It is unknown how far the Incident Management Team intends to take the firing operation but I did some calculations. The stated goal of the project is to remove the fuel between Strawberry and Fossil Creek in order to protect the community. The operation began at the intersection of highways 260 and 87 with crews working north and south on Highway 260. Monday night firefighters began what will be a massive firing operation to defend against the 37,000-acre Backbone Fire that is threatening the communities of Strawberry and Pine, Arizona. The red dots along Highway 260 represent heat from the firing operation. MDT J3-D map of the Backbone Fire, looking west at 3:24 a.m. Firefighters install defensive sprinkler system in the Strawberry area. The communities of Pine and Strawberry are still under evacuation orders. To see all articles on Wildfire Today about the Backbone Fire, including the most recent, click HERE. Personnel and aircraft are working in the southeast area, including Hardscrabble Canyon and Deadman Mesa, to prevent fire from becoming established in the drainage. Firefighters continue to hold, patrol, and secure the east side of the fire. Preparation efforts also continue along State Route 260 and near structures and other infrastructure for additional firing operations. Contingency lines near Beasley Flat and Camp Verde are being improved. On the west side, crews continue to monitor the fire as it nears the east side of the Verde River. The last time the fire was mapped it was 38,321 acres. It also prevented additional firing operations along Highway 260. The weather Tuesday night made it impossible to obtain heat sensing data from satellites or fly the fixed wing mapping aircraft to obtain the latest perimeter information for the Backbone Fire. More than a dozen wildfires are currently burning in Arizona, most notably the Telegraph and Mescal Fires southeast of Phoenix, near Globe/Superior, which has burned 237,000 acres, according to officials.2:28 p.m. Rim Country Middle School in Payson is the Red Cross evacuation center for Strawberry and Pine evacuees.Ī shelter was also established at the Payson High School Dome as of Saturday night. This is a time where if they've left their homes, we can't control that and just leave it in the hands of our brave men who are out there fighting it for us,” says Linda Gibson, Payson USD superintendent. At the same time, it's here if they need it. “It may not be the most comfortable-like home but we will do the best we can to make it like home. They are trying to accommodate all situations. The Payson Unified School District says they are here to help those people, along with their pets and livestock. Some say it took them an hour and a half to get there. I was hoping that some of the older people that I know stay safe, I think they're out by now."Įvacuees were stuck in traffic on their way to Payson. "I've been there for 25 years I've started from the ground up. "My neighbor called me from the Valley and he says ‘hey, it's GO, get out of there now.’ So, we did,” says Olivia Schiffer, who was also evacuated from Pine. The hot, dry, and windy weather conditions have presented challenges to crews, along with limited access to the area. The Backbone Fire sparked by lightning on June 16. The dog food, the chicken food, get the chickens in the car and the dog in the car, some water, and off we went,” says Rockwell. "Hurry up and pack up the last of the stuff. He hasn't had to evacuate for a fire since Rodeo-Chediski in 2002. John Rockwell is just thankful he could grab his chickens, Iris and Lily. "The house can burn down but not the pets,” says John Rockwell, who was evacuated from Pine. It was a quick evacuation order for residents of Strawberry and Pine, too.
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