The Tunnel Fire burning 14 miles northeast of Flagstaff grew to 20,198 acres overnight and weather conditions Thursday did not appear promising for its containment, according to fire officials.
The fire, burning across U.S. 89, was reported shortly before 4:30 p.m. Sunday and remained at 0% containment as of Thursday night, Dick Fleishman, an information officer for the Tunnel Fire, said. The cause is unknown and under investigation.
On Thursday night, Coconino National Forest clarified that “even though we haven’t declared a percentage of containment on this fire yet, there has been a lot of work, progress, and investment on line construction around many parts of the Tunnel Fire.”
Nothing will be declared contained until the responders are sure lines will hold through the windy conditions, Deputy Incident Commander Shelby Erickson said.
On Thursday, Gov. Doug Ducey declared a state of emergency to assist communities impacted by the fire. More than 750 households have been evacuated, according to a statement released by his office.
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The declaration of emergency will make $200,000 from the general fund available to the Director of the Arizona Division of Emergency Management Allen Clark.
“Our team is on the ground working with first responders to monitor the Tunnel Fire in Coconino County,” Ducey said in the statement. “As strong winds fuel fires across Arizona, we are doing everything we can to keep Arizonans safe. We pray for the safety of the responders and firefighters in Northern Arizona, and are thankful for their dedication to protecting the lives, pets and property of Arizonans. Our prayers are with the residents affected by the fire and we encourage everyone in the area to follow the guidance of fire officials, stay safe and respond to any evacuation notices.”
The National Weather Service in Flagstaff issued a red flag warning for parts of northern Arizona, including Flagstaff, between 11 a.m. and 8 p.m. Thursday due to high winds and low humidity.
The strong winds will continue to blow between 30 and 45 miles per hour overnight Thursday, said meteorologist Brian Klimowski. Gusts could reach 50 mph overnight.
The red flag warning and active fire behavior will continue through Thursday night.
“We need to be very careful through this period of strong winds. Anytime you have strong winds and fire the winds can be erratic and we need to take precaution,” Klimowski said.
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Tony Merriman, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Flagstaff, said that the winds, coupled with low humidity, create an environment where a wildfire could quickly grow out of control.
Fleishman said the weather Thursday was a “huge concern.”
“The wind creates issues for us because it has a tendency to blow spots out over our established lines and then we have to chase the spots,” Fleishman said. “And you know, what happened on Tuesday was definitely wind a driven event.”
The wind also limits the use of air resources, such as helicopters for water drops, to contain the fire. Fleishman said the chances of using those resources Thursday are small.
These winds will continue through Friday, bringing a cold front to northern Arizona. The cold front will raise the humidity in the area, which “lessens the fire threat” by a little bit on Friday and Saturday, Klimowski told The Republic.
About 371 fire personnel were working the fire as of Thursday evening. This included nine 20-person hand crews, five dozers, 30 engines, one air attack plane, two Type 1 helicopters and one Type 3 helicopter.
The Coconino County Board of Supervisors declared a state of emergency on Tuesday, which allows them to expend emergency funds and request support from the state of Arizona.
According to the Arizona Department of Transportation, U.S. 89 remains closed in both directions between mileposts 425 and 445 north of Flagstaff with no estimated time of reopening.
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Where is the Tunnel Fire burning?
The fire is burning northeast of Flagstaff across U.S. 89, to the east of San Francisco Mountain, the northwest of the tourist attraction Hundred Dollar Hill, the west of Black Bottom Crater and south of the Deadman Mesa mountain peak.
Tunnel Fire has covered a northwest portion of Black Bill Park and is burning in the Sunset Crater Volcano National Monument. The fire also has reached Black Mountain.
Fleishman said the western portion of the Tunnel Fire is burning through a part of the scar of Schultz Fire, which burned over 15,000 acres of forest and was the largest wildfire in Arizona in 2010. The fuels that the Schultz Fire left are more likely to the spread new fires.
“Now it’s burning through trees that have been dead for 10 years, and a lot of them have fallen on the ground and it’s more open, so there’s more grass,” Fleishman said.
Too many risks to allow residents to return
Displaced residents gathered at Sinagua Middle School in Flagstaff Wednesday afternoon where county leaders briefed the public on the fire and its status.
Coconino County Sheriff Jim Driscoll said he wished he could tell people when they could expect to return to their homes, but he said too many risks existed to allow them to return.
Driscoll said the Tunnel Fire still posed a threat and combustibles such as propane tanks remained in the area. He added that utility companies would likely need to inspect the area to ensure the area was safe as well.
Patrice Horstman, chair of the Coconino County Board of Supervisors, acknowledged the community’s fears and concerns as the Tunnel Fire continued to grow.
“We know it’s been frustrating, it’s been stressful and quite frankly it’s been very worrisome for many people who are worried about their home and their pets,” Horstman said. “We know that there are more questions right now than there are answers. But we, if we’ve learned anything, we know that we are a resilient, tight-knit community. We will get through this together and we will find the answers together.”
Evacuations for Tunnel Fire
According to the Coconino County Situational Awareness Viewer, the following areas have to evacuate:
- North of Campbell Avenue, west of U.S. 89
- North of Campbell Avenue, east of U.S. 89
- Moon Crater
The areas that should prepare for possible evacuation orders are:
- South of Campbell Avenue, west of U.S. 89
- South of Campbell Avenue, east of U.S. 89
- Antelope Hills
- Areas east of existing evacuation areas near Moon Crater, north of Leupp Road and south of Stone House Wash
Areas in a “GO” zone will remain in evacuation status until April 24 because of the change in wind direction and the high risk in the area.
There is a chance that U.S. 89 may reopen before the weekend depending on weather conditions, the U.S. Forest Service said Thursday night.
People who have evacuated their home due to the Tunnel Fire are asked to contact the call center at 928-679-8525. According to Coconino County, they are experiencing a high call volume but will respond to all voicemails.
Those unsure about an evacuation notice or who feel it might be a scam can call law enforcement agencies to confirm evacuation stages. The Coconino County Sheriff’s Office asked to call its non-emergency number at 928-774-4523 and Flagstaff Police Department at 928-774-4114.
Shelter information
A Red Cross Shelter has been opened at Sinagua Middle School at 3950 E. Butler Ave. in Flagstaff for those evacuated from areas affected by the Tunnel Fire, according to Coconino County. Animals are not allowed into the evacuation center.
Household animals can be taken to the Coconino Humane Association at 3501 E. Butler Ave. in Flagstaff and horses, goats, sheep, pigs and chickens can be taken to the Fort Tuthill County Stables. The stables are self-service so people are responsible for feeding and watering. Coconino County advised taking cages for smaller livestock.
Coconino County distributed a number of QR codes that when scanned with the camera application on a smartphone, will lead to resources available regarding evacuations and updates on the fire.
St. Mary’s Food Bank sent a truckload of bottled water and snacks for firefighters from the Tunnel Fire on Wednesday, according to spokesperson Jerry Brown. The food bank is also assisting families impacted by the fire with the help of the Flagstaff Family Food Center and sent 100 emergency food boxes on Thursday.
Brown said they will send more boxes and will be standing by with more resources as needed.
Reach breaking news reporter Angela Cordoba Perez at Angela.CordobaPerez@Gannett.com or on Twitter @AngelaCordobaP.
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