Poco Fire management turns back to Tonto National Forest

Poco Fire Containment at 85%

Central West Zone Interagency Type 3 Team Turns

Fire Management to Tonto National Forest

YOUNG, Az. – With smoke subsiding from the Poco Fire in Arizona’s Pleasant Valley and the Mogollon Rim communities, the Central West Zone Interagency Type 3 Incident Management Team turns fire management back to the Tonto National Forest at 9:00 a.m. Friday, June 29, 2012.

On Thursday, the Type 3 team maintained 90 fire personnel, mostly assigned to patrolling the fire’s perimeter and chipping downed trees to remove fuel from the fire zone.  “We want to thank our firefighters and the communities we’re working to protect.  We encourage the public to practice fire safety because the trees and shrubs are very dry and we remain in extreme fire danger,” says Andy Mandell, the incident commander trainee.  

Mandell points out that two Type 1 firefighting crews and two engines will stay at the Pleasant Valley Ranger District along with miscellaneous fire personnel during the transition and due to the extreme fire danger.

As recreation increases in the area over the 4^th of July, visitors and residents are warned to stay out of the Poco Fire zone as smoldering continues.  Trees could fall and hotspots remain. For continued information, the public may contact the Pleasant Valley Ranger District in Young, Arizona, at: 928-462-4300

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The Poco Fire has not exceeded 11,950 acres.  At the height of the human-caused incident, 768 personnel were stationed in Young who traveled from Arizona, California, Indiana, Idaho, Louisiana, Montana, New Mexico, Texas, Utah, Wyoming, and Wisconsin to protect central Arizona communities.  Six community meetings were held within eight days in the towns of Young, Forest Lakes, Colcord, Heber, and Payson and two Fire Camp tours conducted.  Five firefighters were injured; no structures were burned; estimated costs are $9 million.

Poco Fire information and photos are posted at http://www.inciweb.org/incident/2911.  For more information regarding forest recreation sites and fire restrictions, please contact the Tonto National Forest at 602 225-5200, or check online at www.fs.usda.gov/tonto.