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Attached is today’s update on the Castle Fire. Also attached is a map that shows the current fire perimeter, the planning area for the wildfire, and the closure that is in effect for the area. To view a more detailed closure area map, please
visit http://bit.ly/CastleClosureMap. For additional information, please contact the Castle Fire Information Center at (928) 643-8152 or (928) 643-8158.
Castle Fire nearly doubles in size under favorable conditions
FREDONIA, Ariz.,
July 26, 2019 —
Firefighters have made excellent progress in reinforcing the 19,632-acre planning area perimeter of the Castle Fire. If weather conditions remain favorable today, a helicopter will be utilized to conduct aerial ignitions along the interior edges of the
already burned areas. This will help strengthen the control lines to minimize any potential of the fire burning outside of the planning area.
The fire is slowly backing through dead and down trees and grass. Area thunderstorms have not materialized over the fire area and have had
minimal effects on the Castle Fire. This wildfire continues to play a vital role in functioning as a natural disturbance within the mixed-conifer ecosystem by reducing excessive fuel (vegetation) accumulations that currently exist across the forest floor.
The lightning-caused wildfire was detected on July 12th and has grown to 1,700 acres. The Castle Fire is located about 11 miles south of
Jacob Lake, 3 miles west of Highway 67, and just east of Forest Road 761 near Oquer Canyon. Yesterday, under favorable weather conditions, the fire backed its way downslope into receptive fuel beds, resulting in good consumption
of available vegetation. As a result, the fire grew more than 700 acres. While firing operations are being used mostly along the eastern edge of the planning area, equipment, including masticators and bulldozers, continue prep work around the southern and
northern perimeter. Fire managers expect the Castle Fire to remain active, even with the possibility of precipitation, as predicted over the next few days. The
long-term forecast calls for dry weather to follow, likely causing the fire to regain momentum and continue to gradually spread throughout the planning area of 19,632 acres. As an added safety measure for both public and firefighters, a temporary Closure Order is now in effect for the Castle Fire area:
https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/6439/ The Castle Fire poses no danger to structures or other local infrastructure.
CASTLE FIRE OVERVIEW
Kaibab National Forest information is available through the following sources:
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Attachment:
1650-1_d3_CastleFire_2019_0726.pdf
Description: 1650-1_d3_CastleFire_2019_0726.pdf
Attachment:
PIO_8x11_Port_20190725_2030-sm.pdf
Description: PIO_8x11_Port_20190725_2030-sm.pdf
