Approximate Location
Incident Overview
The lightning-ignited Aspen Fire was reported on July 29 and is located on the Walhalla Plateau approximately 4 miles east of the North Rim developed area. Fire managers expect the Aspen Fire to continue burning with fire activity responding to changes in weather, terrain, and available fuels (pine needles, grass, downed branches and logs). Smoke from this fire may be visible from both rims within the Grand Canyon National Park and surrounding area vistas.
Benefits of this fire include clearing out dead and down vegetation on the forest floor, rejuvenating the soil for new plant growth, creating a mosaic of wildlife habitats, and reducing the spread and intensity of future wildfires.
Basic Information
| Incident Type | Wildfire |
|---|---|
| Cause | Lightning |
| Date of Origin | Wednesday July 29th, 2009 approx. 12:00 AM |
| Location | Walhalla Plateau approx. 4 miles E of the North Rim developed area |
| Incident Commander | Carl Schwope |
Current Situation
| Total Personnel | 22 |
|---|---|
| Size | 4,207 acres |
| Fuels Involved | The fire is consuming dead pine needles, branches, and downed logs within a mixed forest of pine, fir, oak and locust. The fire is spreading through a previous 2001 burn area. Heavy dead and down logs are being consumed. |
| Fire Behavior | The fire continues to smolder in isolated locations to the south and along the western perimeter as it drops off the rim and ignites material along the steep slope. |
Outlook
| Planned Actions | Fire personnel continue to monitor fire and road conditions along the Cape Royal Road. |
|---|---|
| Terrain Difficulty | Medium |
| Remarks | All roads and facilities in the park are open. The fire is expected to continue burning until significant rain falls over the area. |
Current Weather
| Wind Conditions | 8-12 mph SW |
|---|---|
| Temperature | 72 degrees |
| Humidity | 39-44% |
