A national crew will take over management of a wildfire burning 16 miles south of Prescott.
A Type-One Incident Management Team will assume operations on the Cellar Fire, which is now estimated at 8,000-acres in size.
Cellar Fire public information officer Gabrielle Kenton says the new management team is better equipped to handle the fire’s growing complexity.“They just have more personnel, they have access to more equipment, and higher priority for getting, for instance, air resources.”
The Yavapai County Sheriff's Office has advised residents in the communities of Tortilla Flat, Walker, Groom Creek, Wolf Creek, Potato Patch and Indian Creek to stay aware of conditions, but it notes there are no evacuation orders at this time.
Crews are working to contain the fire on its north and west flanks.
Officials say smoke from the fire is visible in the Prescott area, and smoke could drift as far as New Mexico in the coming days.
