Firefighters have made progress on the 77,102-acre Rafael Fire in Arizona. In a video briefing Monday morning Operations Section Chief Rocky Gilbert said due to the firing operations completed on the northeast side there is no longer a threat to the city of Flagstaff.
Their map shows that at least half of the perimeter is held fire line (the black line), and officially the Incident Management Team reports that the fire is 48 percent contained. There is still much work to be done on the northwest and south sides. The map below of heat detected by a satellite Sunday night shows quite a bit on the northwest side, but almost none on the southern perimeter.
The red areas on the map represent heat detected by satellites on the Rafael Fire at 1:45 a.m. MDT June 28, 2021. The red line was the perimeter at 1:45 a.m. June 28.
The Rafael Fire is:
6 miles south of Interstate 40
13 miles southwest of Flagstaff
7 miles west of Highway 89A, and
10 miles northwest of Sedona
Firefighters on the Rafael Fire conduct a burnout June 27, 2021. Photo by Michelle Herrin.
A drone is assisting with aerial ignition on the fire southwest of Flagstaff, Arizona
Rafael Fire map. The red line was the perimeter at 8:28 p.m. MDT June 26, 2021. The white line was the perimeter two days before. The red areas represent heat detected by satellites at 3:48 a.m. MDT June 26, 2021. The northernmost red area is a tactical burnout intended to stop the spread of the fire beyond that point.
Firefighters on the Rafael Fire southwest of Flagstaff are using tactical burnouts ahead of the fire to build a barrier to the spread to the north and east. The burning operations are being conducted primarily from existing roads and are expected to continue for the next few days as long as weather conditions allow.
To see all articles on Wildfire Today about the Rafael Fire, including the most recent, click HERE.
On Saturday firefighters will continue Friday’s burnout, bringing fire south from the Sycamore Falls Climbing Area to White Horse Lake. They will also begin to back the fire down the slopes into Sycamore Canyon by aerial ignition with helicopters and drones. Fire managers said this activity is designed to minimize fire effects to soils and vegetation on the steep terrain of Sycamore Canyon. Burning operations are expected to continue for the next few days as long as weather conditions allow. Smoke will be more noticeable the next few days due to burnout operations.
File photo of the Lakeview Hotshots using a drone to assist with a burn operation in Alaska in 2019.
With the firing activity taking place 2 to 5 miles north and northeast of the fire, the Rafael Fire is now:
6 miles south of Interstate 40
11 miles southwest of Flagstaff
7 miles west of Highway 89A, and
8 miles northwest of Sedona
Evacuation information is available on Facebook for Coconino and Yavapai Counties.
On Friday widespread cloud cover and lighter winds reduced active fire movement throughout much of the fire area. But it picked up in the early afternoon in Sycamore Canyon, Hog Hill, and Mooney Canyon.
The Incident Management Team reported Saturday morning the fire had burned 45,899 acres. That number is likely to increase after the overnight mapping is accounted for.
The Rafael Fire now involves the Prescott, Kaibab, and Coconino National Forests and Yavapai and Coconino Counties.
On June 24 the Southwest Area Type 1 Incident Management Team 2 led by Incident Commander Dave Bales assumed command of the fire.
Rafael Fire map. The red dots represent heat detected by a satellite at 3:54 a.m. MDT June 23, 2021. The red line was the mapped perimeter at 8:39 p.m. June 22.
Not much information is available about the Rafael Fire from the Incident Management Team (IMT). The Yavapai County Sheriff’s Office posted this on Facebook:
Based on information recently received from fire incident command. Some rural ranches in the area of North FSR 525 and Bill Grey Road, West of Sedona, have been notified, in person, of a “Go” status. Several additional properties were placed on “Set” status via in person notification. YCSO will continue to work with the fire incident command on this fire and assess the need for any other “ready”, “set” or “go” alerts that will be sent out through our Code Red Emergency notification system.
The Arizona Central West Type 3 IMT is managing the 26,746-acred Rafael Fire plus six other wildfires that range from 27 to 567 acres.
To see all articles on Wildfire Today about the Rafael Fire, including the most current, click HERE.
The fire was active on the northeast and east sides during the day Tuesday and into the night. Based on satellite heat detection data at 3:54 a.m. Wednesday it spread north about a mile and to the east more than four miles in the previous 24 hours. Most of the south and west sides were relatively quiet.
The Rafael Fire is now about 9 miles northwest of Sedona and 17 miles southwest of Flagstaff.
Rafael Fire. Photo by Yavapai County Sheriff’s Office, posted June 22, 2021.
It has burned about 24,000 acres 20 miles southwest of Flagstaff
Updated at 9:16 a.m. MDT June 22, 2021
Rafael Fire map. The red dots represent heat detected by a satellite at 4:12 a.m. MDT June 22, 2021. The red line was the mapped perimeter at 2:38 a.m. June 22. The white line was the approximate perimeter about 24 hours before.
The Rafael Fire 12 miles northwest of Sedona, Arizona was not as active Monday as in previous days. A satellite overflight at 4:12 a.m. Tuesday found heat along the eastern three-fourths of the fire perimeter, but the growth was incremental, advancing less than a mile to the north, east, and south. It has advanced on the eastern side to the bottom of Sycamore Canyon and Tule Canyon just southwest of Sycamore Point.
To see all articles on Wildfire Today about the Rafael Fire, including the most current, click HERE.
A mapping flight at 2:38 a.m. Tuesday determined the Rafael Fire had burned about 24,000 acres.
Updated at 7:40 p.m. MDT June 21, 2021
The latest satellite overflight Monday at 3 p.m. MDT showed that the Rafael Fire continued to be active along portions of the north and south sides during the previous 12 hours, but at that time had not made any large runs. Later in the afternoon fire activity increased substantially.
We expect to have more detailed information including an updated map Tuesday morning.
The red areas on the map represent heat detected on the Rafael Fire by satellites at 3:42 a.m. MDT June 21, 2021. The red line was the perimeter about five hours earlier.
The lightning-caused Rafael Fire 12 miles northwest of Sedona, Arizona grew substantially Sunday while being pushed by strong winds. After spreading to the east-northeast, early Monday morning it was about 12 miles southwest of Flagstaff. The Incident Management Team reported Monday morning it was mapped at about 20,000 acres.
The blaze began as four fires ignited by lightning last week that burned together during the wind event Sunday. It now spans across three National Forests (Prescott, Kaibab, and Coconino) and two counties (Yavapai and Coconino).
A Type 1 Incident Management Team has been ordered.
For the most current evacuation information visit the sites below:
