News Release

Ikes Fire Grows Due To Warmer, Drier Weather

Even after multiple rain showers the Ikes Fire continues to burn through the duff layer of needles, leaf litter, and downed logs along the forest floor. Photo taken by Jason Engle (Ikes PIO)

News Release Date: August 12, 2019

Contact: NPS Contact: Brandalyn Vonk, 602-730-6144

Contact: USFS Contact: Jacqueline Banks, 928-635-8314

Grand Canyon, AZ - The Ikes Fire has grown to 85 acres due to warmer, drier weather over the past few days. An increase in fire activity is occurring on south facing slopes due to more direct sunlight allowing vegetation to dry out from recent monsoonal activity. Fire continues to spread along the forest floor through the understory and duff layer. 
 
Approximately 40 personnel are assigned to the Ikes Fire. Firefighters are working to improve control lines along the National Park Service W4 Road and Forest Road 223. These roads serve as the southern and northern boundaries of the fire's planning area.  Over the coming days firefighters may conduct firing operations in order to keep fire activity at a low to moderate intensity. This method is used to strengthen control lines by decreasing the amount of vegetation available to the Ikes Fire as it naturally spreads toward the designated planning area boundaries. Firing operations are weather dependent and may produce smoke visible to the North and South Rims of the Grand Canyon.
 
The Ikes Fire, which started on July 25th due to lightning strike, is located 3 miles east of
Swamp Point on the North Rim of Grand Canyon National Park. The fire is less than 1 mile south of the boundary with the North Kaibab Ranger District of the Kaibab National Forest. Closures remain in effect for the Ikes Fire and more information can be found at https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/closures/6475/.
 
Fire managers will continue the strategy of confinement and containment for the Ikes Fire planning area while providing for point protection of identified sensitive natural and cultural resources. The Ikes Fire poses no danger to structures or local infrastructure.
 
Over the weekend, Grand Canyon identified 3 lightning caused fires. The Royal Fire, Sinkhole Fire, and Outlet Fire located on the North Rim of Grand Canyon National Park are 100% contained due to full suppression tactics. Suppression tactics include firefighters building containment line around the perimeter and receiving aerial support from helicopter bucket drops. The Outlet Fire may produce visible smoke to the west of the North Rim Lodge.  
 
Please visit https://www.nps.gov/grca/learn/management/firemanagement.htm for additional information about wildland fire at Grand Canyon National Park or call 928-638-7819 for recorded fire information. For additional information about the Ikes fire, visit
https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/6475/. 
 
For fire information on the Kaibab National Forest, visit www.fs.usda.gov/kaibab or
@KaibabNF on Facebook and Twitter or call [phone] for recorded fire information.