western containment line.

Fire managers plan to continue prescribed fire operations on the Lakeside Ranger District of the Apache-Sitgreaves National Forests beginning November 20 through November 22, 2024, as weather and vegetation conditions allow for successful operations.