Fredonia, Arizona:
Acres: 2,868 acres
Start Date: August 4, 2023
Cause: Lightning
Containment: 0%
Total personnel: 242
Location: 11 miles south of US 89A, near Forest Road 220, North Kaibab Ranger District, AZ
Fuels: Pinyon pine/juniper with grasses and sage
Highlights: Increased cloud cover, cooler temperatures, and higher humidity is helping to suppress fire activity on the Kane Fire. Yesterday morning, smoke was less visible over the fire area due to lighter winds. As temperatures increased in the afternoon, some smoke was visible along the fire perimeter but remained minimal. Yesterday, a reconnaissance flight detected some isolated pockets of heat, with the majority of the activity on the southeast corner of the fire area.
Operations: Firefighters continue to focus most of their efforts at the historic Kane Ranch. Crews are clearing vegetation along an aboveground pipeline that helps transport water to storage tanks at the Kane Ranch. Under the guidance of local resource advisors, crews are using heavy equipment to improve the Buffalo Ranch Road to create a barrier to fire spread. On the Kane Fire, resource advisors are developing recommendations and monitoring operational activities to minimize impacts to natural and cultural resources. These resource advisors are working alongside Division Supervisors as firefighters remove vegetation near cultural and historic sites, such as rock writing, to reduce the risk of fire damaging these sensitive resources. As thunderstorms bring more lightning to the area, dedicated crews will be available for initial attack of new fire starts.
Weather: A southerly flow off the southern California coast will bring moisture over the fire area into the weekend. A good chance of showers and thunderstorms is expected each day with lower chances at night. Winds will generally be out of the south to southwest during the day and light at night. High temperatures will range from 84 to 87 degrees at 5,400 feet in elevation, and 75 to 78 degrees at 7,400 feet.
Closures: The Kaibab National Forest has issued an emergency area closure for the Kane Fire. The purpose of the closure order is to protect public health and safety during the Kane Fire, and to protect assigned firefighting personnel engaging in wildland firefighting operations. The full closure order (No. 03-07-23-06) and map are available on the Kaibab National Forest website: https://www.fs.usda.gov/alerts/kaibab/alerts-notices.
Safety: The health and safety of firefighters and the public are always the first priority. Members of the public should stay away from Kane Fire operations. A temporary flight restriction (TFR) is in place over the area, which includes unmanned aircraft, or drones. More information on the dangers drones pose to wildland firefighting aircraft and personnel on the ground can be found at: https://uas.nifc.gov/.
Smoke: Smoke from the Kane Fire may be visible in the surrounding areas of Page, Tuba City, Tusayan, Flagstaff, and Fredonia, AZ. Although smoke is visible from many areas south of the Grand Canyon, it is generally spreading to the northeast. Smoke-sensitive individuals and people with respiratory problems or heart disease 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.
