Bull Flat Fire update

Eastern Arizona Incident Management Team

For Immediate Release                                                                    

11:00 a.m. May 16, 2012

Bull Flat Fire Update

Contact: Jonetta Trued, 520-400-1007                                             Website: www.inciweb.org

Email: eazfireteam@gmail.com                                                        Twitter: twitter.com/firescoop

Fire Facts

Date started: May 10, 2012	Number of personnel: 309
Location: Fort Apache Agency and Tonto NF	Equipment: 7 engines, 2 dozers, 2 water tenders
Cause: believed to be lightning, under investigation	Aircraft: 1 light and 1 heavy helicopter
Size: 1,900 acres
Percent contained: 15	Estimated containment date: May 25, 2012
Injuries to date: 0	Estimated cost to date: $900,000
Property threatened: none

Fire Activity: The fire continues to creep in grass, brush and dead and down fuels in the Bull Flat Fire area. Shifting high winds and very low relative humidities today are expected. Crews will focus mainly on continuing to secure the north side of the fire by extinguishing hot spots held in stumps and large dead fuels close to the outside edge of the fire. On the northeast, hand crews will construct fireline that will connect two existing portions of fireline and prepare for a burnout that will help to secure that portion of the fire perimeter. The burnout may be about 200 acres.

Closures/Restrictions and Advisories: The Tonto National Forest has closed the 188 and 89 roads. The Tonto National Forest has also initiated Stage 1 Fire Restrictions. No open campfires will be allowed on lands administered by the forest. Please see the Forest website for more information about all of the applicable restrictions. Residents and visitors in the Heber-Overgaard area may experience drift smoke from the Bull Flat fire along with other ongoing wildfires in the area. Those with respiratory challenges should take precautions. Smoke also settles in cool temperatures and may reduce visibility for motorists particularly during nighttime hours. The public is urged to drive cautiously in smoky conditions.

General Information:

The Incident Command Post for the Eastern Arizona Incident Management Team is located three miles south of Highway 260 on Forest Road 512 AKA the Young Road. The fire is currently burning on lands administered by the Fort Apache Agency and the Pleasant Valley Ranger District of the Tonto National Forest.

Updates are also available by calling the 593 Public Information Line at 928-333-3412.