On June 19, 2017, Coconino National Forest firefighters responded to a human-caused wildfire northeast of Fort Valley near Freidlein Prairie this morning at approximately 7 a.m.
The response included several engines, patrols, a hotshot crew and a tender water truck being dispatched to a fire burning in about a half-acre of forest land. Firefighters stopped all forward progression of the fire and are mopping up the edges of the fire currently.
The fire is producing thick smoke from heavy dead and down fuels which are piled in the area, and the smoke is visible to those in the Flagstaff area. Firefighters will remain on-scene and in the area for the remainder of the day to ensure it is completely suppressed with the current Northern Arizona weather favoring fire conditions.
The Coconino National Forest had 34 illegal campfires over the weekend, and fire personnel urge forest users to fully extinguish their campfires before leaving the area—ensuring the campfire is out cold-to-touch. Having a campfire on the national forest while under fire restrictions is a violation requiring a mandatory appearance in federal court.