Tinder Fire continues to grow northeast of Payson, AZ

Tinder Fire Arizona

Above: Tinder Fire, April 30, 2018. InciWeb photo.

(Originally published at 8:32 a.m. MDT May 1, 2018)

The Tinder Fire 22 air miles northeast of Payson, Arizona continued to expand on the north and east sides Monday, adding another 2,797 acres to bring the total burned area up to 11,420 acres.

(To see all articles on Wildfire Today about the Tinder Fire, click here.)

The Incident Management Team has acknowledged that structures have burned but said Coconino County officials will be assessing the damage and releasing information when it becomes available. CBS This Morning is reporting that 20 to 30 structures have been destroyed.

map Tinder Fire Arizona
Vicinity map of the Tinder Fire.
map Tinder Fire Arizona
Map of the Tinder Fire showing the perimeter at 1 a.m. MST May 1, 2018. Perimeter by USFS.

The area is not under a Red Flag Warning Tuesday for extreme fire weather, but the forecast calls for 20 mph southwest winds gusting above 30 mph with a high temperature of 56 and a relative humidity of 28 percent. Beginning at 5 p.m. Tuesday there is a 50 percent chance of rain, and by sunrise on Wednesday the humidity will reach 80 percent. The elevation at the fire is about 6,700 feet.

KMAX Tinder Fire Arizona
A KMAX helicopter works the Tinder Fire April 30, 2018. InciWeb photo.

Moderating weather conditions after today could give the 510 personnel assigned to the fire a chance to make significant progress.

The video below was recorded at a public meeting Monday evening April 30.

Chinook Tinder Fire Arizona
A Chinook helicopter with an internal tank works the Tinder Fire April 30, 2018. InciWeb photo.

Tinder Fire forces evacuations, burns structures in central Arizona

3D Map of the Tinder Fire

Above: 3D map of the Tinder Fire showing the perimeter at 1 a.m. MST April 30, 2018. Looking South. Perimeter by USFS.

(Originally published at 10:29 a.m. MDT April 30, 2018)

Structures have burned and evacuations are taking place at the Tinder Fire in Arizona. A mapping flight at 1 a.m. MT on Monday showed that it had burned 8,623 acres east of Highway 87 between Payson and Winslow, Arizona.

(To see all articles on Wildfire Today about the Tinder Fire, click here.)

Firefighters were actively engaged in structural protection Sunday night. The Incident Management Team (IMT) led by Bea Day reports that structures have burned but no details are available. The fire remains active in the communities affected by the fire and the priority is providing for emergency responder and public safety. Coconino County will be assessing damages and providing updates as they are able.

Tinder Fire
Tinder Fire, April 29, 2018. InciWeb photo, uncredited and undated.

The fire started April 27 during Red Flag Warning conditions. A map released Sunday morning showed that it had burned about 500 acres. A strong southwest wind pushed it to the northeast away from its origin near Highway 95 east of Blue Ridge Reservoir. A new map from 1 a.m. Monday  showed that it spread near a community on the east side of Highway 87/282.

Map of the Tinder Fire
Map of the Tinder Fire showing the perimeter at 1 a.m. MST April 30, 2018. Perimeter by USFS.

The resources assigned to the fire include 13 crews, 5 helicopters, 23 engines, 3 dozers, 2 water tenders, and overhead, for a total of 510 personnel.

On Monday the fire is just outside a Red Flag Warning area, but strong southwest winds will continue to be a challenge for firefighters through Tuesday.  The IMT reports that there is a potential for very active to extreme fire behavior with rapid rates of spread and moderate to long range spotting. The weather forecast indicates that the fire will continue to move to the northeast.

The Coconino County Sheriff’s Office has ordered evacuations for communities affected by the fire that are north, east, and west of Hwy 87. Visit https://www.facebook.com/CoconinoCounty for details. Blue Ridge area residents can call the County’s Call Center, 928-679-8393, with questions about evacuations and structures.

Satellite photo Tinder Fire
Satellite photo of the Tinder Fire, April 29, 2018. NASA.
Tinder Fire
Tinder Fire, April 29, 2018. InciWeb photo, uncredited and undated.

Below is video of the fire recorded over the fire Monday morning.

Red Flag Warnings in 11 states, April 30, 2018

wildfires red flag warning weather

The National Weather Service has issued Red Flag Warnings or Fire Weather Watches for areas in Arizona, New Mexico, Kansas, Colorado, Nebraska, Oklahoma, Texas, Illinois, Virginia, Maryland, and Delaware.

The Red Flag Warning map was current at 8:50 a.m. MDT on Monday. Red Flag Warnings can change throughout the day as the National Weather Service offices around the country update and revise their forecasts.

OK Bar Fire grows by almost 8,000 acres

Map of OK Bar Fire

Above: Map of OK Bar Fire. The red line was the perimeter at 2229 MDT April 28, 2018. The yellow line was the perimeter about 20 hours before.

The OK Bar Fire in Southern New Mexico consumed another 7,817 acres Saturday to bring the total up to 37,067. Most of the growth was on the south side where it is now 8 miles north of the international border.

The area is under a Red Flag Warning that expires Monday night. Forecasters expect 25 to 35 mph southwest winds with gusts to 45 mph or higher and relative humidities reaching into the single digits. Strong southwest winds will continue through mid week.

The OK Bar Fire is not being fully suppressed and information about the incident is not easy to find. It is still not listed at InciWeb or on the official fire information site for New Mexico. Even though it has been growing by thousands of acres each day since it started April 22 the national situation report keeps saying, “Last narrative report unless significant activity occurs.”

Red Flag Warnings in 10 states, April 29,2018

wildfires weather red flag warnings

The National Weather Service has issued Red Flag Warnings or Fire Weather Watches for areas in Arizona, New Mexico, Kansas, Colorado, Nebraska, Wyoming, Minnesota, Iowa, Texas, and Wisconsin. Utah again miraculously avoids extreme fire weather.

The Red Flag Warning map was current at 11 a.m. MDT on Sunday. Red Flag Warnings can change throughout the day as the National Weather Service offices around the country update and revise their forecasts.

Medical student shares what she learned as a Hotshot

sawtooth hotshots

Above: The Sawtooth Hotshots as seen in the video below.

CC Ma, a medical student applying for residency, credits her unique experience as a crew member of the Sawtooth National Forest Hotshots for teaching her toughness and resiliency. The relationships she established with crew members gave her the needed attitude to thrive and succeed when things don’t go as planned.

Under the radar fire has burned 29,000 acres

3D map OK Bar Fire

Above: 3D map of the OK Bar Fire looking north, showing the perimeter at 3:06 a.m. MDT April 28, 2018.

A wildfire that is not getting much attention has burned over 29,000 acres in Southern New Mexico. The OK Bar Fire has a Type 4 Incident Commander assigned, the second lowest level for an IC, and 32 other personnel. It is in the southern panhandle of the state 21 miles south of Animas and has grown to within 9 miles of the Mexican border.

The fire is being managed by New Mexico State Forestry using a less than full suppression strategy. Fires not being suppressed do not receive the same exposure from the public agencies as conventional blazes, and this one may get even less in the next few days. After it grew by almost 5,000 acres on Friday, the national Situation Report for Saturday described the fire like this:

Extreme fire behavior. Last narrative report unless significant activity occurs.

Saturday morning the interagency fire information site for New Mexico did not include any information about the fire. It is not listed on InciWeb.

Following the expansion on the south end Friday, the situation is not likely to improve much in the near future. The area is under a Red Flag Warning Saturday. On Sunday and Monday the wind speed will increase each day, gusting out of the southwest above 30 mph.

The OK Bar Fire started April 22 and is burning on the Diamond A and Gray Ranches. It is expected to continue to move south over the Center Creek Mountains and east towards the Cowboy Rim/ Timber Lake Mountains.

Red Flag Warnings, April 28, 2018

wildfire weather red flag warning

The National Weather Service has issued Red Flag Warnings or Fire Weather Watches for areas in New Mexico, Arizona, Colorado, Montana, and North Dakota. The Watch locations in Arizona, New Mexico, and Colorado are for enhanced wildfire danger on Sunday.

The Red Flag Warning map was current at 7:30 a.m. MDT on Saturday. Red Flag Warnings can change throughout the day as the National Weather Service offices around the country update and revise their forecasts.