SOUTHWESTERN-NEWS-RELEASE: Kaibab National Forest Information

["Hostad, Andrew -FS" <0000026701978523-dmarc-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

This will be the last update on the Castle Fire unless conditions change significantly.

 

Andrew Hostad Public Affairs Specialist - Detailed Forest Service Kaibab National Forest, North Kaibab Ranger District p: 928-643-8110 c: 218-341-4537 f: 928-643-8105 andrew.hostad@xxxxxxxx 430 S. Main Street - PO Box 248 Fredonia, AZ 86022 www.fs.fed.us Caring for the land and serving people

 

Castle Fire Ramps Down as Resources Are Demobilized

FREDONIA, Ariz., Aug. 23, 2019 -- Despite near red flag fire weather conditions yesterday, resources were able to hold the Castle Fire completely within the planning area. Fire managers remain confident they will be able to maintain the wildfire within the perimeter and anticipate no additional growth.

Management of the wildfire has transitioned to a smaller Type 4 organization and will continue to downsize through the demobilization of resources as the fire continues to wind down. Crews will continue to patrol the fire, mop up remaining hot spots near control lines, repair and rehabilitate areas where suppression actions were taken, and clear hazardous snags and debris along roadways in and around the fire area.

Smoke may be visible from the Castle Fire until precipitation arrives. However, overall smoke impacts from this wildfire are expected to decrease significantly over the next week. There are numerous wildfires currently burning throughout northern Arizona and southern Utah. For local air quality and related information, please visit the following websites: www.airnow.gov or the Smoke Management Division of The Arizona Department of Environmental Quality. Please visit InciWeb for more information on the wildfires that are currently active in the area.

The Kaibab National Forest has allowed the lightning-caused Castle Fire to spread within a defined area in order to fulfill its natural role of reducing dense forest fuels and improving overall ecosystem health. The wildfire has moved across the entire 19,368-acre planning area.

A Closure Order remains in effect for the Castle Fire area: https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/6439/

This will be the last update on the Castle Fire unless conditions change significantly.

FINAL CASTLE FIRE OVERVIEW

• Discovery Date: July 12, 2019.
• Cause: Lightning.
• Location (point of origin): Approximately 11 miles south of Jacob Lake, 3 miles west of Highway 67, and just east of Forest Road 761 near Oquer Canyon on the North Kaibab Ranger District of the Kaibab National Forest.
• Current Resources: 5 engines, 1 water tender, 1 dozer, and miscellaneous fire management personnel. Total personnel approximately 54.
• Current Size: About 19,368 acres within the 19,368 planning area. No additional perimeter growth is expected. Pockets of unburned vegetation remain within the wildfire’s interior and may be consumed over the coming days.
• Predicted Smoke Impacts: Smoke is expected to be visible from both the north and south rims of Grand Canyon National Park, Jacob Lake, Highway 67, Highway 89A, Fredonia and Page. However, overall smoke impacts from the Castle Fire are expected to decrease significantly over the next week. To learn more about smoke and public health, visit http://bit.ly/SmokeHealthAwareness.
• Current Closures: The Kaibab National Forest has implemented a temporary Closure Order for the Castle Fire area in order to provide for public and firefighter safety.  For specific information about the Closure Order, please visit: https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/6439/.
• Recent and Current Operations: Fire crews will continue to patrol, monitor, mop up the fire, and remove hazard trees over the next several days. A Temporary Flight Restriction (TFR) is in place over the fire area. 

Kaibab National Forest information is available through the following sources:

 

• Castle Fire Inciweb Page: https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/6439/
• Kaibab National Forest Website: www.fs.usda.gov/kaibab  
• Twitter: www.twitter.com/KaibabNF 
• Facebook: www.facebook.com/KaibabNF
• Flickr: http://bit.ly/CastleFire2019

 

 

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