Following 82% containment of the Bravo Fire taking place at Camp Navajo, an Arizona National Guard facility south of Bellemont, 22 miles north of Sedona and nine miles east of Flagstaff, the Arizona Department of Emergency and Military Affairs announced at 1:31 p.m. on Tuesday, June 11, that the department and local agencies were demobilizing and transferring the response to the Arizona Department of Forestry and Fire Management.
Hot and windy conditions fueled the growth of the fire, which started on Wednesday, June 5, and grew to approximately 960 acres, a decrease from an original estimate of 1,400 acres, after reduced smoke allowed for more accurate mapping, the DEMA stated in a press release on June 7, which also announced that “forward fire progression [was] stopped.”
At the peak of firefighting operations, the wildfire was being suppressed by 150 firefighters, eight air tankers, an air attack aircraft and a lead plane, four helicopters, multiple engines, two Hotshot crews and two hand crews.
Coconino and Yavapai counties, Prescott and Coconino National Forests and the Sedona Fire District imposed Stage 1 fire restrictions on Thursday, June 6, in response to weather conditions.
“Under Stage 1 restrictions, fires, campfires, charcoal, coal, wood stoves, and smudge pots are prohibited, except within a developed recreation site,” a June 4 press release from the Coconino National Forest stated. “Smoking is also prohibited, except within an enclosed vehicle, building or a developed recreation site. Fireworks are always prohibited on all national forests.”
SFD Risk Reduction Division Chief Dori Booth said on Wednesday, June 12, that discussions about imposing Stage 2 restrictions will begin next week.
“A lot of us moved our fire danger to very high this week and we’re teetering on the extreme fire risk just because of how dry it’s been,” Booth said. “And then with the storms coming in potentially this weekend, we’re pretty concerned about dry lightning strikes or even lightning strikes in general.”
“Details on the origin of the [Bravo] Fire will remain under investigation for the next few weeks,” DEMA spokeswoman Maj. Erin Hannigan said in a press release.
Visit Emergency Notification System at CoconinoAZ.gov for more information about the county’s Emergency Notification System. To sign up for emergency alerts from the city of Sedona, visit SedonaAz.gov/alerts or text REDROCKS to 888777; for Coconino County, visit coconino.az.gov/ready; and for Yavapai County, visit ycsoaz.gov/ens.
