WILLIAMS — A new lightning caused wildfire has ignited on the Williams Ranger district on the south side of Sitgreaves Mountain. It is currently burning in steep terrain within the 2014 Sitgreaves wildfire burn scar.

The Bald fire is currently burning in ponderosa pine and does have the potential to expand over the next several days as monsoon moisture is forecasted to temporarily subside. An engine crew was on scene the day of discovery on July 22 and will continue to monitor fire behavior daily taking appropriate actions as necessary.

The decision to monitor this fire will not only benefit forest resources, but will also ensure the safety of firefighters by limiting exposure of people working on steep slopes. Due to the location in a pre-burned area, this fire is not considered to pose a threat to adjacent developed areas at this time.

Smoke will be visible from a wide area and could occasionally impact the communities surrounding Sitgreaves Mountain and the Interstate 40 corridor. Motorists are asked to be aware of fire personnel and vehicles and use caution when ever driving near the vicinity of a fire.

For additional information the following sources are available:

InciWeb: inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/6006/
Website: www.fs.usda.gov/kaibab
Twitter: twitter.com/kaibabnf
Facebook: www.facebook.com/KaibabNF/
Kaibab National Forest Fire Information Phone Line (928) 635-8311.