Coconino National Forest spokeswoman Brienne Magee told NAZ Today that the smoke is from the Mountainaire Burn, which is a 500-acre prescribed burn south of Flagstaff near Mountainaire.  Only 150 acres were burned because of “ventilation concerns,” and crews decided to stop the burn. 

Fire conditions were determined to be good this morning, says Magee, but as conditions changed throughout the day, managers decided to shut down the burn.

Magee says that smoke will continue to drift north and east from the fire and cold weather overnight will allow for the smoke to continue to affect Flagstaff into the overnight hours.

Flames and smoke are visible in Flagstaff from a burnout operation on the western side of the Schultz Fire midday Thursday (Patrick Walker/NAZ Today)

FLAGSTAFF (NAZ Today)– A controlled burn produced  a large plume of smoke above the western edge of the Schultz Fire today, but the controlled fire helped to contain the main fire.

The fire grew slightly to 14,800 acres, but the big news is that successful burnout operations helped crews increase containment on the fire, to 40 percent.

The smoke from the burnout began rising at about 12 noon today, and the large plume began spreading eastward over Highway 89.

Malis-Clark said that the burnout is working. “It’s going very well,” she said.  ”It’s being done today to help ‘button up’ the fireline before the forecast ‘red flag’ high wind event tomorrow.”

According to the National Weather Service, winds will start out calm in the morning Friday before picking up to sustained south-southwesterly winds of 20-25 mph in the afternoon, with gusts in the 35 mph range. Breezy conditions are expected to continue into the early morning hours Saturday.

Firefighters will work through the night to continue to improve fire lines and mop up along existing lines.

Smoke billowing from a burnout on the western flank of the Schultz Fire (Patrick Walker/NAZ Today)

WILLIAMS (NAZ Today, 9:45 PM)– A rapidly-spreading wildfire has forced 50 people to evacuate from their homes northeast of Williams.

Smoke from the Eagle Rock Fire over the San Francisco Peaks, as seen from Meteor Crater near Winslow (Photo: Patrick Walker/NAZ Today)

The Kaibab National Forest is reporting that the Eagle Rock Fire  scorched 1,000 acres on Wednesday.  Sustained southwest winds of 25 miles per hour with gusts to 55 mph prevented air tankers from fighting the fire, although helicopters were active throughout the day.

250 firefighters are fighting the fire as of 9 pm, and they will continue to fight the fire overnight.  The Northern Arizona Type-2 Incident Management Team will take over management of the fire starting Thursday morning, according to  Kaibab National Forest officials.

KNF Fire Information Officer Punky Moore said in a release that the fire spread rapidly during the day Wednesday and firefighters had to keep up with the fire spotting, meaning embers blown ahead of the main blaze were starting small fires, helping it to grow.

Coconino County Sheriff’s Office deputies and volunteers went door-to-door issuing evacuation orders to Spring Valley residences located between Forest Service Rd 76 and County Rd 141, near the junction with County Rd 144.  Around 50 people ended up evacuating, according to Moore.

3:30 PM cell phone picture from I-40 in Williams (Courtesy: Donia Gillespie)

Four air tankers are on order to help fight the fire when the winds in the area die down.

The cause of the blaze is listed as unknown as Wednesday evening.

Forecasters are expecting the winds to be much lighter for Thursday.

The fire was first spotted and reported by the Kendrick Mountain fire lookout tower late this morning.

Stick with NAZToday.com for continuing coverage of the Eagle Rock Fire.

The 89 Mesa Fire was reported at around noon Thursday. (Photo: Chad Black/APSN.us)

FLAGSTAFF (NAZ Today)– 8 PM MST– Firefighters are trying to get a handle on a 550+ acre wildfire burning nine miles northeast of Flagstaff.

Fire crews responded to a reported 25-acre wildfire fueled by high winds at around noon Thursday.  The Coconino National Forest requested a Type-1 firefighting helicopter upon arrival to help with fighting the fire.  As of 1 pm, the 89 Mesa Fire had grown to about 100 acres, fueled by 30-35 mile per hour sustained winds.

By 3 pm, winds helped a spot fire start on the east side of US 89, but fire crews were able to put that fire out after it burned around 30 acres. The fire had grown to 150 acres by this point, and a Type-2 incident management team was requested to help manage the fire.

The 89 Mesa Fire is burning 7 miles north of Flagstaff. (Photo: Chad Black/APSN)

The National Weather Service issued a Red Flag Warning for winds and dangerous fire conditions that was in effect until 7 pm.  Wind gusts of up to 50 miles per hour were anticipated throughout the day and into the evening hours.

Coconino National Forest and Summit Fire Department crews are on scene fighting the blaze.  Two hot shot crews and over 150 firefighters were working on the fire by nightfall, according various reports from crews in the field.

DPS officers turn around motorists on US 89. The highway was closed for some time Thursday afternoon due to fire burning on both sides of the road. (Photo: Chad Black/APSN.us)

By 5 pm, the 89 Mesa Fire had grown to 300 acres.  Firefighters still had not established any containment on the wildfire.  Coconino National Forest Spokesperson Brady Smith described the fire as a “wind-driven surface fire.”

Currently, the fire is listed at 550 acres.  Forest Service Spokesperson Brienne Magee says that the fire has slowed down tonight as winds have subsided. The fire is 0% contained, and a Type-2 incident management team will take over managing the fire at 6 am.

A USFS dozer moving into action on FR 420. (Courtesy: Brienne Magee/USFS Coconino National Forest)

US 89 reopened shortly after 6pm, but is restricted to one lane in each direction. Magee says that the fire is human caused, but the details are under investigation.

Summit Fire Department firefighters are standing by in the Wupatki Estates neighborhood in case homes become endangered again as the fire grows.  Power lines in the area are also threatened.  No evacuations have been ordered at this time.

Stay with NAZToday.com for the latest on this developing wildfire.

Smoke west of Flagstaff as seen from NAU's campus. (Photo: Patrick Walker/ NAZ Today)

FLAGSTAFF (NAZ Today)– Gusty winds have spread smoke southward from a prescribed burn near Flagstaff.  The burn is the Woody Ridge broadcast burn, located near US 180 and Snowbowl Road.

Forest Service spokesman Brady Smith says that officials decided to conduct the burn today in hopes that the wind would carry the smoke away from Flagstaff.

The Arizona Public Safety News Network contributed to this report.

A Type-1 helicopter dips into White Horse Lake, Aug. 17, 2009 (Photo: Chad Black/apsn.us)

8/22UPDATE:  The Taylor Fire has now reached 95% containment.  Management of the fire has been handed over from the Type I operation over to the local Type III managers.  The remaining fire crews are working to improve the containment lines around the fire.

Hunting season began Friday, August 21, 2009. Hunters in area 6B need to be aware of the following emergency fire area closure (Order Number 04-09-10-F): The area is closed starting at the junction of Forest Road (FR) 538D and 538, east along FR 538D to FR 231A, southeast along FR 231A to FR 231, southeast to FR539, west along FR539 to FR 6249, west 1.5 miles to power line, southwest along the power line to the Taylor Cabin Trail, northwest to Winter Cabin Trail, northeast along Winter Cabin Trail to the Kelsey Springs trail junction, east to the junction of FR 538 and 538D. Kelsey Springs, Taylor Cabin and Winter Cabin trails are closed.

The following roads will remain open for thru traffic only: FR 231A, 231, and 538D. This order became effective at 6:00 AM, August 21, 2009, and will remain in force until September 21, 2009 or until rescinded.

8/19 UPDATE:  The Taylor Fire is now 85% contained.  Fire crews have been working throug out the day to secure and extend lines around the Taylor Fire.  In some areas of the fire mop-up and rehabilitation operations have started.   Protective fire wrap that was placed on the Fernow cabin was scheduled for removal today.  Officials at the Coconino National Forest also reports what they describe as a large demobilization of crews.  Some crews have begun to be released from the fire.

While heavy smoke and ash have significantly subsided throughout the region officials are still concerned about lingering smoke in some areas, including the Verde Valley.

8 P.M. 8/18 UPDATE:  With a total of 3,545 acres already burned, fire crews working on the Taylor Fire have now achieved 65 percent containment.

Throughout the day smoke has drifted to the south into the Verde Valley and Sedona area.  Some smoke was still present in the Flagstaff area, but the inversion effect that caused yesterday’s dense smoke had subsided.

As of this evening a total of 595 fire fighters from around the region are working to control the Taylor Fire.

11 A.M. 8/18 UPDATE: The Coconino National Forest office in Flagstaff has confirmed that the fire has grown to 3,000 acres, burning in rough terrain 22 miles southwest of Flagstaff. The fire is burning both on the ground and up into the ladder fuels.  Containment is at 10% with the fierfighters using a suppression strategy to attack the fire.

Spotting and torching continue to be the prominent burning activies.  Firefighters conducted burnout operations on the northeast and southern edges of the fire.  505 personnel are fighting the fire.  Total resources assigned to the Taylor Fire:  20 crews (12 hot shot crews), four helocopters, six engines, one bulldozer, and two water tenders.

The National Weather Service Incident Meteorologists are forcasting winds similar to yesterday, from the southwest sustained at 10 mph, gusting to 25 mph. The wind, coupled with low relative humidity, has produced a high growth potential for the fire.  Stay with NAZToday.com for further updates. (Update by Patrick Walker)

Previous Fire Updates:

6:30 P.M. 8/17 UPDATE:  Fire crews are continuing to make progress on the fire and now have the fire 10% contained.

11 A.M. 8/17 UPDATE:  The National Interagency Fire Command’s Southwest Coordination Center is reporting the Taylor Fire at 850 acres, with 0% containment. Parts of the fire are showing 100-foot flame lengths and the fire is spotting up to one-half mile.  The fire’s growth potential is listed as “high” and five structures are listed as threatened.  Fire crews have reported that the APS KV line, shut down last night, has sustained some damage.

The New Mexico SWC has processed orders to send two air tankers and 12 Type 1 crews to the fire.  END UPDATE (Update by Patrick Walker)

Heavy smoke and some ash has settled into the Flagstaff and Verde Valley areas from the Taylor Fire burning in Sycamore Canyon and Turkey Butte.  The Coconino County Health Department has released information about  wildfire smoke and your health.

High winds with gusts of up to 25 mph have stirred the fire which has already consumed approximately 400 acres.  The fire is burning in a steep and rocky section above Sycamore Canyon.  By 10 P.M. last night, the fire had grown to 650 acres.

Eighty five to one hundred personnel are currently working to contain the fire, including Hotshot crews from Prescott and Blue Ridge.  A type 2 crew, along with fuel management crews, and Flagstaff Fire crews are also helping to fight this fire.

Fire managers are also utilizing a heli-tanker, air attack crews, and two heavy tankers.

Many of the forest service roads in the area are closed, or are in the process of being closed including forest roads 535, 231, and 538.  Most of the hiking trails in the area have also been closed due to the fire danger.  A complete list of road and trail closures is available on the Coconino National Forest Website.

This season has seen relatively minor forest fire incidents, but dryer conditions are beginning to set in throughout Northern Arizona.  The Forest service reminds everyone to be extremely careful with fire in the National Forests.