Chitty Fire Update
Incident: Chitty Wildland Fire
Released: 7/7/2007
LOCATION: The Chitty Fire is on the Clifton and Alpine Ranger Districts of the Apache-Sitgreaves
National Forests; the fire is burning in the Chitty Canyon area adjacent to Highway 191 and Blue Vista
Overlook. Forest Road 54 at the top of the Mogollon Rim and Highway 191are being used as a fireline.
Estimated distance from Alpine, AZ to the fire is about 27 miles to the south.
STARTED: June 30, 2007 at 4:30 P.M. CAUSE: Lightning CONTAINMENT: 60%
ACRES: 10,350 acres. Acreage increase is primarily due to continued burnout operations.
FUELS: The fire is burning in ponderosa pine, Douglas fir, spruce, and white fir vegetation on a steep,
southwest aspect which is receiving winds that tend to blow the fire uphill during the day and downhill at
night. The vegetation atop the Mogollon Rim is similar in composition and is very thick in density but the
terrain is relatively flat.
SUMMARY: Fire activity today consisted of smoldering fuels except where burning operations occurred
resulting in low to moderate activity. High relative humidity and thunderstorms occurring over the fire during the
past two days is expected to continue through Saturday. This weather pattern has influenced the fire substantially.
No structures are threatened.
Four Hot Shot Crews and four Type 2 Hand Crews are being released Saturday to be reassigned to other
incidents. Resources will continue to be released through Sunday as fire conditions permit.
RESOURCES: There are 322 personnel assigned to the fire tonight including: 4 Hot Shot crews, 6 Type 2
hand crews, 9 engines and crews, 1 dozer, and 4 water tenders. Glenn Joki's Type 2 Team is managing this
fire.
COST TO DATE: $1,294,676
CLOSURES: Forest Roads 54 and 84 are closed as is Blue Vista Overlook and KP Cienega Campground;
Highway 191 is closed presently due to heavy smoke and due to crews working adjacent to the highway.
The highway is closed at its junction with Forest Road 25 (Reno Lookout Road) south to Forest Road 475
(Juan Miller Road), about 37 miles, although the fire is impacting only about 4 miles of the highway. It is
uncertain when the highway will open again. An alternate route from Alpine to Clifton is via Highway 180
in New Mexico. Trails that are presently closed to use include: those trails on the west side of Highway 191
such as Salt House, Highline, East Eagle, and Chitty; trails into Bear Wallow Wilderness; trails in the Blue
Lookout area including KP and North Fork of KP.
What's Open: Hannagan Campground and Hannagan Meadow Lodge are open as are Upper and Lower
Juan Miller and Honeymoon campgrounds. The campgrounds in the Black River are all open. The Grant
Creek and Foote Creek trails are open.
FIRE RESTRICTIONS: Smoking and campfire restrictions are in effect on the entire Apache-Sitgreaves
National Forests which means that campfires are allowed only in certain developed campgrounds. No
campfires are allowed on the Black Mesa Ranger District (i.e. Rim Lakes area). Fireworks are prohibited at
all times.
-30
