Firefighters continued their efforts on the Bear Fire, located along the
Mogollon Rim north of Sedona and the Secret Mountain Wilderness, working
mostly on the ground as today’s high winds in the area made conditions
unsuitable for helicopter operations.
The fire is currently burning at moderate intensity, but since it’s nestled
on a slope in rough terrain, it does have potential to move along the side
of the ridge and gain momentum up adjacent ravines. Fire Managers are
planning a burnout operation in order to reduce the fuels at the top of the
ridge, and reduce the likelihood of the fire making any good runs north.
The burnout operation is planned for Sunday – the first day that winds are
forecast to be calm enough to safely ignite – and should be approximately
300 acres. Smoke will be visible from Sedona.
