Contact: Shannan Marcak, 928-638-7958
Grand Canyon, Arizona-The Point Fire experienced moderate low-intensity growth this week due to a warmer and dryer weather trend with occasional cloud cover. The Tipover Fire, discovered August 3, also experienced minimal low-intensity growth. A third fire, the Over Fire, was discovered August 9, approximately one half mile south of the Tipover Fire. Minimal fire growth was observed on the Over Fire this week. All three fires are now being managed by a single Type 3 incident management organization. The Point, Tipover and Over fires were naturally ignited by lightning and are being managed for multiple objectives, including returning fire to fire-dependent ecosystem and reducing hazardous accumulations of forest fuels in a low intensity fashion that minimizes fire severity. All three fires are staffed with fire managers monitoring fire effects and growth potential. The weather predictions are for a continued drying and warming trend for the next several days with a chance of scattered thunderstorms. With this weather pattern, additional fire growth is anticipated.
Start Date: July 4, 2011 Location: Approximately 10 miles west of the North Rim developed area in the vicinity of Walla Valley and Point Sublime. The North Rim sits an elevation of approximately 8,000 feet above sea level. Size: 1,490 acres Fuels: Ponderosa Pine with occasional patches of mixed conifer
Management Objectives: The Point Fire is being managed to achieve multiple objectives. • Resource objectives for the fire include maintaining fire in a fire-adapted ecosystem, reducing hazardous accumulations of forest fuels and recycling of forest nutrients. Smoke Impacts: During periods of increased fire activity, smoke from the Point Fire is visible from US Highway 64 as far south as Valle, South Rim viewpoints, the Rim Trail, US Highway 67, the North Rim entrance station and some North Rim viewpoints. Coordination with the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality is ongoing.
Start Date: August 3, 2011 Location: Approximately 6 miles north of the Point Fire, 5 miles west of Highway 67 and 10 miles northwest of the North rim developed area. The North Rim sits at an elevation of approximately 8,000 feet. Size: 10.5 acres Fuels: Ponderosa Pine and mixed conifer Management objectives: The Tipover Fire is being managed for multiple objectives. • Resource objectives for the fire include maintaining fire in a fire-adapted ecosystem, reducing hazardous accumulations of forest fuels and recycling of forest nutrients. Closures: There are no closures related to the Tipover Fire Smoke: Smoke from the Tipover Fire is currently visible from Highway 67.
Start Date: August 9, 2011 Location: Approximately one half mile south of the Tipover Fire Size: 2 acres Fuels: Ponderosa Pine and mixed conifer Management objectives: The Tipover Fire is being managed for multiple objectives. • Resource objectives for the fire include maintaining fire in a fire-adapted ecosystem, reducing hazardous accumulations of forest fuels and recycling of forest nutrients. Closures: There are no closures related to the Over Fire Smoke: Smoke from the Over Fire is currently visible from Highway 67.
You can follow the progress of all three fires as well view maps and pictures of the fires on |
Last updated: February 24, 2015