Bush Fire

[nonot]

BUSH FIRE EVENING UPDATE: The Bush Fire started at approximately 2:00 pm today, near the intersection of Bush Hwy and Hwy 87. The fire is estimated to be 600 acres, and burning to the north towards the Sugarloaf Recreation area along the southbound lanes of Hwy 87. The fire has crossed Hwy 87 to the east and is now burning along Four Peaks Road. There is no containment at this time.

Currently there are 9 engines, 2 hotshot crews and 4 airtankers assigned to the fire. Three additional crews and multiple engines have been ordered, and are responding to the fire. Firefighters are working to hold the fire on the west side of Hwy 87, and are building containment lines and using firing operations to suppress the fire.

Hwy 87 is currently closed in both directions at the FS RD 143, which is the road to Four Peaks and Sugarloaf. At this time, Lower Sycamore Canyon, Sugarloaf Recreation area and Four Peaks Recreation area are closed. The Bush Fire is currently under investigation. Law enforcement personnel are conducting sweeps of the closure areas to safely escort members of public out of the fire area. No structures are threatened at this time and no injuries have been reported.

TLDR: 87 is closed at 4 peaks road and you will have to go through globe to get to payson

Edit: Now the reroute through globe is no longer viable, access between payson and phoenix is via camp verde

Edit2: Fire has been contained and the highways reopened, thanks to the firefighter crews.

[chumley]

Sunflower is now added to the mandatory evacuation "go" zone.

[CannondaleKid]

Filmed at 6:54 am this morning 6/16/20: Bush Fire as viewed from the summit of Peak 3134

[DennisWilliams]

Four Peaks is burning right now.

[AK]

I just took the 202 Red Mountain eastbound to get home. Where I used to see Four Peaks is just a giant cloud marching up the face. Looks like we'll lose the peaks.......again. As well I noticed patches of fires breaking out along the Matazatal Ridge towards Mt.Ord.

[cactuscat]

Four Peaks burning.
https://www.facebook.com/18356341358/po ... 293631359/

[sam_hikes]

modis shows at least a finger only 5 miles from the Mt Ord complex of towers, power, and tons of propane.

any word on when a type 1 team might be assigned?

[chumley]

It's clearly burning over all four peaks, the summits, the saddles, and the ridges north and south. The hottest I saw tonight was in the lower elevations south of the peaks closer to the Salt River lakes. The prevailing winds are pushing it away, but it will be interesting to see if the fire burns south to the river corridor. I witnessed no attempt at suppression. Anywhere.

Thanks to @juliachaos for letting me steal her photos. @joelhazelton probably has some that are exceptionally better. Because he's a real photographer!

If you missed these: [ photoset ]

[kelly14]

Wonder if there will be any pine trees left in the southern Mazzies once this fire is through

[pixelfrog]

@chumley looks like it’s now at Apache and the back end of Canyon.

[nonot]

This morning the south edge of the fire has basically creeped its way to the western tip of Apache Lake and there is a finger already reaching 188/Lake Roosevelt (near Horse Pasture recreation area), Mt Ord is actively burning as well, but other areas of the fire between these 3 major sections are burning with lower intensity, with hotspots on Lone Pine Mtn and the Four Peaks themselves.

[chumley]

any word on when a type 1 team might be assigned?

There's not much word of anything. For such a historically large and fast-moving fire -- now threatening hundreds of evacuated homes -- the lack of reliable centralized official communications, information, and updates is stunning.

[nonot]

I witnessed no attempt at suppression. Anywhere.

From inciweb:

Planned Actions
Resources will engage in point protection at the Mount Ord lookout and communication site, protection of structures at Sunflower, assessing and prepping the communities of Tonto Basin and Punkin Center, and assessing the need for structure protection at Jake's Corner.

Projected Incident Activity
The fire is expected to push east toward HWY 188 and Roosevelt Lake. Continued growth is expected along the entire south flank.

Remarks
A total fight restriction (TFR) is in place over the fire. TFRs also apply to drones.

I suspect that the total fight restriction would be the explanation for why you see no suppression activities.

[chumley]

@nonot
I think that TFRs are placed over most fires ... to ALLOW for aerial firefighting operations without interference.

TFRs have been used by air traffic management as a means of separating “non-participating” aircraft from those engaged in certain activities, such as firefighting, rescue, and law enforcement operations.

I'm not a pilot though and will be happy to be corrected by someone who knows more than I do.

[AK]

That was my favorite hiking area. Total fricken bummer! It would be nice for some monsoon rain to hit those areas but looking at the forecast it doesn't look good.

[AK]

I think that TFRs are placed over most fires ... to ALLOW for aerial firefighting operations without interference.
TFRs have been used by air traffic management as a means of separating “non-participating” aircraft from those engaged in certain activities, such as firefighting, rescue, and law enforcement operations.
I'm not a pilot though and will be happy to be corrected by someone who knows more than I do.

You're exactly right.

[nonot]

Aha, so it is a total "flight" restriction. That's different that a "fight" restriction... Damn typos on inciweb.

[chumley]

@nonot
sorry I totally missed that

[ALMAL]

@chumley
Is there realistically any chance this could jump over to the Ancha?

[DarthStiller]

Looking out my window at work it's definitely moved pretty far north since yesterday. 4Peaks have no smoke around them at all and are totally visible. big column of clouds near what is maybe Pine Flat?

[pixelfrog]

@ALMAL why wouldn't there be? 188 is going to be a critical fire line. Getting past that is going to unleash hell into the AZ backcountry. We've already lost that entire triangle between 87, 188 and the Salt, I can't imagine if it escapes beyond that.