Single Publication

Firefighters continue rapid response to new fire starts 

Daily Update – Tuesday, August 6, 2024 

Highlights: Crews conducted an aerial reconnaissance flight yesterday to assess the progress of all fires and look for any additional new starts. The Southwest Incident Management Team 4 continues to respond to the fires within their designated response area while also lending resources to the Tonto National Forest. The two Superscoopers that assisted on the Sand Stone Fire last week have returned from Idaho and Colorado to support the firefighting efforts. Firefighters will remain in place near Deer Creek and Rye to protect structures from the nearby Deer and Y Bar Fires.  

Total personnel on all incidents: 388     

Y Bar Fire:   Acres: 191          Containment: 0%       Start Date: 8/4/2024        Fuels: Grass, brush  

Operations: The Y Bar Fire is burning in steep, inaccessible terrain on the border and within the Mazatzal Wilderness. The fire is actively burning upslope and spreading upcanyon through desert grass and brush, pushed by terrain winds and thunderstorm outflows. Firefighters constructed a dozer line yesterday and will work to connect this line into existing roads outside the wilderness. As the fire backs into the bottom of Shake Tree Canyon, crews are working to prevent fire from crossing the drainage bottom to the east to protect the communities of Deer Creek and Rye.   

Deer Fire:      Acres: 355         Containment: 18%      Start Date: 7/17/2024      Fuels: Grass, timber  

Operations: The Deer Fire is slowly backing, creeping, and smoldering in grass and timber litter. Firefighters will continue to identify natural holding features and contingency lines for the Deer Fire. Crews will conduct another aerial reconnaissance flight tomorrow to monitor fire growth and behavior.  

Sand Stone Fire:   Acres: 27,390     Containment: 82%     Start Date: 7/25/2024      Fuels: Grass, brush  

Operations: Yesterday’s reconnaissance flight over the Sand Stone Fire showed minimal activity. Firefighters have successfully increased containment of the fire to 82%. Firefighters are continuing to monitor for any heat sources while holding and completing primary and secondary perimeter lines. The nearby Round 3 Fire also showed little activity, aside from a few interior pockets of smoke.  

Weather: Today brings a greater risk for strong to severe thunderstorms with a 60% chance of showers. Although temperatures will be cooler today than yesterday, these storms could be more widespread or numerous and contain stronger outflows and downdrafts which has the potential to increase fire activity. A more typical monsoonal pattern of scattered activity and warmer temperatures is expected to return later in the week.   

Smoke: Smoke may be visible from Fountain Hills, Sunflower, Deer Creek, Rye, Rio Verde, Goldfield, and unincorporated communities in the Rio Verde Foothills. An interactive smoke map is available at https://fire.airnow.gov/.  

Closures: 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. Drivers are reminded to use caution and be aware of firefighters working along State Route 87. The temporary flight restriction (TFR) for the Sand Stone Fire will be removed later day. A new TFR is currently in place for the Y Bar Fire. 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 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