Tag Archives: Jar Fire

Mason Fire reaches final size of 4,370 acres

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mason004aTUSYAN — The Mason Fire on the Tusayan Ranger District of the Kaibab National Forest has been contained after growing to 4,370 acres and providing multiple resource benefits since it started a few weeks ago.

The Mason Fire, located 7 miles southeast of Tusayan and 4 miles south of Grandview Lookout Tower, was one of four lightning-caused wildfires being managed as part of the Jar Complex to achieve ecological and other resource and community protection objectives. The Old Fire eventually merged with the larger Mason Fire, while the Lost and Shale fires that were located just east of Highway 64 several miles south of Tusayan never grew larger than about an acre in size each due to persistent rain showers over their locations.

“The Lost and Shale fires were in an ideal location, and we hoped they would eventually pick up in activity so that fire could move across the landscape,” said Quentin Johnson, fire management officer for the Tusayan Ranger District and incident commander for the Jar Complex. “But it was the Mason Fire that ended up having the most growth potential, and we are pleased that it reached the size it did.”

The Mason Fire burned at low-to-moderate levels of intensity over the course of its existence and had effects fire managers said were important in enhancing wildlife habitat, reducing the potential for future high-intensity fires, and improving forest health conditions.

As noted by Bruce Hill, fire lookout at Red Butte and a valued member of the Tusayan Ranger District fire organization, the Mason Fire not only met resource objectives but did so without impacting visibility at Grand Canyon National Park, an accomplishment that is not always easy to achieve given the district’s location just south of the iconic canyon.

While smoke was visible at times from Desert View, Cameron, Tusayan and highways 64 and 180, impacts were short-lived and mostly isolated to light smoke sinking into low-lying areas south of Tusayan along Highway 64 in the early morning hours on a few days.

Johnson added that he was proud that fire was able to play its natural role as a disturbance factor in the ecosystem and, that during its 22 days of spread, there were no injuries to fire fighters involved in its management.

The Mason and Old fires were both managed within a predefined 16,100-acre planning area. However, as the fires merged and then spread into sparser fuels, they naturally started dying out on their own. Then, significant precipitation associated with Hurricane Delores reached the Mason Fire over the weekend, putting it out almost entirely.

“For us, a planning area represents where we would be comfortable with and think the fire could eventually spread given the right conditions,” said Johnson. “It doesn’t mean it’s always going to get there, and that’s okay. We are allowing the fire to do what it would have naturally done historically. It would have been started by lightning during monsoon season, moved around for days or weeks, and then been put out by rain or by reaching natural landscape features. That’s exactly what happened with the Mason Fire. To me, that’s a success story.”

Williams and Tusayan Ranger District fire reports.

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WILLIAMS — Managers of the Williams Ranger District of the Kaibab National Forest have decided to manage the 98-acre Springs Fire to meet resource objectives but suppress the 17-acre Key Hole Fire.

The Springs Fire is located about 9 miles south of the City of Williams east of Davenport Knoll and 2 miles south of Summit Mountain on the east side of County Road 73. The lightning-caused wildfire has been growing over the last few days due to drier weather conditions and is burning in an area managers consider to be in need of treatment with fire.

Based on the location of the Springs Fire and its continued growth despite intermittent monsoonal activity, fire managers have decided to manage it over the coming days and possibly weeks in order to improve forest health, allow fire to play its natural role as a disturbance factor in the ecosystem, enhance wildlife habitat, and reduce the potential for future high-intensity fires.

Smoke from the Springs Fire has been visible at various times from County Road 73 and from Interstate 40 in the Parks area west to Williams. This morning, light smoke from the Springs Fire was noticeable in Williams for a brief period before lifting as temperatures increased. Light smoke may also be present from as far east as Garland Prairie west to Williams. There are no closures in effect related to the Springs Fire.

Fire crews are conducting work in preparation for the Springs Fire’s likely growth. Prep work includes lining range fences, aspen enclosures, and other potentially fire-sensitive resources in the area. This important work ensures that as the fire spreads naturally, fire managers will be able to allow it to grow without the risk of negatively impacting these other values in the area.

While the Springs Fire has proven to be a good candidate for management to achieve resource objectives, the Key Hole Fire, which is located just north of Key Hole Sink near Duck Lake north of Interstate 40, has not. Fire crews are suppressing the Key Hole Fire because it has remained relatively inactive due to receiving significant precipitation over the last week or more. When deciding whether to manage or suppress a wildfire, forest managers not only consider the location of the fire but also its current and anticipated level of activity and growth, as well as the effects it is having on forest resources.

Mason Fire

On the Tusayan Ranger District of the Kaibab National Forest, the Mason Fire grew to 3,056 acres yesterday as it backed out of an area dominated by ponderosa pine into pinyon-juniper woodlands. The fire, which has been managed as part of the Jar Complex to benefit forest resources over the last couple of weeks, is expected to continue slowly backing into these sparser fuels and eventually go out on its own. Fire managers anticipate relatively light smoke production over the coming days and reduced fire activity due to sparser fuels and predicted monsoons in the area later this week.

Mason Fire produces less smoke, continues to slowly increase in size

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TUSAYAN — The Mason Fire, a resources benefit fire on the Kaibab National Forest, is transitioning out of an area dominated by ponderosa pine into a portion of the forest that is mainly a pinyon and juniper ecotone, which, according to incident commander Quentin Johnson, will not burn at as rapid a rate or produce as much smoke.

Therefore, fire managers have decided to reduce the amount of firefighters needed to manage the fire, which will be allowed to burn until it reaches the edge of the management area. “The crews will continue with the same tasks, but there are fewer of them needed to manage the fire at this point,” said Johnson.

The 2,570-acre Mason Fire, located 7 miles southeast of the Town of Tusayan and 4 miles south of Grandview Lookout Tower, is the most active of the four lightning-caused wildfires that were included in the Jar Complex to provide ecological and other resource and community protection benefits in the area. The Mason Fire merged with the Old Fire yesterday and will be managed as one fire.

Motorists should continue to practice extra caution on the forest roads in the area of the Mason Fire and when driving highways 64 and 180 during the early morning. Smoke production from the Jar Complex is expected to be lighter over the next few days due to increasing cloud cover and monsoonal activity. However, it may still be visible from Desert View, Cameron, Tusayan, and highways 64 and 180. Overnight and during the early morning hours, smoke has settled closer to Tusayan and south toward Red Butte. However, as the sun warms up the morning air, that smoke has been lifting and dissipating quickly.

Mason and Old fires merge, treating 2,200 acres southeast of Tusayan

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mason004TUSAYAN — As anticipated by fire managers, two lightning-caused wildfires being managed to improve forest health on the Tusayan Ranger District of the Kaibab National Forest merged yesterday, bringing the total number of acres treated to 2,200. The Mason and Old fires, which are part of the Jar Complex, are located about 7 miles southeast of the Town of Tusayan and 4 miles south of Grandview Lookout Tower.

The two fires are being managed to achieve resource objectives such as enhancing wildlife habitat and reducing the potential for future high-intensity wildland fires within a predetermined 16,100-acre planning area. Today, fire managers expect the combined Mason and Old fires to continue backing through ponderosa pine forest toward the south southwest between forest roads 2733 and 684A/684.

“We expected that the Mason and Old fires would eventually merge,” said Josh Miller, assistant fire management officer for the Tusayan Ranger District. “This is not only good for treating accumulated fuels such as pine needles, brush and small trees in the forest, but it’s also good for ensuring the safety of our fire crews. Managing one fire in an area is safer so that we never have unburned fuels between an active fire and our firefighters. All of our management actions to date have been planned and implemented in anticipation of these fires eventually merging.”

Smoke production from the Jar Complex is expected to be lighter over the next few days due to increasing cloud cover and monsoonal activity. However, it may still be visible from Desert View, Cameron, Tusayan, and highways 64 and 180. Overnight and during the early morning hours, smoke has settled closer to Tusayan and south toward Red Butte. However, as the sun warms up the morning air, that smoke has been lifting and dissipating quickly. Motorists should watch for smoke and use extra caution when driving highways 64 and 180 in the early morning hours.

Mason Fire, Old Fire expected to merge today

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TUSYAN — The Mason Fire and Old Fire, both lightning caused, are expected to grow together today to form one wildfire. The 1,915-acre Mason Fire is one of four lightning-caused wildfires being managed on the district as part of the Jar Complex to provide ecological and other resource and community protection benefits in the area.

The Mason Fire and Old Fire are both being managed within a predefined 16,100-acre planning area, located about 7 miles southeast of the Town of Tusayan and 4 miles south of Grandview Lookout Tower.

The other two managed fires, Lost and Shale, located east of Highway 64 are showing little to no activity despite the warmer temperatures. Firefighters will continue to monitor these locations, but fire managers expect no growth on these two fires today.

However, the Mason Fire is also expected to grow to the south and east along Forest Road 684 today and more smoke is expected to impact the area. There are no road closures expected in the area of the fire. Road crews are continuing to haul gravel, blade, and make other improvements to the heavily-used roads located north of the active fire area along Forest Roads 301, 301A, 302 and 320. Motorists are urged to use extreme caution when traveling in and around this vicinity due to smoke and firefighters working along the roads.

Smoke from the Mason Fire during the day continues to blow northeast towards Desert View in the Grand Canyon and Cameron, Ariz. In the early mornings, cooler temperatures and a shift in wind direction brings the smoke closer to the ground making it visible in the Town of Tusayan and as far south as Red Butte. However, it will lift and change direction as temperatures increase. Please use caution driving along Highway 64 and Highway 180 during the cooler early morning hours.

Mason Fire expected to grow as drier conditions return to northern Arizona

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TUSAYAN — Kaibab National Forest fire managers expect the 450-acre Mason Fire that is being managed to achieve resource objectives on the Tusayan Ranger District to grow more rapidly over the next few days as drier conditions return to northern Arizona.

Mason is one of four lightning-caused wildfires being managed as part of the Jar Complex to improve forest health, allow fire to play its natural role as a disturbance factor in the ecosystem, enhance wildlife habitat, and reduce the potential for future high-intensity fires.

Today, firefighters will conduct management ignitions at strategic locations within the planning area established for the Mason Fire in order to protect fire-sensitive resources, reinforce predefined boundaries to fire spread, and create areas burned at low intensity ahead of the main fire in order to reduce the potential for any rapid, higher-intensity fire progression during windy, dry conditions.

Specifically, firefighters will use drip torches to burn fuels west along Forest Road 304 from the existing fire area to FR 2733 and then potentially south along FR 2733. FR 2733 serves as the western perimeter of the 16,100-acre planning area established for both the Mason and Old fires. The planning area is located about 7 miles southeast of the Town of Tusayan and 4 miles south of Grandview Lookout Tower. The Old Fire, which is also being managed to benefit forest resources, remains at about five acres in size but is also expected to become more active given the local drying trend.

“Prior to human settlement in this area, lightning would have caused fires during monsoon season that would have then spread unimpeded until they were rained out or moved into areas of sparse fuels,” said Tusayan District Ranger James Simino. “Managing these naturally-caused fires helps us mimic those historic conditions, which is critical to preventing high-intensity, potentially destructive fires during months like May and June when rain isn’t typically associated with them.”

A road crew is continuing to haul gravel, blade, and make other improvements to heavily-used roads in the fire area. Motorists using forest roads 301, 301A, 302 and 320 are asked to use caution due to the presence of heavy equipment for the road improvement work and firefighting trucks and personnel.

Smoke from the Mason Fire is becoming more prominent as it continues growing and becoming more active. Due to prevailing winds, smoke will largely be pushed toward the northeast, making it visible from Desert View in Grand Canyon National Park and from Cameron, Ariz. Smoke from the four fires may eventually become more visible from other areas including the Town of Tusayan, Highway 64 and Highway 180.

Mason Fire growing steadily despite recent rains

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Fire activity increased on the Mason Fire due to higher winds and less precipitation. – Kaibab Forest Service photo

TUSAYAN — Fire managers are pleased with the continued steady growth of the Mason Fire despite recent rains across much of the Tusayan Ranger District of the Kaibab National Forest. The 430-acre Mason Fire is one of four lightning-caused wildfires being managed on the district as part of the Jar Complex to provide ecological and other resource and community protection benefits in the area.

Kaibab Forest Service Photo

Kaibab Forest Service Photo

The Mason Fire will be managed within a predefined 16,100-acre planning area that also includes the Old Fire, which grew to almost five acres in size yesterday. The planning area is located about 7 miles southeast of the Town of Tusayan and 4 miles south of Grandview Lookout Tower.

The other two fires being managed on the Tusayan Ranger District for forest health and other resource-related objectives are the Lost and Shale fires. Each fire is under an acre in size, and neither has shown much activity over the last few days due to consistent rain showers in the area they are located, which is east of Highway 64 several miles south of Tusayan.

Today, fire crews will continue work in preparation for fire growth including lining archaeological sites, trick tanks, range fences and any other potentially fire-sensitive resources within the established boundaries for the fires. While fire crews conduct prep work, a road crew will continue hauling gravel, blading, and making other improvements to heavily-used roads in the fire areas. Motorists using forest roads 301, 301A, 302 and 320 are asked to use caution due to the presence of heavy equipment for the road improvement work and firefighting trucks and personnel.

Smoke from the Mason Fire is becoming more prominent as it continues growing and becoming more active. Due to prevailing winds, smoke will largely be pushed toward the northeast, making it visible from Desert View in Grand Canyon National Park and from Cameron, Ariz. Smoke from the four fires may eventually become more visible from other areas including the Town of Tusayan, Highway 64 and Highway 180.

Jar Complex grows to more than 280 acres, provides ecological benefits

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TUSAYAN — The largest of the four fires in the Jar Complex on the Tusayan Ranger District grew to 280 acres yesterday, providing ecological and other resource benefits on the Kaibab National Forest.

The Mason Fire, located just southwest of Camp 36 Tank about 4 miles south of Grandview Lookout Tower, remains the most active of the fires that are being managed to enhance forest health and wildlife habitat while reducing the potential for high-intensity wildland fires in the future.

Yesterday, fire crews were successful in conducting management ignitions along the northeastern boundary of the 16,100-acre Mason Fire planning area. This work reinforced established perimeters for the fire’s eventual growth and also protected range fences and other potentially fire-sensitive resources in the area.
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The Old Fire, which is also within the Mason Fire planning area, is still active but remains at under an acre in size due to rainfall over the last few days. It is located west of Forest Road 2736 just north of Old Automobile Tank. Fire managers remain hopeful it will pick up in activity if weather conditions become drier over the next several days.

Also burning on the Tusayan Ranger District are the Lost and Shale fires, each about an acre in size. Fire managers have established a 3,600-acre planning area in which these two fires will be allowed to expand in order to provide greater protection to the Town of Tusayan and other nearby infrastructure. The planning area for the fires runs east along Highway 64 starting about 5 miles south of Tusayan and continuing south to Forest Road 308.

Today, fire crews will continue work in preparation for fire growth including lining archaeological sites, trick tanks, range fences and any other potentially fire-sensitive resources within the established planning areas. While fire crews conduct prep work, a road crew will continue hauling gravel, blading, and making other improvements to heavily-used roads in the fire areas. Motorists using forest roads 301, 301A, 302 and 320 are asked to use caution due to the presence of heavy equipment for the road improvement work and firefighting trucks and personnel.

Smoke from the Mason Fire was visible yesterday and will likely be more prominent over the coming days and weeks. Due to prevailing winds, smoke will largely be pushed toward the northeast, making it visible from Desert View in Grand Canyon National Park and from Cameron, Ariz. As the four fires pick up in activity, smoke columns are likely to become more visible from other areas including the Town of Tusayan, Highway 64 and Highway 180.

Management ignitions to begin along perimeter of Jar Complex planning area

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TUSAYAN — With drier conditions and higher winds predicted for today, firefighters will begin management ignitions along perimeter roads of the Mason Fire planning area in order to reinforce boundaries established for the fire and protect fire-sensitive resources such as range fences.

The Mason Fire, which is the largest of the four lightning-caused fires that are part of the Jar Complex on the Tusayan Ranger District of the Kaibab National Forest, grew to 85 acres yesterday and is expected to pick up in activity today due to the changing weather conditions. The Mason Fire is located just southwest of Camp 36 Tank about 4 miles south of Grandview Lookout Tower and is burning predominantly in ponderosa pine.

Today, fire managers will use drip torches to burn fuels along Forest Road 301A from its intersection with FR 317 west toward FR 304. FR 301A serves as the northeastern boundary of the 16,100-acre planning area established for the Mason and Old fires, which are being managed to achieve resource-related objectives such as allowing fire to play its natural role in a fire-adapted ecosystem and improving overall forest health conditions. The Old Fire, located west of Forest Road 2736 just north of Old Automobile Tank, remains at under an acre in size but will likely increase in both size and activity as conditions dry out.

The other two fires that are part of the Jar Complex are the Lost and Shale fires, which are each just under an acre in size. The Lost Fire is located about 6 miles south of Tusayan and a quarter mile east of Highway 64. The Shale Fire is about a mile southeast of the Lost Fire just west of the junction of forest roads 2703 and 2703A. Fire managers have defined a 3,600-acre planning area within which the two fires will be allowed to grow over the coming days and weeks.

Besides conducting management ignitions along the northeastern boundary of the Mason Fire planning area today, firefighters will also continue additional work in preparation for fire growth including lining archaeological sites, trick tanks, range fences and any other potentially fire-sensitive resources within the established planning areas. Crews will also continue grading and making other improvements to roads in the area. Motorists using forest roads 301, 301A, 302 and 320 are asked to use caution due to the presence of heavy equipment for the road improvement work and firefighting trucks and personnel.

While smoke from the fires has not been very visible over the last few days due to cloud cover and rain, drier conditions in the forecast are expected to lead to increased fire activity and smoke production. The Mason Fire is most likely to produce smoke visible by members of the public. Due to prevailing winds, smoke will largely be pushed toward the northeast, making it visible from Desert View in Grand Canyon National Park and from Cameron, Ariz. As the four fires pick up in activity, smoke columns are likely to become more visible from other areas including the Town of Tusayan, Highway 64 and Highway 180.

The Kaibab Forest Service may appear to have trouble keeping the fires burning with the rains we have received and this may make campers complacent with fire. Campers are reminded that they still must show the proper respect and caution with campfires. Your camping area may just be drier than other areas.

Campers should have a bucket and shovel and make sure that campfires are cool to the touch before leaving.

New fire start added to Jar Complex on Tusayan Ranger District

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TUSAYAN — A new fire started by lightning was added to three other fires being managed to achieve resource objectives on the Tusayan Ranger District of the Kaibab National Forest.

The quarter-acre Old Fire is located west of Forest Road 2736 just north of Old Automobile Tank and is within the 16,100-acre planning area already established by fire managers for the Mason Fire. With the addition of the Old Fire, there are now four fires being managed within two planning areas as part of the Jar Complex, the goal of which is to improve forest health and reduce the potential for future high-intensity wildland fires on the Tusayan Ranger District.

The fastest growing of the four fires continues to be the Mason Fire, which is about 65 acres in size and is located just southwest of Camp 36 Tank about 4 miles south of Grandview Lookout Tower. If weather conditions allow, the Mason and Old fires will be able to grow within the predefined 16,100-acre management area over the next several weeks.

In a separate 3,600-acre planning area, the Lost and Shale fires continue to smolder but haven’t shown much growth due to rain showers over the last few days. They are each under an acre in size but could become more active if there is a drying trend in the area. The Lost Fire is located about 6 miles south of Tusayan and a quarter mile east of Highway 64. The Shale Fire is about a mile southeast of the Lost Fire just west of the junction of forest roads 2703 and 2703A.

The combined planning area acreage for the four fires in the Jar Complex is about 19,700 acres. The overall strategy for fire managers is to allow the fires to play their natural role as disturbance factors in the ecosystem within that predetermined area, which will provide a variety of ecological and other resource and community protection benefits.

The Mason Fire is most likely to produce smoke visible by members of the public over the next few days. Due to prevailing winds, smoke will largely be pushed toward the northeast, making it visible from Desert View in Grand Canyon National Park and from Cameron, Ariz. As the four fires pick up in activity over the coming days and weeks, smoke columns are likely to become more visible from other areas including the Town of Tusayan, Highway 64 and Highway 180.

“It is common for us to get a number of lightning-caused fires during monsoon season,” said Quentin Johnson, fire management officer for the Tusayan Ranger District and the incident commander for the Jar Complex. “If the fires get started in areas appropriate for managing them, we try to take those opportunities. In the long run, the forest will be healthier, our communities will be safer, and the fires that do get started will be much more like the historic fires that burned naturally across this landscape.”

Additional Jar Complex information, photos and maps are available through the following sources: InciWeb http://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/4344/; Kaibab National Forest Fire Information Phone Line (928) 635-8311; Text Message – text ‘follow kaibabnf’ to 40404.