The Woodbury Fire visited the Superstition Wilderness, June 22, 2019. InciWeb.
The spread of the Woodbury Fire east of the Phoenix suburbs has slowed considerably, allowing fire managers to begin “right-sizing” the fire, according to information released by the Incident Management Team (IMT). Some firefighting resources are being demobilized.
The Southwest Area Type 1 IMT 2 is starting an initial transition of duties to the Arizona Central West Zone Type 3 IMT. The Type 3 team will assume command of the fire at 6:00 a.m. tomorrow, June 28th.
Below is a map of the Woodbury Fire.
Map of the Woodbury Fire. The red line was the perimeter at 11:25 p.m. MDT June 26. The white line was the perimeter June 22, 2019. Click to enlarge.
The work remaining on the fire includes patrolling, securing, and monitoring firelines. Fish Creek, Pinyon Mountain and Two Bar Ridge have interior pockets of vegetation burning within the fire perimeter. These areas pose no threats to the fireline, however southwest winds will push smoke towards the Roosevelt area on Thursday.
An Unmanned Aerial System, or drone, was used Tuesday to fly over the eastern border of the fire to scout for hotspots. The aircraft detected heat within the fire perimeter and helicopters then dropped water and firefighters constructed line on the ground. The IMT used the drone again on Wednesday.
A line of fire retardant dropped by aircraft helped hold a section of the perimeter of the Woodbury Fire near Coffee Flat. Date unknown. InciWeb.
The fire has burned over 96,000 acres east of Phoenix
This 3-D map, looking south, shows the mapped perimeter (in Red) of the Woodbury Fire as of 11:12 p.m. MST June 22. The white line was the perimeter about 48 hours before.
(Above, map of the Woodbury Fire, Saturday night)
(Originally published at 11:11 a.m. MDT June 23, 2019)
The Woodbury Fire was less active Saturday than it had been in previous days, which allowed the construction of direct fireline by hotshot crews, but it still produces large amounts of smoke. The southeast side of the fire where retardant was dropped along Sawtooth Ridge continues to hold. Crews are performing structure protection around the community of Top of the World, Pinto Valley Mine, Carlota Mine, and other infrastructure.
(To see all articles on Wildfire Today about the Woodbury Fire, including the most recent, click HERE.)
The fire has burned 96,307 acres east of Phoenix and south of Theodore Roosevelt Lake.
Firing operations have been underway along the Highway 188 corridor from Roosevelt to Spring Creek to limit fire spread should it progress further northeast. That line is holding well.
Additional firing occurred at Tonto National Monument ahead of the advancing wildfire as a precautionary measure. The Monument is two air miles southeast of Roosevelt. There has been no apparent damage to the cliff dwellings and other structures.
Resources assigned to the fire include 16 hand crews, 49 fire engines, and 8 helicopters, for a total of 905 personnel. This is a slight reduction in personnel over the last 24 hours, probably due to the eastern one-third of the fire having been relatively quiet for several days.
State Highway 88 is closed from milepost 213 at Tortilla Flat to State Highway 188 at Theodore Roosevelt Dam. Also, State Highway 188 is closed from its junction with State Highway 88, east to the junction of State Highway 288 (the Young Road). Highway 288 remains open.
AFMA wildland medics, Aaron and Mac, working the #Woodburyfire as Linemedics. These medics are assigned with fire crews working the “line” for quick treatment and transport from any medical incidents that may arise. Stay Safe everyone.#azfiremedicalpic.twitter.com/PUJoFlHSVQ
— AZ Fire & Medical (@AZFireAuthority) June 23, 2019
The #WoodburyFire has currently burned nearly 80,000 acres and has the potential to become the 6th largest wildfire in Arizona history. pic.twitter.com/hlwuG4LHj5
Map showing the location of the Pine Lodge Fire in southwest New Mexico. The red dots represent heat detected by a satellite at 1:26 p.m. MDT June 21, 2019.
The Pine Lodge Fire is burning on the north end of the Smokey Bear Ranger District, Lincoln National Forest in Southwest New Mexico. It is 18 miles east of Capitan and 3 miles northwest of Arabela. A Type 3 Incident Management Team is currently engaged, and a Type 2 Team has been ordered. (See the map, above, of the Pine Lodge Fire)
Our very unofficial estimate of the size, based on heat detected by a satellite at 1:26 p.m. MDT on June 21, is that it has burned approximately 1,800 acres. It was spreading rapidly Friday afternoon pushed by a southwest wind.
Satellite photo showing smoke from the Woodbury and Pine Lodge Fires at 5:01 p.m. MDT June 21, 2019.
The strategy is to suppress the fire. It is burning off Forest Service Road 130 near Boy Scout Mountain in extremely rough, rocky terrain with grass, pinyon-juniper, and mixed conifer vegetation. Firefighters will continue to assess and engage this fire, taking into consideration public and firefighter safety as the number one priority.
The area is under a Red Flag Warning until 8 p.m. Friday for extreme fire weather. A weather station at the Sierra Blanca Regional Airport, 18 miles to the southwest, recorded a high Friday afternoon of 83 degrees, 10 percent relative humidity, and winds out of the southwest at 15 to 25 mph with gusts up to 40. The forecast for Saturday calls for 87 degrees, RH of 8 percent, and southwest winds at 15 to 20 mph in the afternoon.
Red Flag Warnings, updated at 10 a.m. MDT June 21, 2019.
Firefighters have been burning out from structures and roads — evacuations are still in place
3-D map of the Woodbury Fire looking west. The red line was the perimeter at 10:12 p.m. MDT June 20. The red dots represent heat detected by a satellite at 3:48 a.m. MDT June 21. Click to enlarge.
For the last several days most of the growth of the Woodbury Fire east of Phoenix has been to the east and northeast, but variable strong overnight winds caused a previously quiet area of the fire to spread significantly to the north. During a 3:48 a.m. MDT satellite overflight on Friday the fire had come to within 2 miles of Apache Trail about nine air miles east of Tortilla Flat. (See the map, above, of the Woodbury Fire)
The night shift that included four Hotshot Crews conducted burnouts on the east side of Highwa 188 six miles southeast of the community of Roosevelt northeast of the junction with Desert to Tall Pines Highway, and in other locations where needed to protect infrastructure.
(To see all articles on Wildfire Today about the Woodbury Fire, including the most recent, click HERE.)
The fire is not being fully suppressed. Instead, a variety of strategies are being used.
At about 10 p.m. on Thursday the fire was mapped from an aircraft at 65,903 acres but it continued spreading vigorously after that fixed wing flight.
Resources assigned to the fire include at least 21 hand crews, 28 engines, 8 helicopters and an unknown number of air tankers, for a total of 1,112 personnel. One of the air tankers, a DC-10, reportedly flew four missions Thursday dropping a total of 37,000 gallons of fire retardant. Approximately $10.9 has been spent on the fire so far.
On Thursday the fire continued moving through Reevis Creek into the Two Bar area. Additional significant growth was observed near the Reevis Mountain School, Granite Mountain near Little Campaign Creek, and the Blackberry Spring area. The fire is also in the west fork of Pinto Creek which prompted crews to burnout around the Rock Springs Barn and Corrals as well as the Miles Ranch Trailhead.
Structure protection is now in place at Top of the World and the Roosevelt area. This includes building firelines and prepositioning hose lays and portable water sources.
Map of the Woodbury Fire. The red line was the perimeter at 10:12 p.m. MDT June 20. The red dots represent heat detected by a satellite at 3:48 a.m. MDT June 21.
State Highway 88 is closed from milepost 213 at Tortilla Flat to State Highway 188 at Roosevelt. State Highway 188 is closed from State Highway 88 just west of Roosevelt at milepost 244 to State Highway 288. For current Arizona Department of Transportation information visit https://az511.gov/.
For information about evacuations, shelters, livestock and pet shelters call: 928-402-8888.
The weather forecast for the Roosevelt area on Friday calls for 88 degrees, southwest winds of 17 mph gusting to 24, and relative humidity of 19 percent. The weather on Saturday should be about the same.
A Red Flag Warning for extreme fire weather is in effect through Friday evening for the northeast part of Arizona just outside of the Woodbury Fire area. Much of New Mexico is also under a Red Flag Warning through Saturday evening.
Predicted to move into New Mexico, Colorado, Kansas, and Oklahoma by Friday evening
Forecast for the distribution of smoke from the Woodbury Fire, at 6 p.m. MDT June 21, 2019.
The massive smoke plume produced by the Woodbury Fire east of Phoenix will begin to take a more northerly track on Friday. The National Weather Service predicts that after it crosses Northern New Mexico it will move into Colorado, Oklahoma, and Kansas. States farther east could be affected during the weekend.
(To see all articles on Wildfire Today about the Woodbury Fire, including the most recent, click HERE.)
Satellite photo at 7:16 p.m. MDT June 20, 2019 showing smoke from the Woodbury Fire near Phoenix spreading to the northeast.The map shows the extent of wildfire smoke from Canada and Arizona at 10:35 p.m. MDT June 20, 2019.
Wednesday night the fire was mapped at 50,595 acres.
Map of the Woodbury Fire. The red line was the fire perimeter at 11 p.m. MST June 19. The white line was the perimeter about 48 hours before. The red dots represent heat detected by a satellite at 1:47 p.m. MDT June 20, 2019. Click to enlarge.
At 1 p.m. local time June 20 the the Gila County Sheriff’s Office announced an “evacuation alert” for two areas northeast of the Woodbury Fire, Roosevelt and Roosevelt Lake area:
All residents are asked to GO at this time. Go! Evacuate Now. If you are unable to evacuate, call 911.
The west side of the Woodbury Fire is about 12 miles east of the suburbs of Phoenix. Winds over the last several days have pushed the blaze to the east and northeast. At 5 p.m. on Thursday the temperature at a weather station east of Tortilla Flat recorded temperatures in the mid-90s, relative humidity of 10 percent, and WSW winds of 14 mph gusting to 23 mph. The forecast for Tortilla Flat for Friday predicts about the same. (See the map, above, of the Woodbury Fire)
(To see all articles on Wildfire Today about the Woodbury Fire, including the most recent, click HERE.)
Wednesday night the fire was mapped at 50,595 acres. Officials at the Tonto National Forest are not attempting to completely suppress it, but instead are using a variety of strategies.
Satellite photo of smoke from the Woodbury Fire at 5:36 p.m. MDT June 20, 2019.
