0830 Thur July 5 Seeley Fire Info Update
Incident: Seeley Fire Wildfire
Released: 7/5/2012
Eastern Arizona Incident Management Team
For Immediate Release Fire Information Call Center: 435-687-3030
8:00 a.m. July 5, 2012 Media Calls at EOC: 435-636-3761
Evacuees please call Carbon County
Evacuation Coordinator: 435-636-3746
Website: www.inciweb.org/incident/2953
Email: eazfireteam@gmail.com
Twitter: twitter.com/firescoop
Seeley Fire Update
Fire Facts
Date started: Tuesday, 6/26/2012 5:30 a.m.
Number of personnel: 690 national resources
Location: 15 miles NW of Huntington, Utah
Equipment: 22 engines
Cause: Dry Lightning
Aircraft: 8 helicopters
Size: 42,126 (65.8 square miles)
Hand Crews: 15 (20-person each)
Percent contained: 17%
Dozers: 2
Projected Spread: North and Northeast
Water Tenders: 14
Management Strategy: Full Suppression
Estimated containment date: none
Injuries to date: none
Cost to date: $3,846,672
Weather Forecast: A moist trough of low pressure has developed over the area continuing to bring an increased chance of erratic winds and possible dry lightning.
Property threatened: Several evacuated communities, 250 residences, 15 commercial properties, 500 outbuildings, recreation facilities, communication towers, utility lines, gas lines, coal mining facilities.
Wednesday's Fire Activity: Seeley Mountain on the southwest side showed little smoke toady as most of the dead and down fuels have now burned out. Fire crews continued to monitor a spot fire on the west side of Seeley Ridge. A handcrew used direct attack to build an additional section of fireline on the west side of the fire near Candland Mountain. Overall risk to structures on the west side of the fire has significantly diminished. Hughes Canyon continued to burn as it has for the past couple of days. A burnout operation was completed on a southeast slope all the way to the top of the ridge. This is part of the plan to establish a good solid blackline for containment of the fire along the north perimeter. This has helped to keep the fire south of the community of Clear Creek. An additional burnout operation was also initiated which established a solid blackline at the north to northeast fire perimeter along the pipeline easement and into Bob Wright Canyon. Fire activity remains low along the east to southeast side of the fire with crews continuing to patrol and mop-up. Smoke continued to be visible from stringers of dead spruce burning near the southern edge of the fireline.
Today: Weather conditions permitting, burnout operations will continue to be executed from the northwest to northeast corner of the fire. Residents can expect to see smoke over the Huntington Creek, Castle Valley and Bob Wright Canyon areas. A handcrew will continue to improve existing and build additional fireline near Candland Mountain. Crews will continue with mop-up and patrol along the east, southern, and southwest perimeter of the fire. Structure protection remains in place if needed.
Closures/Evacuations/Advisories: Road closures include: SR-31 at Crandall Canyon and at Miller Flat, FS-014 from Miller Flat Road south to Potters Flat, SR-122 at junction of SR-10, SR-139W at the railroad tracks, SR-96 and SR-6, FR-150 south of Tucker Rest Area on SR-6. SR-264 at Flat CanyonReservoir. Evacuation areas include: Electric Lake, Scofield, Clear Creek, Hiawatha, Cleveland campground, Miller Flat Reservoir and Hog Flat areas, and several youth camps. Carbon County Sheriff's office is coordinating escorted visits into evacuation areas for immediate needs. Please call 435-636-3746 for appointments.
