THE PRESCOTT NATIONAL FOREST PROVIDED AN UPDATE THIS MORNING ON THE GRAPEVINE FIRE BURNING ON MINGUS MOUNTAIN AND THE RACE TRACK FIRE LOCATED NORTH OF HIGHWAY 169 NEAR CHERRY.

THE GRAPEVINE FIRE HAS BURNED 998 ACRES AND IS 0% CONTAINED. THERE ARE CURRENTLY 236 PERSONNEL ASSIGNED TO THE FIRE WITH 1 TYPE 1-CREW, 5 TYPE-2 CREWS, 12 ENGINES 1 DOZER AND 2 HELICOPTERS WITH ADDITIONAL SUPPORT PERSONNEL. CREWS CONTINUE REMOVING OF VEGETATION AND EXPOSING BARE GROUND ALONG FOREST ROAD 132 AND THE PERIMETER OF THE 4-H CAMP.

STORMS HAVE BEEN IN THE AREA THIS AFTERNOON. A GO MESSAGE FOR WHITEHORSE RANCH WAS SENT MID-DAY ON TUESDAY AND A SET MESSAGE FOR MINGUS SPRINGS 4-H CAMP AND NEIGHBORING RESIDENTS INFORMING THEM TO BE PREPARED TO EVACUATE THE AREA. THESE STATUSES WERE CURRENT FOR THESE AREAS AS OF THIS MORNING. FIRE MANAGERS WERE KEEPING A CLOSE EYE ON THE YAEGER CANYON MINE AND MINGUS MOUNTAIN ACADEMY AREAS.

 

THE POSITIVE NEWS OF THE DAY WAS REGARDING THE RACETRACK FIRE. THE “GO” MESSAGE FOR THE COMMUNITY OF CHERRY AND FEDERAL MINE RD AREA WAS ROLLED BACK THE TO “SET” STATUS. THIS MEANS THE AREA IS NO LONGER UNDER MANDATORY EVACUATION, ALLOWING RESIDENTS AND EMERGENCY PERSONNEL (ONLY) BACK INTO THE AREA.

THE RACETRACK FIRE HAS BURNED 405 ACRES AS OF THIS MORNING AND IS 20% CONTAINED. RESOURCES FIGHTING THE FIRE INCLUDE 1 TYPE-1 CREW, 7 TYPE-2 CREWS, 4 ENGINES, 1 DOZER AND ADDITIONAL SUPPORT PERSONNEL.

STORMS IN THE AREA, ALTHOUGH NOT PRODUCING MUCH RAIN, HAVE PROVIDED ENOUGH HUMIDITY TO HELP DIMINISH FIRE ACTIVITY AS LIGHTER FUELS ABSORB MOISTURE, QUICKLY BECOMING LESS FLAMMABLE AND UNAVAILABLE TO IGNITE LARGER FUELS.

FIRE MANAGERS ARE CREDITING THE SLOWING OF FORWARD PROGRESSION INTO THE COMMUNITY OF CHERRY TO PREVIOUS PRESCRIBED FIRE PREPPING, WHERE FIREFIGHTERS PUT IN CONTROL LINES STRATEGICALLY LOCATED SOUTH OF CHERRY. THIS GAVE FIREFIGHTERS THE UPPER HAND IN STOPPING THE FIRE FROM MOVING INTO THE COMMUNITY.