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Flag Fire Update, April 30, 2021

Organization

Bureau of Land Management

BLM Office:

Colorado River District Office

Media Contact:

Flag Fire Continues to Contain Interior Heat 

Acres: 1,279 acres
Percent Containment: 34%
Start Date: April 25, 2021
Cause: Under Investigation
Origin Location: Hualapai Mountains; S of Pine Lake, Arizona
Fuels: Ponderosa pine at higher elevations, brush, and grass  
Personnel Assigned: 336

A new closure order is now in effect as of noon yesterday closing portions BLM Road 7101 and BLM road 7178. For full order information visit Flag fire closure information on Inciweb. 

The fire has remained within its footprint for the past two days due to Tuesday’s precipitation and the efforts of firefighters. Wildland fires typically burned in a mosaic pattern, leaving many interior islands of unburned vegetation.  These unburned fuels within the interior of the perimeter have potential to show more active fire behavior with the drying trend moving over the fire area.  

Fire crews continue working to make sure the perimeter of the fire is secure. This is being accomplished by strengthening containment lines, by clearing more vegetation, as well as looking for and extinguishing any heat adjacent to the containment line that may challenge the line as the weather becomes hotter and drier. Until these actions are complete, fire managers cannot be sure that the fire will not escape to resume as a threat.  
Heavy truck traffic, bulldozers, and other equipment along access roads continue, making access roads difficult and hazardous.  

Evacuations:

  • GO - Mohave County Sheriff’s Office has ordered evacuations of Hualapai Mountain Park, Lodge, and the Pine Lake Community.   
  • SET - Atherton Acres and Pinion Pine communities are currently on SET status for evacuations. Evacuation Orders remain imminent for this area; please start preparing for evacuations.  

Mohave County residents are encouraged to learn more about Arizona's Ready-Set-Go program and sign up for Mohave County Emergency Notifications by visiting: https://ein.az.gov/ready-set-go  

Closures: Hualapai Mountain Road is currently CLOSED at milepost 10 to everyone except first responders.  Portions of BLM Road 7101 and BLM Road 7178 are CLOSED. 

No Drone Zone:  A temporary flight restriction is in place over the Flag Fire. Flying a hobbyist drone over a fire puts everyone at risk and hinders firefighting suppression efforts. If you fly, we must ground all aircraft, including large air tankers due to the dangerous conditions drones pose in unauthorized airspace. Always follow FAA rules when flying your aircraft. If caught, your drone could be confiscated by law enforcement and you could face hefty fines.  

Can I donate? We continue to receive numerous offers of donations of food, bottled water, cookies, and other items from the Kingman community. While we are deeply moved by the sentiment, we are unable to accept donations. This is partially due to our COVID-19 protocols and our firefighters have everything needed to support operations. We suggest donations be made to the Cornerstone Mission in Kingman, the local food bank, or cash donations to the Wildland Firefighter Foundation.  
Fire Danger is high. Use caution when recreating or working outdoors. Check for fire restrictions or information on fire activity around Arizona at: https://wildlandfire.az.gov/  


Flag Fire Information

The BLM manages more than 245 million acres of public land located primarily in 12 western states, including Alaska, on behalf of the American people. The BLM also administers 700 million acres of sub-surface mineral estate throughout the nation. Our mission is to sustain the health, diversity, and productivity of America’s public lands for the use and enjoyment of present and future generations.