Tussock Fire Morning Update, May 17, 2021

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Tussock Fire Morning Update, May 17, 2021

The following press releases was published by the U.S. Department of the Interior, Bureau of Land Management on May 17, 2021. It is reproduced in full below.

Acres: 5,546

Percent Containment: 91

Date/Time Detected: May 8, 2021. 2:15 PM

Structures burned: 0

Number of Resources: 320

Cause: Human under investigation

Origin/Location: 7 miles southwest of Crown King

TUSSOCK SUPPRESSION REPAIR CONTINUES

FIRE OPERATIONS

Yesterday, despite the windy day with 40 mph gusts, there were no new starts in the initial attack responsibility area of the Tussock Fire. While higher relative humidity kept the area from reaching Red Flag weather conditions, the potential for new large wildfires exists.

The fire's over all complexity continues to lessen. The Southwest Area Type 1 Incident Management Team #2 will begin to demobilize or reassign personnel and equipment ahead of transitioning the fire to a local incident management organization to complete remaining tasks. The transition will take place tomorrow at 6:00 a.m.

Firefighters will continue to monitor, secure and patrol the fire line. As a majority of firefighters are released throughout the day, engines, hand crews and 2 helicopters will remain assigned to the fire.

Heavy equipment completed road improvements on Forest Road 362 from Hooper Saddle to Minnehaha on Sunday. The crews used dozers and graders to level the road and masticators to remove brush along the roadside. This road improvement will allow for better access to future fires. Chippers also completed their assignments around the community of Crown King. Heavy equipment and personnel will be released this afternoon as the team continues to downsize.

FIRE RESTRICTIONS

Fire Restrictions are in effect across Arizona. Information is available at https://wildlandfire.az.gov

PUBLIC LAND CLOSURES

All BLM and Prescott National Forest lands, roads, and trails in the area of the Tussock Fire are closed. Full closure details are available on the Tussock Fire Inciweb https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/7472/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TussockFireInfo

Public and Media Information Phone line (8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.): 928-228-0720

Source: U.S. Department of the Interior, Bureau of Land Management

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