Smoke has been on the increase over the past two days as several management fires continue to burn on the Coconino National Forest. Spokesman George Jozens says the Bristow Fire near Munds Park. Crews burned the interior of the fire over the weekend so the fire should be putting off less smoke by the end of the week. He says the smoke impacts in the Sedona/Verde Valley area can be attributed to the Platypus and Rhino Fires. Jozens says the Platypus Fire has burned 300-acres and the Rhino Fire has charred 80-acres. He says crews are getting ahead of the Rhino Fire to build containment lines, but it’s too dangerous to put them next to the fires. The Surveyor Fire in Oak Creek Canyon has seen no growth over the past few days; it’s 10-acres. The Deer Fire near CC Cragin Reservoir is being allowed to burn 1,800-acres; crews may do some burnout operations on the fire this week.
