Record-breaking heat fueling rare winter Horton Fire near Payson
PHOENIX (AZFamily) — The Horton Fire has fire crews working during an unusual time of the year – New Year’s Day. However, with the fire 18 miles from Payson and less than five from smaller communities, putting it out is a top priority.
Over 200 fire personnel are working to contain the Horton Fire, which started on December 14.
Operation section chief Brandon Woodward said the fire has grown to 1,124 acres, and containment has reached 17%. The next step is using good fire to build more containment lines.
“We’re going to have to introduce fire to secure those boundaries all the way around the fire,” Woodward said.
Areas closer to the fire, like Tonto Creek Estates, Tonto Christian Camp, Tonto Fish Hatchery, and Zane Grey Cabins, are in SET evacuation status. So, protecting those areas is a top priority.
“Making sure that we’re prepared in terms of controlled features,” Woodward said. “Mapping that’s out. Gaming out alternative plans and things like that for those communities.”
Woodward said a fire at this time of year in Northern Arizona is strange.
“It’s quite odd to have a fire like this right at the holiday season,” he said
Incident meteorologist Bladen Breitreiter said it’s been an uphill battle for firefighters because of warmer-than-average temperatures.
“Some of these months have been the hottest on record for these areas,” he said.
Breitreiter said drought, mixed with below-average monsoon precipitation and recent temperatures, have created the perfect storm for high fire danger.
“You’re combining these very anomalous dry conditions with above average temperatures and then you mix in some gusty winds for elevated to even critical fire weather conditions in December and even early January,” Breitreiter said.
While most people spend their New Year’s Day with family and friends, fire crews are working to protect the Payson community.
“Everybody that’s assigned to the fire has critical work that they’ve been doing, even through Christmas and even through New Year’s Day,” Woodward said. “We applaud their efforts and missing time with their families and appreciate all the good work that’s already been done.”
There is a community meeting for the fire on Thursday evening at The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, located at 546 W Ashby Apple Dr., Payson, AZ 85541. It will also be streamed live from the Tonto National Forest Facebook page.
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