Juniper Fire south of Young at 23,000 acres

Juniper Fire Update

June 6, 2016, 9:00 a.m.

Location: 10 miles south of Young AZ,  

Tonto National Forest.

Size:  Approximately 22,962 acres.

Percent Contained: 20%.

Cause: Lightning caused.

Resources Assigned: 463 total personnel    7 Crews, 7 Helicopters, 17 Engines, 3 Dozers, 5 Water Tenders and 1 Masticator.

             

Fire managers will hold a community meeting at the Young Community Center,      7:00 P.M. Wednesday June 8th, to update citizens on the status of the Juniper Fire.

A significant wind event associated with a passing weather front will bring strong southwesterly winds into the area today. 10 to 15 mph winds with up to 30 mph gusts will increase fire behavior with resulting smoke visible for long distances. Fire managers will closely monitor smoke impacts to communities.

For more information on how smoke can effect you go to: www.phoenixvis.net

The Juniper Fire is located approximately 10 miles south of the town of Young, Arizona. This fire has burned at a low intensity for the last three weeks in a mosaic pattern, effectively treating over 18,000 acres of forestland while achieving multiple benefits and objectives. It will increase in size as time goes on, and firefighters will be conducting burnout operations to facilitate where and how the fire moves through the landscape. The Juniper Fire is being managed to provide firefighter and public safety while allowing opportunities to reintroduce fire to the Sierra Ancha Mountains. This means it does not have a planned end date, but fire managers have assessed the perimeters within which the fire may run its natural course. Ultimately, fire will eventually treat portions, or all of, the land inside the perimeters.

State Route 288 remains closed 10 miles south of Young between mileposts 280 and 293. Fire managers will open the road as soon as conditions permit. The town of Young is open for business and away from the fire area. Visitors can still access Pleasant Valley from the north by State Route 260 and County Road 512. Forest Road 203 is now closed as the fire has reached the Cherry Creek drainage.