White Mountain Joint Information System

Eastern Arizona Type 2 Incident Management Team

Boggy and Paradise Fires

Sunday June 13, 2010 9:00 a.m.

Contact: Jonetta Trued, Public Information Officer 520-400-1007

Bill Bishop, Public Information Officer 623-341-4001

Website Info: www.inciweb.org

Boggy Fire Location:

• Alpine Ranger District, Apache-Sitgreaves National Forest
• 18 miles WSW of Alpine, AZ in Greenlee County
• Approximately 820 acres
• Cause: Lightning strike

Paradise Fire Location:

• Alpine Ranger District, Apache-Sitgreaves National Forest
• 16 miles SSW of Alpine, AZ in Greenlee County
• Approximately 525 acres
• Cause: Lightning strike

Summary: The Boggy Fire is burning in long needle pine with a grass understory and mixed conifer in the drainages. Saturday’s observed fire behavior included smoldering and creeping. Despite wind gusts of up to 25 mph on Saturday, the fire perimeter held and firefighters successfully mopped up and extinguished remaining hot spots. Observed fire behavior on the Paradise Fire, included 4- to 6-foot flame lengths in heavy down fuels. The fire continues to move minimally toward the southwest and northeast. Fire managers have developed management action plans in conjunction with meeting resource objectives for the Paradise Fire.

Resources Assigned: Personnel: Approximately 251, including six Type 1 handcrews (Hotshots), two Type 2 handcrews, two Type 1 helicopters, one Type 3 helicopter, eight engines, two dozers, and five water tenders.

Area Closure: Visitors who plan to access the Wildcat Crossing area of the Black River should be aware that Forest Road 25 will be closed north of Wildcat Crossing on the south end and at the intersection of Forest Road 25 and 25G on the north end. Visitors may still access the Big Lake area.

Trail Closures: The Grant Creek Trail (No. 75) and Paradise Trail (No. 74) are closed to the public due to fire activity in the area.

Information on all fire activities in southern Apache and Navajo counties is available by dialing “593 from a Frontier network landline or by dialing (928) 333-3412 from all other locations. This recorded fire information is updated daily.

Apache County Sheriff’s Department has confirmed that there were four persons on board the single engine Piper airplane that crashed into Round Valley High School yesterday.
The National Transportation Safety Board will be holding a press conference at the Round Valley High School tomorrow Sunday 6-12-2010 at 12:30 PM.
Map.. http://bit.ly/duSacF

Citizens affected by the plane crash at the Round Valley High School are allowed to return home. The shelter at the Round Valley Middle School has been closed.

A small plane crashed into a building at the Round Valley High School. Law Enforcement from Eagar, Springerville, St Johns, DPS, Apache County and Navajo County are on scene. Fire Departments from Eagar, Springerville, St Johns, Alpine, Vernon, Pinetop and Show Low are also on scene. A temporary shelter is being set up at the Round Valley Middle School by the American Red Cross and Apache County Public Health Services District for evacuees from the homes surrounding the high school. Please stay tuned for further updates.

A small plane crashed into a Round Valley High School building. It is not known at this time if anyone was in the building. No word on the pilot’s condition. Apache County and Navajo County are responding to the scene.