In an email this morning from BLM, the following progress has been made on the Hobble Complex Fire, just 20 miles southeast of Mesquite:
*Morning update: The Hobble Complex and Plateau Fire received significant precipitation last night according to crews on scene. Fire activity on both fires diminished significantly as a result. This weather system resulted in diminishing fire activity on all fires on the Arizona Strip. Incident management teams are reassessing size and condition of fires this morning. More information on size/acreage will be available later today.
Smoke: Yesterday’s weather caused the Hobble Complex to grow rapidly producing significant smoke that came north into St. George. The smoke traveled north to St. George as a result and settled in town last night. As temperatures increase today, smoke will begin to lift and clear from the area. We expect to see smoke in and around the St. George area for the next couple of days.
A Color Country Type III (T3) Team is in command of the Hobble Complex and another Color Country Type III Team is in command of the Plateau Fire. Firefighting resources are very scarce across Color Country because of the number of fires burning throughout the West and in neighboring states such as Idaho and Utah. Several fires are also burning within Arizona and the Color Country region which requires a prioritization process for the allocation of resources. Fires are prioritized based on known values at risk such as urban interface (such as residential), rangeland, wildlife habitat, and cultural values and others.
Start Date: Wednesday, July 11, 2012 late afternoon.
Locations: Hobble Complex approximately 35 miles south of St. George, Utah near the Grand Wash Cliffs on the Grand Canyon-Parashant National Monument. Plateau Fire approximately 65 miles south of St. George near Snap Point on the Grand Canyon-Parashant National Monument.
Jurisdiction: Bureau of Land Management, Arizona Strip District.
Fire Size: Hobble Complex updated estimate is18,000 acres. Plateau Fire 4,500 acres. (Note: one acre is equivalent to one football field).
Cause: Lightning
Fire Behavior: Diminished significantly last night.
Closures: Roads surrounding each fire are being closed for public safety purposes this afternoon.
Structures: Several structures related to ranching are threatened including out buildings, (barns/sheds).
Percent Contained: Containment is unknown at this time and is weather and resource availability dependent.
Fuels: Cheatgrass and pinyon/juniper trees on both fires.
Fire Crews/Resources: Clint Coates’ Color Country Interagency Type III team is in command of the Hobble Complex. Colt Coat’s Color Country Interagency Type III type is in command of the Plateau Fire. A mix of single engine air tankers, Type I Helicopters, several engines are currently working on these fires.
Evacuations: N/A
Injuries: N/A
For more information on fires in Arizona & on the Arizona Strip visit https://twitter.com/BLMAZFire (@BLMAZFire) or http://www.facebook.com/BLMArizona
For more information on fires in Utah visit www.utahfireinfo.gov.
For more information on fires across the country, visit www.inciweb.org.