Fredonia, Ariz., Aug. 16, 2018 — For Immediate Release. Last daily update contingent on increased activity. 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. 

 

The recent rains have moderated the fire behavior and makes implementing burnout operations difficult. “We just do not have the right conditions to conduct successful burnouts,” said Operations Section Chief Adam Pahl.  Instead, crews will be using a direct suppression tactic that will combine digging firelines and hot spotting next to the fire where it is safe to do so.  

 

Resources:

Two 20-person hotshot crews and one 20-person Type-two hand crew 

Nine Fire Engines

One Dozer

One Water Tender

Miscellaneous overhead (a total of 122 personnel)

 

Stina Fire Overview

Start date: July 26, 2018

Size: 2,600 acres

Containment: 20%

Location: The Stina Fire is 23 miles southwest of Jacob Lake and about 2 miles east of Fire Point on the North Kaibab Ranger District of the Kaibab National Forest.

Fuel: Ponderosa pine, aspen and mixed conifer.

Weather: Forecasters anticipate a 40-50% chance of rain to remain in the forecast until the weekend.

Strategy: Full suppression

 

Situational Update: Pending a change in conditions and fire behavior, this will be the last daily update for the Stina Fire. Today plans are to go direct with fireline construction and/or hot spot the fire's edge.  Additional work for today will be to start chipping material that was thinned to prepare firelines and spreading that chipped material.  The chipping will take place along approximately 10 miles of road where crews prepared firelines for burnout operations.

 

Closures: A closure is in effect for Forest Roads 223 (going to Fire Point), 268, 206, 271, 609, 250 road south of the 250/294 junction, a portion of the 239 and all Rainbow Rim trails and scenic viewpoints south of Locust Point. The trail between Locust Point and Parissawampitts Point will remain open for forest visitors. The closure order will remain in place until it is considered safe to enter the area.

 

Smoke: Smoke is visible on both the North and South Rims of the park, and there is a regional haze present in surrounding communities from multiple wildfires in the West. Individuals sensitive to smoke can learn how to help protect their health by visiting the Coconino County Public Health Services District website at http://bit.ly/SmokeHealthAwareness. 

 

For fire information on the Kaibab National Forest, visit www.fs.usda.gov/kaibab and Inciweb under the name of the fire at https://inciweb.nwcg.gov  or visit us on Facebook and Twitter @KaibabNF or call (928) 635-8311 for recorded fire information.

 

Fredonia, Ariz., Aug. 16, 2018 — For Immediate Release. Last daily update contingent on increased activity. 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. 

 

“We don’t want to become complacent, we want to take this opportunity to prepare for the event that this fire wakes up again,” explains Incident Commander RobRoy Williams. Crews will continue to prep contingency lines in preparation for the event that the fire becomes active again. 

 

Resources: 

Total of 96 personnel including two hotshot crews, seven engines, and two water tenders

 

Overview:

Date reported: August 6, 2018                                  Size: 3,688 acres

Strategy: Full suppression 

Location: The Cat Fire is about 25 miles southeast of Jacob Lake in the Saddle Mountain Wilderness on the North Kaibab Ranger District of the Kaibab National Forest. 

Fuel: Mixed conifer, ponderosa pine, and pinyon-juniper.

Weather: Forecasters anticipate a continuation of scattered thunder showers in the area

 

Situational update: Most of the fire has received varying amounts of moisture during the past 24 hours, significantly slowing the fire progress. Crews will continue to monitor fire activity and have made substantial progress rehabilitating along Forest Roads 610 and 219 by chipping and spreading the woody debris, or slash, generated from the road preparation. 

 

Closures: Fire management resources have closed all roads within the planning area boundary, which includes FR 213 and 220 on the north, FR 610 on the east and south, and House Rock Valley Road 8910 on the east. 

 

The following trails are closed: Arizona Trail from FR 213 to FR 610, North Canyon Trail, South Canyon Trail, Saddle Mountain Trail, and Pt. Imperial and Nankoweap Trails, which are both located on Kaibab National Forest and Grand Canyon National Park land. The closure will remain in effect until it is considered safe to enter the area. Roads 213, 219, 220 south of 213, 610 (Marbleview, South Canyon), 611 (East Rim), and 8910 south of 220 are also closed. 

 

Smoke: There is a regional haze present in surrounding communities from multiple wildfires in the West. Individuals sensitive to smoke can learn how to help protect their health by visiting the Coconino County Public Health Services District website at: http://bit.ly/SmokeHealthAwareness. 

For fire information on the Kaibab National Forest, visit www.fs.usda.gov/kaibab and Inciweb under the name of the fire at https://inciweb.nwcg.gov or visit us on Facebook and Twitter @KaibabNF or call (928) 635-8311 for recorded fire information.