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Wildfire Update, 06/27/21: Rafael, Backbone And Wyrick Fires

KNAU

BACKBONE FIRE UPDATE, 06/27/21

Crews are making progress on the Backbone Fire burning west of Strawberry and Pine. However, officials with the Southwest Area Incident Management Team expect increased fire danger today due to hot, dry conditions and strong winds from the northeast. The Backbone Fire has so far burned more than 40,000 acres and is 35% contained. Evacuation orders remain in place for residents of Strawberry. Residents of Pine were allowed to return home Saturday and are currently on SET status. Crews today are working on the fire’s edge looking for hot spots. They are being assisted by drones with infrared and aircraft doing bucket drops when necessary. The fire continues to remain on the east side of the Verde River. 
Backbone Fire Information 
• Phone: 928-362-4088                                                           
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BackboneFireInfo/ 
• InciWeb: https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/7545/       
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/backbone_fire
RAFAEL FIRE UPDATE, 06/27/21
The Rafael Fire burning southwest of Flagstaff has so far burned more than 62,000 acres and is 11% contained. Evacuations remain in place for Sycamore Canyon and Loy Ranch. Communities in SET status include Garland Prairie South and North, Grey Ranch, Windmill Ranch and Bear Mountain. On READY status are areas south of Williams, Sherwood Forest, Camp Navajo, west of I-17 and south of I-40, Westwood Estates, Flagstaff Ranch (including W.L. Gore), Kachina Village, Pine Dell, Forest Highlands, Mountain Del, University Heights, Equestrian Estates, Upper Oak Creek Canyon, West Fore, Lower Oak Creek Canyon, and Sedona. Yesterday, crews conducted burnout operations and completed a containment line from Turkey Butte Lookout to the Boy Scout camp on the northeast edge of the fire. Today, crews will patrol and mop up the line. They’ll also look for hot spots near the Backbone Fire’s origin. Fire managers say this operation was designed to keep the fire moving northeast toward Flagstaff. 
For information on evacuation status, and fire activity, there will be a virtual community meeting every day at 6 p.m. until further notice, on the Incident Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/RafaelFireInfo/
WYRICK FIRE UPDATE, 06/27/21
The Wyrick Fire burning on the Apache-Sitgreaves National Forest near Heber-Overgaard is nearly 60% contained. An evacuation order for the area was lifted several days ago. Fire crews today will monitor, hold and improve existing fire lines in places they can safely access. The Apache-Sigreaves National Forest is one of several Arizona national forests currently closed to the public due to extreme fire danger.