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on Monday to warn of increased fire danger due to heat and single-digit humidity levels. (Public domain photo via the National Wildfire Coordinating Group) Weather conditionsĪ red-flag weather warning was in effect in the fire zone until at least 8 p.m. “We’ve seen a lot of support from folks all around this fire.” A massive plume from the Black Fire on June 9, 2022. “It’s really been a pleasure for us to work here in these communities,” Burks said. Even if the Black Fire doesn’t get near there, the information will be passed on to the local community for future use in wildfire scenarios. The next crew will continue to build lines on the southeast side to block the spread, as well as contingency lines and backup plans, he said.įirefighters are also taking stock of the Hillsboro area as a precautionary measure, getting information on structures there. “And there’s a really solid plan in place moving forward that we’re going to hand off.” “Everybody’s feeling really positive about where this fire’s at, feeling good about the work that’s been done,” Burks said. It’s standard for fire personnel to work for two weeks before they’re required to take mandatory days off to prevent extensive fatigue, Burks said. Incoming firefighters were debriefed Sunday and have been shadowing people who’ve been on the field. The next team will relieve personnel who’ve been out there the last couple of weeks. Even existing roads, like Highway 152, can act as barriers when firefighters remove vegetation. It’s not expected to go beyond set fire lines, said Evan Burks, spokesperson for Southwest Area Incident Management Team 3, the crew in command until Tuesday morning.įirefighters continue to make lines - breaks in the vegetation - with hand tools and bulldozers. It’s expected to expand in the Easy Canyon, the crest of the Black Range and Granite Mountain. Most uncontained areas remain along the southern edges of the Black Fire. Still, with the rains can come floods in burned regions, and responders are preparing for that, too. Dry weather across the Gila and Aldo Leopold Wilderness in the next few days will likely speed the fire’s growth, though the approaching monsoon season, which typically starts mid-June, could provide relief in the following weeks.