Slide Fire: USFS 5-22-14 Afternoon Update
Posted Date: 5/22/2014
A community meeting will be held this evening at 6 p.m. at the Sinagua Middle School in Flagstaff.
Crews are continuing to hold the fire west of Highway 89A and south of Fry Canyon. Burnout operations have been conducted south of FSR 535 to create a larger fire break north east of the fire. Hotshot crews are also working to create fire line across the Pump House Wash near the 89A ‘switchbacks’ to control the east flank and prevent further spread east. Winds have become lighter today, with temperatures in the low 70s. As the day continues to warm, firefighters expect increased fire behavior, with the most active portion of the fire toward the northwest to Harding Point.
Heavy smoke is likely again in the greater Flagstaff area, Williams as well as Sedona and Oak Creek Canyon. Residents and motorists are asked to use caution as visibility may be limited at times.
For more information on road conditions and visibility visit Arizona Department of Transportation on Twitter: @arizonaDOT, on their 511 information page: http://www.az511.com you can call their information phone line at 1-888-411-7623
For information on air quality, please visit Arizona Department of Environmental Quality
at: http://phoenixvis.net/ppmmain.aspx
Law Enforcement is seeking any information the public may have regarding the start of the Slide Fire and anyone of suspicion in the area yesterday between Slide Rock State Park and Half Way Picnic Area. The public should call Forest Service Law Enforcement at 928-527-3511 if they have any information that might assist law enforcement in the investigation.
Closures:
• Highway 89A from Sedona to Fort Tuthill in Flagstaff
• Forest Road (FR) 535 at Highway 89A
• FR 533 at Highway 89A
• FR 231 at Rogers Lake
• FR 527 and 530 (west side; Volunteer Canyon area)
• Casner Mountain is closed to all vehicles
Evacuations: Evacuations remain in place in Oak Creek Canyon from Slide Rock State Park to Sterling Springs Hatchery. Pre-evacuation notice continues for residents of Kachina Village and Forest Highlands. Residents are advised to be prepared to evacuate. County Emergency Management encourages those in the affected neighborhoods to begin packing important items they may need for several days. These items include prescriptions, important papers, any special dietary needs and pets. No new evacuations are in place at this time.
Coconino County is reminding people to register their cellphone number with the County’s CodeRED emergency notification system at www.coconino.az.gov/emergency. Only those residents whose numbers are registered will receive a direct phone call about any type of pre- or mandatory evacuation order.
Information will be updated on Inciweb as it becomes available: http://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/3874/
