Grand Canyon, Ariz. - A week of cool, moist weather conditions and occasional rainfall have led to minimal growth on the Point Fire which is now estimated at 1,049 acres in size.
The lightning-caused Point Fire, located on the North Rim, is creeping and smoldering in ponderosa pine and occasional small patches of mixed conifer. Due to the significantly reduced fire activity, the fire has been placed in monitor status and the number of personnel managing the fire has been reduced until conditions dry out and fire activity once again increases. Current weather forecasts call for cool, moist conditions through at least mid-week.
The Point Fire continues to be managed for multiple objectives, including resource and protection objections.
Fire Facts:
Start Date: July 4, 2011
Location: Approximately 10 miles west of the North Rim developed area in the vicinity of Walla Valley and Point Sublime. The North Rim sits at approximately 8,000 feet in elevation.
Size: approximately 1,049 acres
Management Objectives: The Point Fire is being managed to achieve multiple objectives.
* Resource objectives for the fire include maintaining fire in a fire-adapted ecosystem, reducing hazardous accumulations of forest fuels and recycling of forest nutrients.
* Protection objectives for the fire include protection of sensitive cultural resources and critical wildlife habitat areas.
Closures: In order to assure firefighter and visitor safety, the Point Sublime Road (also known as the w4 road) is closed until further notice from its junction with the w1 road, out to and including Point Sublime.
Smoke impacts: During periods of increased activity, smoke from the Point Fire is visible from US Highway 64 as far south as Valle, South Rim viewpoints, the Rim Trail, US Highway 67, the North Rim entrance station and some North Rim viewpoints. Coordination with the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality is ongoing.
You can follow the progress of the Point Fire as well as view maps and pictures of the fire on InciWeb at http://inciweb.org/incident/2408/. For more on Grand Canyon’s Fire Management program, please visit us on the web at https://www.nps.gov/grca/parkmgmt/firemanagement.htm.
-NPS-
Source: U.S. Department of the Interior, National Park Service
