Firefighters gaining control of Mistake Peak Fire

   MISTAKE PEAK FIRE UPDATE   

ROOSEVELT, Ariz. – Firefighters took advantage Thursday of a change in weather conditions to construct additional fireline on the Mistake Peak Fire which is 4,800 acres and 25 percent contained. This work was done to slow fire progression on the north and east sides where the fire has been most active. Crews also continued to patrol, mop up and secure containment lines on other areas of the fire.

Matt Reidy, Incident Commander said, “To maximize efficiency and safety, remote fire camps have been established at multiple locations around the fire to decrease travel time and allow firefighters to access the fire earlier in the day.” These camps are supplied and supported from the incident command post at Cholla Campground.

About 450 firefighters from across the country are assigned to the Mistake Peak Fire. Resources are from 16 states including Alaska, Maine, West Virginia, Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Georgia, Florida, Indiana, Colorado, Utah, Texas, New Mexico, California and Arizona.

Closures:

·         A temporary closure to ensure firefighter and public safety is in place. The first area begins at the intersection of FR 71 and FR 609, heading north, northeast along FR 609 until the junction with FR 416, then east on FR 416 to FR 86, then east on FR 486 to State Route (SR) 288, along the western edge of SR 288 to FR 609, then west along FR 609 to FR 486,  south and west along FR 486 to FR 236, south and west along FR 236 to the junction with FR 236A, southwest along FR 236A until FR 71, west along FR 71 to FR 609. 

·         Cholla Campground (including the entrance road from State highway 188)

For more information on the Mistake Peak Fire, scroll down to the previous post. 

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The Arizona Department of Environmental Quality is coordinating with the Incident Management Teams in the immediate area to monitor smoke impacts in communities including Payson and Tonto Basin. Visibility is an excellent measure of air quality. If visibility is ten miles or more, the air quality is good. Visibility of six to nine miles indicates moderate air quality. Three to five miles of visibility indicates conditions unhealthy for people who have respiratory ailments. One and a half to two and a half miles, the air quality is unhealthy. One to one and a quarter miles indicates the air quality is very unhealthy. If visibility due to smoke is less than a mile, the air quality is hazardous. Smoke-sensitive persons in affected areas may need to take action such as remaining indoors, using air conditioning, or temporarily moving to an unaffected area.