Single Publication

Acres: 11,162 
Start Date: July 11, 2024 
Location: South of Roosevelt Lake on the edge of the Superstition Wilderness 
Cause: Lightning 
Personnel: 332
Fuels: Tall Grass and Brush 
Containment: 85%
Resources:  2 Crews | 10 Engines | 1 Helicopters | 2 Bulldozers | 3 Water Tenders

Highlights: This will be the final update on the Black Fire unless there are significant changes in fire activity. Southwest Complex Incident Management Team 3 will transfer command of the Black Fire to a Type 4 organization comprised of local agency personnel at 7 a.m. Tuesday morning. Southwest Complex Incident Management Team would like to extend its gratitude to the communities affected and the cooperating agencies who have been instrumental in the success of this incident.

For Black Fire information after July 22, please contact Amanda Oliver at (530) 260-6322 or amanda.oliver@usda.gov.

Tonto National Monument plans on opening the visitors center with normal summer hours on Wednesday, July 17.

Operations: Firefighters are nearing completion of the suppression repair work and road mending.  The repair work on Forest Road 341 on the west flank of the fire from the wilderness boundary to State Route 188 has been completed. By the end of the week, the repair work along the east flat on Forest Road 1457 south to the Black Brush Ranch will be completed as well.  Patrolling and securing the perimeter of the fire will continue for the next several weeks as interior fuels may continue to smolder. One crew, five engines and two helicopters will remain assigned to the incident. As a reminder, residents near the Black Fire area need to utilize caution while driving on roads as firefighters continue to work in and around the fire area. 

Fire Restrictions:  The Tonto National Forest remains in Stage 1 Fire Restrictions.  Fire restrictions are used to limit certain activities on public lands during periods of extreme fire risk.  Know before you go before you visit our national forests or public lands.  Check on current fire restrictions at:  WildlandFire.az.gov

Weather:  Thunderstorm chances will remain in the forecast for much of the week and will generally remain over the higher terrain. Showers and thunderstorms will be hit or miss over the fire, but daily outflow winds will remain a concern each day. High temperatures will range from 100 to 105 degrees with afternoon relative humidity dropping into the lower to mid-20s.

Smoke: Individuals who are sensitive to smoke or have conditions aggravated by smoke are encouraged to take precautionary measures. An interactive smoke map at https://fire.airnow.gov/  allows you to zoom into your area to see the latest smoke conditions. 

Closures: The Tonto National Forest has issued a closure for land surrounding the Black Fire. 03-12-00-24-31_Black Fire_Closure_Order. Additionally, the Tonto National Monument is closed. National Park Service Alerts.

Evacuations: For current evacuation information please call Gila County Emergency Management at 928-910-4009 EXT 1 or visit the Gila County Government Facebook page at -  https://www.facebook.com/gilacountygovernment/

Safety: The health and safety of firefighters and the public are always the highest priority. Please avoid the area while crews conduct fire suppression operations. Citizens are urged to sign up for the Gila and Maricopa County Emergency Notification System. To learn more about the Arizona Emergency Information Network visit: https://ein.az.gov/ready-set-go.