Progress, numbers updated on Museum Fire

The Flagstaff-area Museum Fire was 10 percent contained, as of Tuesday evening, and is now sized at 1,400 acres — much of it rugged terrain around Mt. Elden. Courtesy photo

The Flagstaff-area Museum Fire was 10 percent contained, as of Tuesday evening, and is now sized at 1,400 acres — much of it rugged terrain around Mt. Elden. Courtesy photo

FLAGSTAFF — Firefighters took advantage of favorable weather conditions Tuesday to conduct burnout operations on the north edge of the Museum Fire, burning since last weekend near the north edge of the city and close to several residential neighborhoods.

The fire was 10 percent contained, as of Tuesday evening, and is now sized at 1,400 acres — much of it rugged terrain around Mt. Elden.

Increased smoke may be noticeable as burnout operations continue, weather permitting. Those burnout operations started in real earnest Tuesday.

Crews are looking for opportunities to implement direct suppression tactics where they can be successful, given the steep and rocky terrain. Firefighters worked to suppress spot fires in the 1977 Radio Fire burn scar and to contain the fire along Mt. Elden Lookout Road.

Crews continue to construct and connect fire line as well as performing structure assessment and preparation work.

Helicopters dropped water to cool hotspots within the fire perimeter.

The Type 1 incident management eam has ordered an infrared flight over the fire to obtain a more accurate assessment of current fire size but smoke and weather conditions have affected the ability to obtain accurate acreage.

Leaders of the team and other officials detailed the progress, along with upcoming flooding concerns, and took questions Tuesday evening in a community meeting held at Flagstaff High School.

Questions regarding evacuation status and procedures should be directed to Coconino County Call Center at 928-213-2990, staffed between 8 a.m. and 10 p.m. daily.

Evacuation orders remain in place for Mount Elden Lookout Road. The Red Cross is operating a shelter for those who have been displaced from their homes at Sinagua Middle School (3950 E. Butler Ave. Flagstaff).

Several nearby communities remain in pre-evacuation status including Peak View Country Store, Magdalena, Kelly McCoy, Forest Hills, Valley Crest, Lockett Ranch, Mount Elden Lookout Estates, north and west of Highway 89 and Silver Saddle, Hutcheson Acres, McCann Estates, Little Elden Springs, Black Bill Park, Wupatki Trails, Pine Mountain Estates, West of Highway 89 from Railhead north to Townsend-Winona, including the KOA Campground, and Christmas Tree Estates.

Follow @CoconinoNF on Twitter. Also, the incident management page can be found here.:


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