Schultz Fire on the San Francisco Peaks

[Jim]

http://www.inciweb.org/incident/1996/

INCIDENT UPDATED 40 MIN. AGO
Incident Overview

The Schultz Fire was reported at approximately 11:00 Sunday morning, and is located in the Schultz Pass area on the southeast side of the San Francisco Peaks. Crews are faced with hot, dry weather and high winds. As of 6:00 pm Forest officials believe the fire is approximately 5000 acres. Approximately 300 firefighters are on scene, additional fire resources are en route. Currently there are 8 air tankers and 5 helicopters assigned. The Southwest Type 1 Incident Management Team, Dugger Hughes Incident Commander, is en route and scheduled to assume management of the fire Monday, June 21 at 6:00 am.

Evacuations: Wupatki Trails subdivision; Timberline Estates subdivision, Sunset Crater National Monument; Second Chance Animal Shelter (animals safely evacuated to Fort Tuthill County Park); and there is no mandatory evacuation of Fernwood subdivision, although some residents have left.

Closures: State Highway 89 is closed from MP 433 (2.5 miles north of Sunset Crater National Monument) to Silver Saddle Road.

Basic Information
Incident Type Wildfire
Cause Unknown
Current Situation
Size 5,000 acres
Fuels Involved

Ponderosa pine, mixed conifer and pinyon-juniper
Fire Behavior

Very high rates of spread and high intensities observed. Spotting up to 1/2 mile.
Unit Information
USFS Shield
Coconino National Forest
U.S. Forest Service
1824 S. Thompson St.
Flagstaff, AZ 86001
Incident Contact
Emergency Operations Center
Phone: 888-679-8393
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http://hikearizona.com/photoset.php?ID=11500

[hikeaz]

NOW we're talking..... shouldn't take long to bring these creeps to justice now...

"Flagstaff Brewing Company is offering "free beer for life" for information leading to the arrest of the culprits."

(I only hope that it's a young, healthy person who turns them in ;) )

[Jim]

Eh, I doubt people have leads of credibility. Who would have gone up the Water Line Rd and noted a vehicles plate and number. People who camped with the person or persons who had the fire are probably culpable since they were present and did not do anything more than the person who started the fire. In the end, these small rewards are mostly PR and not much else. Sell out your friends for $2,500?

[hikeaz]

Eh, I doubt people have leads of credibility. Who would have gone up the Water Line Rd and noted a vehicles plate and number. People who camped with the person or persons who had the fire are probably culpable since they were present and did not do anything more than the person who started the fire. In the end, these small rewards are mostly PR and not much else. Sell out your friends for $2,500?

The person who stayed behind in our camp while we hiked noted that the fire actually started just east of Schultz Tank, on the SOUTH side of the road, but jumped the road almost right away.

[Jim]

OK, from the map the FS produced they have a ignition location north of FR 420 by about 500 to 1000 feet and just east of the Water Line RD. They're not always 100% accurate. Isn't it possible that this fire was arson, and that no one will have ever seen anything because the person starting it made every attempt to ensure he wasn't spotted? I have been east of Schultz on the Little Elden Trail, and if you have hiked that area you know its a web of little trails and forest, but that it would be difficult for a car or other vehicle to access the area to camp. I guess there could have been a backpacker, or a person who walked some way from the parking area, but I am thinking arson over carelessness.

[Sredfield]

Posted a pano photo and a final progression map in the photo section, not sure if they can be zoomed sufficiently to be meaningful. I got them from a friend who is on the fire.

[joebartels]

sure it can, using View Original in the lower right

[hippiepunkpirate]

It looks worse in person

[Jim]

Posted a pano photo and a final progression map in the photo section, not sure if they can be zoomed sufficiently to be meaningful. I got them from a friend who is on the fire.

Good picture of the burn area. When it opens, and after some summer rains have produced some green up, I'd like to get out there and drive some of FR 420 and hike some of the effected trails and roads. The huge black area off the peaks on the apron of the mountain was almost all pine. I wonder how grassy that will be now, and in 5 years?

[joebartels]

Unless it was an unusually hot fire most of those dead pines will still be standing in 5 years.

[whereveriroam]

USFS reopened some of the closed trails today (7/1) which include Humphries and Kachina trails. Inner Basin is closed as is Weatherford trail.

[Jim]

https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/ftp/InciWeb/AZCOF/2010-06-20-22:39-schultz-fire/picts/pict-20100630-191245-0.jpeg" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Map of the reduced closure area.

[joebartels]

and for when that link becomes inactive

[Dschur]

Sometimes the area is closed for a long time in the burn area.... part of the Rodeo Chedisky fire (Joe Tank rd don't remember the FR #) the road going from Show Low to FR300 was closed at least a year and maybe 2 before they reopened it....

[Dschur]

The Dude fire just had it's 20th anniversary........ If you want to see what happens to an area after a fire that shows it.... Or even the Willow has been 6 years you can see what has happened on the Mazatzal range.....

[Nighthiker]

The museum in Payson is now featuring displays of the Dude fire.

[Jim]

The Brinns Fire areas was closed for a while. Wasn't it late 2007 before Wilson Mt was open again?

I'm hoping that if the Waterline Rd, and the Little Elden and Little Bear trails don't reopen, that at least FR 420 does so I can drive the area to get a look.

[Dschur]

New reduced closed area but until Sept....

ORDER
04-10-06-F
EMERGENCY FIRE CLOSURE
COCONINO NATIONAL FOREST
Pursuant to 16 U.S.C. 551,and 36 CFR § 261.50(a) and (b), the following acts are prohibited on all National Forest System
lands within the Coconino National Forest, in Coconino County in the state of Arizona. The restricted area is depicted on the
attached map, hereby incorporated into this Order as Exhibit A.
PROHIBITION:
1. Going into or being upon the restricted area; 36 CFR § 261.52(e)
2. Being on the road; 36 CFR § 261.54(e)
3. Being on a trail; 36 CFR § 261.55(a)
EXEMPTIONS:
Pursuant to 36 CFR § 261.50(e), the following persons are exempt from this closure order:
1. Persons with a Forest Service permit specifically authorizing the prohibited act or omission.
2. Any Federal, State or Local Officer or member of an organized firefighting force in the
performance of an official duty.
3. Resident owners and lessees of land within the restricted area.
AREA DESCRIPTION:
The order applies to National Forest System lands, roads and trails within the vicinity of the San Francisco Peaks and Mt. Elden / Dry Lake
Hills. Beginning at Schultz Tank, the closure boundary is Weatherford Trail (Weatherford Trail is open) to Humphrey’s Trail. The closure
area includes forest land east and north of Weatherford Trail. The closure boundary continues along Humphrey’s Trail (Humphrey’s Trail is
open) to Humphrey’s Peak. The area closure includes forest land east of Weatherford Trail and Humphrey’s Trail. The closure boundary
continues from Humphrey’s Peak east along the ridgeline to Bear Jaw Canyon where it proceeds north to the junction of Bear Jaw Trail and
FR 146 (Waterline road). It continues east on FR 146 (which is closed) to Lockett Meadow and FR 552 (Lockett Meadow road). The
closure area includes FR 552 and land south and east of the road to the junction of FR 418. From this point, FR 552 to US Highway 89 is
open, but forest land south of the road is closed. The closure boundary continues south on US Highway 89 to the junction of Lenox Park and
includes all forest land to the west of the highway. The closure boundary proceeds south of Lenox Park along the underground telephone line
(which is open) to the private land. The closure area includes all forest land west of the underground telephone line. From the junction of the
underground telephone line and the private land, the closure boundary continues west along the forest boundary and then south to FR 6064D
(Campbell road). The closure boundary continues west along 6064D to the powerline. FR 6064D is open to the junction of the powerline.
The closure boundary continues south along the powerline to the road gate on FR 556 (Elden Springs road). The area closure includes forest
land west of the powerline. The closure boundary continues west on FR 556 to FR 9180. Both sections of these roads are within the closure
area. The closure boundary continues on FR 9180 to FR 9139 to the junction of Little Elden Trail. The closure boundary continues south on
Little Elden Trail to the junction of Heart Trail. Little Elden Trail is closed north from the junction of Heart Trail. The closure boundary
continues along the Heart Trail (Heart Trail is open) to the junction of Sunset Trail. The closure area continues along Sunset Trail (Sunset
Trail is open) to Schultz Tank. The closure area includes forest land east and north of Heart Trail and Sunset Trail.
The closure includes Little Bear Trail, Deer Hill Trail, Inner Basin Trail and most of Little Elden Trail.
PURPOSE:
This Order is necessary to protect public health and safety due to ongoing wildfire rehabilitation efforts on the Schultz Fire.
IMPLEMENTATION:
1. This Order will be in effect when signed and shall remain in effect until September 15, 2010 or
until rescinded, whichever occurs first.
2. This Order rescinds, replaces and supersedes any previous Orders prohibiting the same acts
covered by this Order in that area addressed in Exhibit A
Done at Flagstaff, Arizona, this 13th day of July, 2010
/s/ M.Earl Stewart
M. EARL STEWART
Forest Supervisor
Coconino National Forest
Violations of these regulations is punishable as a Class B misdemeanor, by a fine of not more than $5000 for an individual or $10,000 for an
organization, or imprisonment for not more than six (6) months or both; 16 USC § 551, and 18 USC §§ 3559 and 3571.

Or in summary

Though the new closure order is currently in effect, Forest Service personnel are in the process of repositioning the closure signs according to the new boundaries through today and should be finished by tomorrow.

One of the greatest safety concerns within the fire area is the hazard of dead trees falling over, which will be a safety issue for a long time. In addition, because of the severity of the burn and lack of vegetation, loose rocks are rolling down the hillside posing a safety concern.

The following trails and roads fall under the new reduced closure area:

Schultz Pass Road (FR 420, from Schultz Pass to the north)
Lockett Meadow Road (FR 552)
Waterline Road (FR 146)
Elden Springs Road (FR 556)
Little Bear Trail
Little Elden Trail
Deer Hill Trail
Inner Basin Trail
Lockett Meadow Campground and Little Elden Springs Horse Camp
Fire closures are implemented as standard fire operations procedure for public safety and firefighter safety. This modified closure to public access is in force until September 15, 2010 or later if necessary. The Closure Order and map is at http://www.fs.fed.us/r3/coconino/nepa/f ... 0-06-f.pdf.

The U.S. Forest Service is still seeking information concerning the person or persons responsible for causing the Schultz Fire. To date, no arrests have been made in connection with the Schultz Fire. The Forest Service is offering a reward of up to $2,500 for information leading to the arrest and conviction of those responsible. The Schultz fire was caused by a campfire that was abandoned without being properly extinguished in the area of Schultz Tank, Little Elden Trail, and Forest Road 420.

Please call the Schultz Fire Investigations hotline at (928) 527-3508 if you have any information

[hippiepunkpirate]

At least the Weatherford is open now, that seriously makes me happy. Too bad they haven't taken down the closed signs at the saddle, and Freidlein Prairie Road was still closed today as well, which also makes no sense.

[hippiepunkpirate]

Just realized the aspen tunnel section that makes the Weatherford Canyon Loop is still under the restricted area. Bullhonkey!

[Jim]

Well, I guess that means the Cirque hike is legally out. Good thing I got that in the day the fire started. Sure, there was a lot of snow up there and the flowers were only just beginning, but I did get to see what I was looking for. Maybe in the fall. BTW I did a loop in the hills yesterday and I noticed the Sunset was open and had some traffic on it.