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Wind and fuel drive the Sand Stone Fire

Daily Update – Tuesday, July 30, 2024

Highlights: The Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office has moved the community of Sunflower to “set” status. “Set” status means residents should identify the closest shelter or safe space, prepare an emergency kit, listen to public health officials and be ready to leave the area. The Ready, Set, Go! program is a nationwide program to educate residents about steps to take during an emergency. Sign up for emergency alerts at ready.maricopa.gov.

Total personnel on all incidents: 306   

Sand Stone Fire:          Acres: 23,405     Containment: 0%     Start Date: 7/25/2024      Fuels: Grass, brush         

Operations: The Sand Stone Fire was moderately active throughout the day yesterday, growing to over 23,000 acres. The fire backed down towards Bartlett Lake with a small portion moving under the 345-kilovolt powerline operated by Arizona Public Service (APS). On the southeastern side, crews conducted strategic firing operations to create a buffer connecting Highway 87 to Forest Road 402. As the east side of the fire progresses towards Indian Springs Canyon, fire crews are planning to strategically ignite vegetation in this canyon to create a containment feature. To the south, aircraft will continue to support firefighters on the ground, dropping water buckets throughout the day to help slow and reduce fire activity. Ground crews are scouting and identifying existing roads to serve as holding features to prevent fire spread. In the east, night shift crews are working to hold the fire west of Highway 87 around Dos S Ranch. Preparations will continue today around the community of Sunflower, up the old Highway 87 to Forest Road 201. As additional firefighters are engaged across the fire area, crews are developing a structure protection plan and planning for primary and alternate firelines.  

Deer Fire:                    Acres: 235     Containment: 0%      Start Date: 7/17/2024      Fuels: Grass, brush, timber

Operations: The Deer Fire is burning within the Mazatzal Wilderness. Yesterday, firefighters monitored the fire by air as it continued to move slowly through the ponderosa pine forest. A reconnaissance flight will be conducted again today to get an updated acreage for this fire. 

Davenport Fire:           Acres: 447         Containment: 0%      Start Date: 7/19/2024      Fuels: Grass, brush          

Operations: The Davenport Fire was reported within the Mazatzal Wilderness and has not shown any fire activity for several days. Firefighters are continuing to monitor the fire for any new heat sources or growth. 

Weather: Temperatures will remain in the mid- to upper 90s and the relative humidity will hover around 20%. Dry conditions with no thunderstorm activity can be expected across the area. Sustained wind speeds will be less than 15 mph, however, some occasional afternoon and early evening gusts upwards of 20-25 mph are possible. 

Smoke: Smoke may be visible from Fountain Hills, Sunflower, Rio Verde, Goldfield, and unincorporated communities in the Rio Verde Foothills. An interactive smoke map at https://fire.airnow.gov/ allows you to zoom into your area to see the latest smoke conditions. 

Closures: Southbound State Route 87 is closed between State Route 188 to Bush Highway. There is no estimated time to reopen the southbound lanes. See https://az511.gov/ for a map of the closure. The Tonto National Forest has issued a closure order for the Sand Stone Fire. More information can be found on the Tonto National Forest website: https://www.fs.usda.gov/alerts/tonto/alerts-notices/. Trail users should avoid using the Arizona National Scenic Trail near the fire area.

Safety: The health and safety of firefighters and the public are always the first priority. A temporary flight restriction (TFR) is in place over the area, which includes uncrewed aircraft or drones. Flying drones near wildfires is dangerous for pilots and firefighters and can bring wildfire suppression efforts to a halt. Know before you fly. If you fly, we can’t. More information on the dangers drones pose to wildland firefighting aircraft and personnel on the ground can be found at: https://uas.nifc.gov/. 

More Information: https://inciweb.wildfire.gov/incident-information/aztnf-sand-stone /

480-409-9683 / https://www.facebook.com/TontoNationalForest / 2024.sandstone@firenet.gov