Approximate Location
Incident Overview
Management of the Water Wheel Fire will transfer from the Arizona Central West Zone Incident Management Team to a local Type IV Incident Management Team from the Tonto National Forest at 6 p.m. today. Construction of fire line has been completed around the perimeter of the fire. Firefighters will continue to hold the line and mop up. Rehabilitation of fire lines is occurring where the fire has cooled.
The fire area remains closed to the public. Public access in the area is restricted to the roadways and private property. Houston Mesa Road between Beaver Valley and Whispering Pines remains closed. Whispering Pines is only accessible by the Control Road. This closure is due to the presence of rolling debris, hazard trees overhanging the road, and burned guard rails.
Road closures in the area include: FR 199 and FR 198, FR 199 and the road to Freedom Acres (FR 1357), FR 64 and FR 199 at Whispering Pines, FR 64 and FR 1190, and FR 64 and FR 198, and FR 64 and FR 233.
After noon today, any public inquiries should be directed to (928) 474-7900.
Basic Information
| Incident Type | Wildfire |
|---|---|
| Cause | Under Investigation |
| Date of Origin | Sunday August 30th, 2009 approx. 01:50 PM |
| Location | 7 miles NE Payson |
| Incident Commander | Tony Sciacca |
Current Situation
| Total Personnel | 326 |
|---|---|
| Size | 773 acres |
| Percent Contained | 90% |
| Estimated Containment Date | Saturday September 05th, 2009 approx. 12:00 AM |
| Fuels Involved | Decadent brush fuels and timber stringers |
| Fire Behavior | Today's fire behavior: Low fire behavior, most activity on the northern flank. Occasional, isolated torching, mostly smoldering. |
| Significant Events | Reset and consolidated divisions based on successful implementation of direct attack strategy. Initiated rehab activities on DIVs A & Z. Crews continued to build direct line on DIV Y. |
Outlook
| Planned Actions | Planned actions for next operational period: The Team will transfer incident back to Payson Ranger District @ 1800 on 9/3/09. Continue to mop up on DIV Y and rehab activities on all divisions. |
|---|---|
| Growth Potential | Low |
| Terrain Difficulty | Steep, rugged -- high difficulty. |
| Remarks | Close-out meeting is planned for 0900 on 9/4/09 in Payson. |
Current Weather
| Wind Conditions | 8 mph N |
|---|---|
| Temperature | 84 degrees |
| Humidity | 20% |
