Suppression Actions are Taken to Slow Progress of the Poplar Fire

Suppression efforts are being used to slow progress of the Poplar Fire, on the park’s North Rim, to prevent it from spreading onto the Kaibab National Forest and into Big Springs Canyon. These activities consist of both water and retardant drops along the northeast and east flanks the fire. In addition, members of the Northern Pueblo hotshot crew are working to contain the Corral fire, to reduce further smoke impacts.

The park’s Wildland Fire Use Strategy allows some lightning-caused fires, such as those in the Poplar Complex, to be managed for resource benefits, under specific conditions and within a predetermined area. This strategy also calls for suppression actions to be taken on portions of the fires that are not meeting resource management goals and objectives.

All fires at Grand Canyon National Park are managed with firefighter and public safety as the highest priority. To insure public safety, the W-4 Road has been closed from the Swamp Ridge Road intersection to the Point Sublime Road intersection. In addition, The Swamp Ridge Road has been closed from the National Park Service boundary to Swamp Ridge Point. This road closure eliminates access to the North Bass trail. These closures will be lifted as soon as fire behavior has moderated, and the area is considered safe for reentry. Smoke will continue to have some impacts depending on fire intensity and local wind patterns.

Fire Name	Status	Approximate Location	Start Date	Size
Big Fire	active	Big Springs area	08/23/03	320 acres
Poplar Fire	active	Big Springs area	09/04/03	1,730 acres
Corral Fire	active	North Kaibab Trailhead	08/15/03	12 acres

For additional information, please call Grand Canyon National Park's Fire Information at 928-638-7819.