by Jim_H » Apr 29 2009 1:27 pm
The Forest Service website is finally fully functional after a 2 week period of being down from a worm. This is the recent release about the fire.
For Immediate Release
Date: April 27, 2009
Contact: Supervisor's Office (928) 527-3600
Flagstaff, AZ —The Bear Fire, located along the Mogollon Rim north of Sedona, is approximately 350 acres; most of which is due to the burnout operations firefighters conducted Sunday.
The fire is burning at a low intensity, mostly smoldering, but since some of it is nestled on the steep slope of the Mogollon Rim, it has potential to creep along the slope and gain momentum in adjacent ravines.
Yesterday’s burnout operation called for crews to apply fire to the area at the top of the ridge, reducing the dead and dry vegetation and decreasing the likelihood of the fire quickly spreading north if activity were to increase. Crews are continuing to monitor activity.
* Reported: April 22, 1:15 p.m.
* Acres: 350
* Cause: Lightning
* Location: Upper Bear Sign Canyon along the Mogollon Rim
* Estimated Containment:60%
* Behavior: Moderate to Low intensity; smoldering in steep, rough terrain.
* Fuels: Ponderosa Pine and Mixed Brush
* Closures: Forest Road 152 is temporarily closed to Secret Canyon and Vultee Arch Trailheads.
I think Monsoon season will begin around June 20, plus or minus 5 days, not by the calendar according to the NWS, but when dew points rise dramatically, and it begins to rain over the Sacramento Mountains. It will start about 10 days later in Arizona.