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The Wyrick Fire grows to 7,452 acres north of Heber-Overgaard, AZ

Updated 12:37 p.m. MDT June 24, 2021

Rainbow in the Wyrick Fire area, June 23, 2021. Photo by Jeff Zimmerman.

Showers slowed the spread of the Wyrick Fire Wednesday. It was not enough to completely extinguish the fire, but it was a wetting rain a local told us, that reduced the rate of spread for a while.

The evacuations have been cancelled, and residents can return to their homes.

The precipitation will give firefighters an opportunity to build fireline directly next to the fire, taking advantage of the temporary reprieve to make progress toward containment.

On Wednesday, the West Chev Fire seven miles west of the Wyrick Fire remained active. Helicopters were used to keep the fire from moving to the south in the timber that lines the steep canyons. Firefighters are assessing how to safely construct fireline to contain the blaze.

The Incident Management Team reported Thursday that the Wyrick Fire had burned 7,452 acres. Clouds prevented satellites and mapping aircraft from gathering intelligence about the two fires Wednesday night.

10:26 a.m. MDT June 22, 2021

map Wyrick and West Chev Fires — The red dots represent heat detected on the Wyrick and West Chev Fires at 4:12 a.m. MDT June 22, 2021 by a satellite. The red line was the perimeter of the Wyrick Fire at 4:29 a.m. MDT June 22.

The Wyrick Fire was active on the eastern two-thirds of the fire on Monday but did not make any massive runs. A mapping flight early Tuesday morning determined it had burned about 7,100 acres and was about three miles from Heber-Overgaard.

To see all articles on Wildfire Today about the Wyrick Fire, including the most recent, click HERE.

Evacuations are in effect. The Incident Management Team (IMT) announced on Monday:

Areas in READY Status: Overgaard south of Highway 260 High Country Pines in Heber Kendall Ranch / Camp Ponderosa.

Areas in SET Status: Areas in Heber not identified as Ready or Go status Chevelon Ranches and Retreat Communities in Overgaard south of Highway 277 and North of Highway 260.

Areas in GO Status (leave now): Antelope Valley Despain Ranch Heber and Overgaard North of 260 AND 277.

A Type 2 IMT led by Incident Commander Mark Bernal is scheduled to assume management of the fire Tuesday, June 22.

Another fire is burning 7 miles west of the Wyrick Fire. The West Chev Fire has burned 288 acres 14 miles northwest of Heber-Overgaard.

Wyrick Fire grows rapidly northwest of Heber, AZ

Updated at 8:12 p.m. MDT June 21, 2021

map Wyrick Fire Arizona — The red dots on the map represent heat detected on the Wyrick Fire by satellites at 3 p.m. MDT June 21, 2021. The other colors were detected earlier.

On Monday during a 3 p.m. satellite overflight the Wyrick Fire was about 2 miles north of Highways 260 and 277 at the closest points, and was three miles from the intersection of the two highways. Most of the spread of the fire on Monday was on the southeast side toward Heber.

To see all articles on Wildfire Today about the Wyrick Fire, including the most recent, click HERE.

From the Incident Management team at about 6 p.m. Monday:

“The Wyrick Fire has advanced toward Heber, and reached a starting point for setting evacuations into motion in Heber and Overgaard. Current status as of 3 pm:

“Areas in READY Status: Overgaard south of Highway 260 High Country Pines in Heber Kendall Ranch / Camp Ponderosa.

“Areas in SET Status: Areas in Heber not identified as Ready or Go status Chevelon Ranches and Retreat Communities in Overgaard south of Highway 277 and North of Highway 260.

“Areas in GO Status (leave now): Antelope Valley Despain Ranch Heber and Overgaard North of 260 AND 277.”

Originally published at 9:56 p.m. MDT June 20, 2021.

During the first four hours after it was reported at 2 p.m. Saturday June 19, the Wyrick Fire in east-central Arizona was mapped at 173 acres. But Sunday the lightning-caused fire grew substantially while being pushed by outflow winds from thunderstorms. Based on heat detected by satellites, by 3:18 p.m. MDT it had grown to at least 450 acres.

An advisory from the Incident Management Team Sunday afternoon said it was 1.5 miles from 95A and was spreading in all directions.

Late in the afternoon it was producing a very large smoke column topped by a pyrocumulus cloud and causing spot fires up to one-quarter mile ahead. It is burning in pinyon-juniper and grass.

At 3:18 p.m. Sunday the fire was in the Apache Sitgreaves National Forest 5 miles northwest of Heber, 3 miles north of Highway 260, and 48 miles east of the Backbone Fire. (See the map below.)

Wyrick Fire map — The red dots represent heat detected by satellites on the Wyrick Fire at 3:18 p.m. MDT June 20, 2020.

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