Sedona AZ (September 20, 2018) – The Platypus/Rhino Fire received moisture throughout the day yesterday, and fire behavior greatly diminished.
With warm dry weather ahead, some potential for fire activity remains, especially near the southern edge of the original Rhino Fire where fingers of vegetation run through steep, rugged canyons.
Significant growth is not anticipated, but firefighters will continue to closely monitor the area. If activity increases, some smoke would likely be noticeable from the Flagstaff and Sedona areas.
Incident Commander Trainee Brian Blanchard said, “Yesterday’s rains definitely helped, but as the fuels dry out over the next couple of days, there’s still a chance we could see some areas pick back up. It did a couple weeks ago after receiving a good amount of monsoonal rains, so we’re going to keep a close eye on it for a while.”
A helicopter is available to assist with suppression efforts should the need arise, and ground crews will continue working along the northern and eastern perimeters, patrolling and mopping up containment lines.
PLATYPUS/RHINO FIRE OVERVIEW ()
Discovery date: July 28, 2018
Cause: Lightning
Tactics: Full suppression
Location: Approximately 6 miles northwest of Sedona in Red Rock Secret Mountain Wilderness. (Lat/Long: 34.94291, -111.8701)
Current size: 5,812 acres
Containment: 40%
Resources: Approximately 60 personnel
Predicted smoke impacts: Smoke should be light and would follow similar patterns as days past –north and northeast during the day and settle in low-laying areas at night.
The Incident Commanders and Forest Service are continuing to work closely with the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality to monitor smoke impacts. Individuals sensitive to smoke can learn how to protect their health by visiting the Coconino County Public Health Service District website at http://bit.ly/SmokeHealthAwareness.
Current closures: Secret Mountain Trail No. 109 (http://bit.ly/SecretMtnTrail), Secret Canyon Trail No. 121 (Secret Canyon Trail No 121) and Loy Canyon Trail No. 5 (Loy Canyon Trail No 5)