HikeArizona.COM

A spot burn from the Slide fire this morning caught at the confluence of Oak Creek and the West Fork of Oak Creek Canyon.

It has since blazed up the canyon wall from the bottom of the West Fork and is pushing out onto the flats above the canyon near Harding Point. Fire officials are saying the West Fork of Oak Creek Canyon is the new front of the Slide fire.

The blaze has likely doubled in size, reaching as many as 1,000 acres, but it’s exact dimensions are unknown until overflights can be completed.

Air attack is limited in the West Fork because of the steep, rugged canyon terrain. Winds are also hindering air attack efforts at this time. Fighting the fire on the flat terrain will be easier.

“Were not going to put personnel out in front of that,” said Captain Bill Morse of the Flagstaff Fire Department.

The fire is now spreading north-northwest of Harding Point.

Outdoor Lover wrote:I guess it's pretty much Official, West Fork is torched...It's being described as "totally gone, like a Bomb hit it"....If they ever catch the guy that did this, they better put him in a Bullet Proof Vest, there are a lot of angry people out there....

Meanwhile, crews are dropping fire "ping pong balls" into the West Fork of Oak Creek Canyon, as they conduct backburns in hopes of saving the pristine region. The small, incendiary devices are commonly used in prescribed burning activities.

"They're going to be doing burnout operations today in that area and dropping fire ping pong balls back there to do dispersed burnouts," said Brady Smith, spokesperson for the Coconino National Forest. He added that there are a large number of green pockets in the lush canyon however, which will make burnouts difficult.

The western extent of the fire in West Fork remains unclear. The latest fire maps have the blaze extending to just before the narrow Insomnia and Illusions slot canyons.

Damage to the AB Young Trail is said to be "significant," according to Coconino National Forest officials.