Horton Fire area closure

[chumley]

Closure affects [ Horton Creek Trail #285 ] , [ See Canyon Trail #184 ] , [ Babe Haught Trail - Hatchery to Knoll Lake ] , [ Derrick Trail #33 ] , [ Promontory Trail #278 ] , portions of the [ General Crook Trail #140 - Apache SitgreavesNF ] and [ Highline Trail #31 ] , and access to the lower trailhead for [ Drew Trail #291 ] .

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U.S. Forest Service - Apache-Sitgreaves National Forests and #TontoNF are implementing an Emergency Closure Order for public health and safety due to the Horton Fire.

The purpose of this Order is to protect public health and safety due to firefighting operations and fire danger associated with the uncontrolled Horton Fire on the Tonto and Apache-Sitgreaves National Forests.

This Order shall be in effect from December 18, 2024, at 10 a.m. through January 31, 2025, at 6 p.m., unless rescinded.

Please note:
Routes along the Described Area boundary that are closed include: NFS Road 289, NFS Road 208S, NFS Road 284, Trail 184 See Spring, Trail 185 See Canyon. A section of route NFS Road 300 is closed between NFS Road 115 and NFS Road 89.

Routes that remain open include State Route 260, NFS Road 300 (Besides the closed section), and Christopher Creek Loop Road.

Non-Motorized Trails that are closed within the boundary include: Trail 31 Highline, Trail 32 Derrick Spur, Trail 33 Derrick, Trail 184 See Canyon. Trail 185 See Spring, Trail 285 Horton Creek, and Trail 292 Horton Spring.

Recreation Sites that are closed include: Lower and Upper Tonto Creek Campgrounds, Horton Creek Day Use Area, Hatchery Trailhead, Horton Trailhead, and See Canyon Trailhead.

A map identifying the Described Area, Roads, and Trails is attached and made part of this Order as Exhibit A. For a digital version of this Order and Exhibit A, go to https://www.fs.usda.gov/alerts/tonto/alerts-notices

[The_Eagle]

Horton Fire

Still at 0% containment and at 769 acres.
Believed to be human caused (duh).

https://ein.az.gov/horton-fire-update-s ... set-status

[chumley]

@The_Eagle even with stupid dry weather, December is a great time for a fire in pine country. I think it’s grown 200 acres in the last 5 days? Probably doing a lot of good up there.

[xsproutx]

For better or worse, it’s looking like it was probably started from a campfire near the spring and spread north from there which… kind of could use it.

Still weird to be seeing a couple of wildfires around Christmas though. That’s a new one for me

[hikeaz]

The Horton Fire is now 1,124 acres and 17% containment with fire continuing to burn in a steep and remote portion of the Mogollon Rim.

https://ein.az.gov/horton-fire-remains- ... es-command

[pseudalpine]

@chumley
I agree, better now than in June. It's almost as if some of these fires are purposefully started.
Weird sidenote: Odd to finish a hike today near the area with ash and snow simultaneously falling from the sky.

[chumley]

A burn assessment has been published on the Horton Fire. Tough to envision it looking much better than this map shows.