Fulton Fire at 2,266 acres, 45% contained

Southwest Area Incident Management Team #1

John Truett, Incident Commander

FULTON FIRE UPDATE 9/25/2016

Location: 28 miles east of Payson, AZ - South of State Highway 260

Size: 2,266 acres

Total Personnel: 394 including 9 Hand Crews, 15 Engines, 2 Bulldozers, 3 Helicopters           

Containment: 45%

Burnout Operations Expected to Wrap-Up Today

Update:  Significant progress was made along the control line yesterday. On the southern flank of the fire crews successfully burned off along the control line north of Ponderosa Springs and Colcord Estates and along the 2009 Bachelor Fire Scar. There is now a blackline along the entire control line. Blacklining is a process by which fuels adjacent to a control line are intentionally burned in order to widen and reinforce the control line and to reduce the chance for spotting across the line.

Strong winds are expected to lessen this afternoon. If conditions are favorable, crews will continue deepening the blackline today to remove all unburned materials that exist between the fireline and the fire edge. In order to keep fire intensity low crews will continue using hand and aerial ignitions to introduce fire in unburned pockets within the interior of the fire’s perimeter thus reducing the chance that fire activity will increase in intensity as the weather changes.

On the westernmost portions of the fire firefighters will begin mop-up and continue to patrol the fire affected areas north of Gordon Canyon and Colcord Cove.

A temporary flight restriction (TFR) remains in effect. Unmanned aircraft systems (drones) threaten firefighter safety and wildfire suppression efforts. Visit http://www.nifc.gov/drones/ for more information.

Weather: Today should be mostly sunny in the morning with clouds moving in this afternoon. Breezy to windy northeast to east winds are expected through Monday. Increasing chances of showers and thunderstorms are expected to start Monday and continue through the week.

Air Quality: Additional information on smoke and air quality is available on http://bit.ly/azsmoke.

Transportation: Eastbound State Route 260 will remain reduced to one lane through the fire area as crews continue to monitor the fireline created by the highway. Expect minor delays eastbound from Christopher Creek to Forest Lakes. The Mogollon Rim Visitor’s Center is closed. Area closures are in effect for fire affected areas on both the Tonto National Forest and the Apache-Sitgreaves National Forests.

No traffic delays are expected along Country Road 291 / Colcord Road, however expect increased fire traffic in the area.

Overview: The lightning ignited Fulton Fire started September 12^th along the Mogollon Rim near the Mogollon Rim Visitor’s Center. Fire officials are fully suppressing this fire to help protect local communities, powerlines, recreation sites, travel corridors, wildlife habitat, and other natural resources.