Grand Canyon Fire Update: June 11, 2009

Date: June 11, 2009
Contact: Shannan Marcak, 928-638-7958

Grand Canyon, Ariz. – Two lightening strike fires are currently burning within Grand Canyon National park.  All roads and services within Grand Canyon National Park are open.

The Quincy Fire
The Quincy Fire is 80 acres in size and is located on the North Rim, northwest of Point Imperial at FR610.  On Saturday, June 6, suppression efforts began on the Quincy fire when windy conditions caused undesirable fire behaviors.  On Sunday, June 7, firefighters completed a fire line around the fire.  As of today, the fire is 100% contained and fire personnel will continue to regularly patrol the fire.

The Game Reserve Fire
The Game Reserve Fire is located on the South Rim approximately 1.5 miles northwest of the Grandview Lookout tower (about 9 miles southeast of Grand Canyon Village.)  This fire is approximately 280 acres in size and is being managed with both protection and resource benefit objectives. 

On its north and east sides, the Game Reserve Fire is being managed with protection objectives.  On the north side, it is being held at the power line on the south side of Hwy 64 with the objective of keeping fire south of the power line.  On the east side, fire managers plan to hold the fire at park road e10.  The east perimeter of the fire continues to exhibit little activity.

On the south and west sides, the Game Reserve Fire is being managed for resource benefit.  The benefits fire managers hope to achieve include reducing unnatural fuel accumulations and returning fire to its natural role in a fire-dependent ecosystem. 

This fire continues to spread slowly to the south and to flank to the west, and is creating a healthy mosaic of burned and unburned areas as it moves through the forest.  The southeastern edge of this fire has crossed the park boundary onto the Kaibab National Forest. 

NPS and US Forest Service fire managers have already met several times to discuss management options as the Game Reserve and Ruby Fire (burning on the Kaibab National Forest 1.5 miles southwest of the Game Reserve Fire) move across the landscape toward each other.  Fire officials are now making plans to manage the two fires under one organization.

Smoke and some fire activity from the Game Reserve Fire are visible from Hwy 64 in the general vicinity of Grandview Point.  To facilitate traffic flow, park visitors are asked not to stop or pull over in the vicinity of the fire.

The Trick Fire
The Trick Fire was located on the South rim approximately 2 miles west-southwest of the junction of Hwy 64 and the Grandview Point road.  This fire has been declared “out.”

Updates on these three fires will be provided as significant changes in size, activity, or fire management objectives occur.

To learn more about the role of fire in Grand Canyon National Park, please visit the park’s fire management page at www.nps.gov/grca/parkmgmt/firemanagement.htm.  To keep track of current fire activity in the park, please go to www.nps.gov/grca/parkmgmt/fire_info.htm. 

-NPS-