Wild bears raided a food supply at one camp and officials have closed U.S. Hwy. 191 as they deal with the cleanup of a fuel spill caused by a truck wreck.
U.S Forest Service spokesman Eric Neitzel said late Friday, May 28, the KP fire has burned about 13,000 acres. The blaze is three miles from Hannagan Meadow Lodge. The KP fire is about 90 percent contained. Fire officials said crews worked two solid days using nearly continuous burnout operations to keep the fire from spreading south. Crew efforts combined with helicopter aerial ignition resulted in the successful burnout of the entire southern portion of the fire. Cost of fighting the fire is, so far, $3 million.
Burnouts are used to eliminate anything that can feed the fire.
Helicopters dropped water near the fire line to prevent embers from spreading beyond the line. Favorable conditions allowed Hotshot crews to advance eastward sooner than expected.
Investigators have determined the fire was caused by an abandoned campfire. On Sunday, Forest Service Special Agent Pancho Smith said a team of investigators gathered evidence at the campsite in KP Creek. Anyone with information about people camping at KP Creek between May 15 and 17 is urged to call. Callers may remain anonymous if they wish.
Trail Closed
Officials announced that U.S. Hwy. 191, also known as the Coronado Trail, will be closed for up to three weeks. The closure begins at Milepost 202, about 30 miles north of Morenci. Those traveling from communities in Greenlee County should use State Route 78 (Mule Creek Road), 10 miles south of Clifton.
Hannagan Meadow Lodge remains open to those who have prior arrangements to visit. The lodge is accessible from Alpine, about 25 miles to the north.
The road below Hannagan is closed while crews clean up a 2,000-gallon spill of gasoline and diesel. The fuel spilled into an Eagle Creek tributary near Stray Horse Campground when a fuel truck went off the road, down an embankment and rolled over on May 22. The truck was carrying fuel for fire fighting equipment.
The truck's driver, whose name has not been released, was seriously injured and transported to a hospital in Tucson.
A USFS spokesman said the trucking company has contracted a HazMat (Hazardous Materials) cleanup company to remove and replace contaminated soil. The process is expected to last until mid- or late June.
Those Darned Bears
Bears created an unpleasant surprise at a spike camp. They gained access to the camp's food cache and ate sack lunches left for fire fighters. However, the bears rejected the MRE (Meals Ready to Eat) rations stacked nearby. The food had been flown in by helicopter.
Helicopters have played a key role in firefighting efforts. The choppers have been used to ferry crews and equipment and to drop large buckets of water on the fire.
On May 29 burnout operations were supported by five helicopters that transported crews into remote locations and aided burnouts by cooling hot spots on the fire line.
Operations Section Chief Jim Copeland of the incident management team said airspace above the fire was 'definitively full' of helicopters.
Pigeon, Rose Fires
The Pigeon and Rose fires north of Clifton are 100 percent contained. The Pigeon fire was about 15 miles north of Clifton. The Rose fire was 15 miles further north.
Both began as prescribed burns. Due to unusually high winds, both spread from their containment areas.
