UPDATE – 7:43 p.m. Jordan Ellis, Information Specialist, Color Country Interagency Fire Center, has confirmed to St. George News that the evacuations for the 6 Mile Wildfire have been lifted and the people ae able to return to their homes.
Highway 389 has been reopened by Arizona Department of Transportation, with signs for slower than normal traffic flow.
Ellis says that while containment has not been declared, the fire progression has been stopped. The fire fighting resources have secured the fire line, and crews will remain through the night to monitor it with new crews (5 or 6 new engines) returning in the morning Tuesday to attack it further.
Structures were threatened, Ellis confirms, but he has no specific information on any actual damage to structures at this time.
Current GPS exact appraisal of acreage burned is 650 acres.
FREDONIA, ARIZONA – A human caused fire broke out at 2:43 PM June 27, in the region of Mile marker 33 on Highway 389 in Arizona, near Fredonia, 70 miles east of St. George. What was first assessed as 50 acres burning is now at 200 acres as of 5 p.m.
Nick Howell, Fire Information Officer with Bureau of Land Management Color Country, confirms that parts of Fredonia have been asked to evacuate. Mile 6 Village has also been asked to evacuate as well.
“This fire is definitely human caused,” says Howell. He says there have been no lightning strikes during the time period of this fire starting, which eliminates the likelihood of any natural cause.
“There is no containment yet, but it sounds like they’re making good progress. They have the heads knocked down, which means the major progession has been put down.”
As Howell approaches the scene of the fire, he observes, “I’m not seeing huge smoke – and that’s a good sign.” He continues that his best prediction is that containment will be achieved tonight.
Interagency crews are engaged, with 4 Color Country Engines, 1 Helicopter, 3 Single Engine Air Tankers (called “SEATS” – small crop duster sized planes), 1 Air Tanker, 1 Air Attack, and various local volunteer resources.
Although evacuations have been urged as a precaution, Howell says that he is unaware of any structural damage occuring thus far.
Highway 389 is closed in that region. However, it is open from St. George through Hildale and Colorado City and further.
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My friend and I drove up on this just as it was roaring out of control. The flames were high and a strong wind was blowing. The fire fighters did a good job of getting this under control because when we cam back to the road about two hours later they had the fire pretty much knocked down. We were going to Kanab so we just turned around and drove through Cane beds past coral pink sand dunes and out to 89.
Why is the Cottonwood Fire photo used for this story? That is misleading.
Dear “shot for shot” – I actually posted with the story on our facebook, that we were expecting photo OF this actual fire incoming from one of the fire investigators, and would replace the photo as received. We did not receive a photo as this fire progression was being halted and our fire fighting authorities were understandably engaged in their first priority – fighting the fire.
Please understand we are chasing down the important information on these fires breaking out all over the place – but we are a small staff still and cannot become fire chasers on the ground. When we don’t have feet on the ground on location, we work with the best we have, photo-wise, and publish accurate reporting on these as they happen.
Your point is well taken though, for those who are not following the facebook post as first gate to the story – in future stories (which we expect will happen this fire season) we will take care to caption photos that are not specific to the fire as such.
Dear “shot for shot” – I actually posted with the story on our facebook, that we were expecting photo OF this actual fire incoming from one of the fire investigators, and would replace the photo as received. We did not receive a photo as this fire progression was being halted and our fire fighting authorities were understandably engaged in their first priority – fighting the fire.
Please understand we are chasing down the important information on these fires breaking out all over the place – but we are a small staff still and cannot become fire chasers on the ground. When we don’t have feet on the ground on location, we work with the best we have, photo-wise, and publish accurate reporting on these as they happen.
Your point is well taken though, for those who are not following the facebook post as first gate to the story – in future stories (which we expect will happen this fire season) we will take care to caption photos that are not specific to the fire as such.