Sunflower Fire News Release, May 23, 2012
Incident: Sunflower Fire Wildfire
Released: 5/23/2012
Sunflower Fire News Release
May 23, 2012 3:00 p.m.
Fire Information: (575) 302-2107
Website: www.inciweb.org
Acres: 16,175 Start date: May 12, 2012
Cause: Under Investigation Location: 21 miles south of Payson
Containment: 43 percent Fuels: Grass, chaparral, pinyon pine
Terrain: Steep, rugged Resources: 1 crew, 5 engines,
Total personnel: 65 Available air support: 1 helicopter
Summary: Management of the Sunflower Fire was transferred late yesterday from the Arizona Central West Zone Type 2 Incident Management Team to the Copp Type 3 Incident Management Team. Incident Commander Russ Copp held a joint briefing this morning with fire resources assigned to the Sunflower Fire as well as initial attack crews assigned to the Tonto National Forest.
Crews are maintaining close communication as the area experiences "red flag" conditions today. A red flag warning is issued when conditions exist for extreme fire behavior. Hot, dry temperatures, low relative humidity and gusty winds are considered when issuing a red flag warning.
Firefighters are engaged in suppression of hot spots near existing control lines and continuing ground and air patrol of the fire. Smoke may impact surrounding communities as heavy fuels smolder and burn intermittently within the fire perimeter.
A Burned Area Emergency Response (BAER) Team has arrived to assess resource damages in areas that have been deemed safe for team entry. The BAER team is a group of specialists that analyze fire impacts to soil, vegetation, habitat, hydrology and other resource concerns.
The holiday weekend is expected to bring increased visitation. Please obey fire restrictions and be aware of emergency vehicles entering and exiting the roadways in suppression efforts.
For more smoke information and air quality forecasts, please visit the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality website at www.azdeq.gov/environ/air/smoke/fire.html.
For statewide road conditions and closures please go to http://www.az511.gov/ or dial 5-1-1 from any landline or mobile phone from anywhere in Arizona. (From outside Arizona, dial 1-888-411-ROAD (7623) or 602-523-0244).
For further information on the fire restrictions in the Tonto National Forest go to www.fs.usda.gov/tonto.
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