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Tenderfoot Fire Updates

BLM Phoenix District

UPDATE, 6/13/16, 7 a.m.:

Residents of Yarnell and Peeples Valley have been allowed to return to their homes as crews make progress containing the Tenderfoot Fire. No other evacuation orders are in place and officials do not anticipate further orders. 

The fire is now at 4,087 acres and is 40 percent contained. Fire managers say it remains active in the northern portion, but ground crews are working to suppress hot spots by patrolling the area. A Burned Area Emergency Response Team will also begin work early this week to assess the area's ecological recovery needs.

The fire began Wed, June 8. Officials say it was human caused and the fire is under investigation. 

http://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/4774/

UPDATE, 6/11/16, 8 a.m.:

Yarnell residents east of State Route 89 are still under mandatory evacuation due to the Tenderfoot Fire. Residents of Peeples Valley on the west side of SR 89 are still under a  precautionary alert. The highway has also been reopened by the Arizona Department of Transportation. The Tenderfoot Fire is at 4,040 acres and remains at 10 percent. The incident commander says crews are making progress fighting the blaze.

http://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/4774

UPDATE 6/10/16, 9 a.m.:

The evacuation orders for more than 250 people in Yarnell and the residents of 30 homes in Peeples Valley are still in effect Friday morning as a result of the Tenderfoot Fire. The blaze was mapped by a morning infrared overflight and its current size is 3,300 acres. It was downgraded from an earlier estimate of 5,000 acres. The fire is still at 10 percent containment.

A type 2 incident command team assumed control of the firefighting operations this morning. Officials say the Tenderfoot Fire was human-caused and the blaze remains under investigation. State Route 89 also remains closed between mileposts 275 and 282. 

UPDATE, 6/9/16, 3 p.m.:

Officials have ordered the mandatory evacuation of 30 additional homes in Peeples Valley near Yarnell because of the Tenderfoot Fire. It affects the eastside of State Route 89. They say the order is for precautionary reasons and not because of any imminent threat. Officials also report increased activity on the north side of the fire.

Credit SWT3
The Tenderfoot Fire burns in Yarnell and Peeples Valley Thu, June 9.

In addition, the Federal Emergency Management Agency has authorized federal funds for fighting the Tenderfoot Fire. It'll assist the Arizona Department of Forestry and Fire Management and cover up to 75 percent of firefighting costs for field camps, equipment repair, materials, and supplies. FEMA officials determined the fire has the potential cause significant destruction and could represent a major disaster. The Tenderfoot Fire is currently burning on private and state land.

UPDATE, 2 p.m.:

The evacuation of 250-300 people in Yarnell remains in effect Thursday afternoon as a result of the Tenderfoot Fire. Officials say personnel on scene have made progress fighting the fire.

Credit SWT3
The plume of smoke from Tenderfoot Fire Thu, June 9

Fire officials surveyed the blaze from the air earlier today, and say it's now 1,237 acres in size and 10 percent contained. No homes have been burned, but three small structures were destroyed by the flames. In addition, State Route 89 remains closed between mileposts 275 and 282. 

For the latest information, see. http://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/4774/

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The Tenderfoot Fire prompted Yavapai County Sheriff’s officials Wednesday to evacuate between 250 and 300 residents from the town of Yarnell. The American Red Cross established an evacuation center at Yavapai College in Prescott, and Yavapai County has set up a phone bank open for public phone calls at (928) 442-5103.

Credit BLM Phoenix District
The Tenderfoot Fire burns close to residential property Thu, June 9.
Credit Les Stukenberg/The Daily Courier/AP
The Tenderfoot Fire burns on Yarnell's east side. The site is on the opposite side of town from where the June 2013 Yarnell Hill Fire took place. That fire claimed the lives of 19 Granite Mountain Hotshots.

Fire managers are hopeful, however, that the evacuation order could be lifted by noon Thursday. In addition, the Arizona Department of Transportation has closed State Route 89 between mileposts 275 and 282. ADOT says there is no estimated time yet for the the highway to reopen.

The fire began Wednesday afternoon and has burned more than 600 acres and three structures, though no homes have been lost. Fire managers say crews have made progress fighting the Tenderfoot Fire, and now have it 10 percent contained. Crews are conducting burnout operations and utilizing helicopters and planes to douse the flames. They say the it could be fully contained by next week.

The Tenderfoot Fire is burning on the east side of Yarnell. The June 2013 Yarnell Hill Fire that claimed the lives of 19 Granite Mountain Hotshots took place on the west side of the town.

Animal Disaster Services is on site to take small pets, and larger animals can be taken to the Prescott Rodeo Grounds. The fire is under investigation and no cause has yet been identified. For more information on the Tenderfoot Fire, see http://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/4774/

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