Big Canyon Fire on Tonto National Forest - Oct. 15
Incident: Big Canyon Fire Wildfire
Released: 10/15/2012
For Immediate Release October 15, 2012, 2030 hrs. Website: www.inciweb.org
Big Canyon Fire on Tonto National Forest
2 miles west of Tonto Fish Hatchery, 14 miles east of Payson, Ariz., Oct. 15, 2012, 2030 hrs.
Fire Facts
Incident Commander: Dave Ramirez
Date reported: Oct. 14, 1030 hrs.
Number of personnel: 136
Location: 34,22.686 x 111,8.238 (Big Canyon area)
Resources committed: Personnel from engine crews Type 3 incident management team 3 Hot Shot crews Type 2 IA crew Cause: Lightning Aircraft (today) 1 lead plane 2 Air attack planes 2 air tankers 1 Type 1 helicopter 1 Type 3 helicopter
Size: 150 acres
Cost: $250,000
Containment: 0 percent
Terrain: Rough and inaccessible terrain (except on foot and by air)
Fuels: Timber grass understory, dead and down, logging slash, chaparral
Summary: The Big Canyon fire was reported Sunday, October 14, at approximately 10:30 am. The lightning-caused fire is burning 2 miles west of the Tonto Fish Hatchery in the Big Canyon area near the Highline Trail, approximately 14 miles east of Payson, Arizona, in a rough and remote section of the Tonto National Forest, accessible only by air and on foot.
"This is a significant fire spread for this time of year," stated Incident Commander Dave Ramirez. "Today's fire activity was moderate, with ground fuels burning hot, low spotting due to recent rain, occasional torching. We received increased air and ground support today and made good progress."
Traffic control for Forest Road 300 in partnership with Apache-Sitgreaves NF. Partial closure on Highline Trail.
For more information, please contact the Tonto National Forest at (602) 225-5200, or check online at www.fs.usda.gov/tonto
