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Boundary Fire (2017)

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Coordinates: 35°25′55″N 111°49′52″W / 35.432°N 111.831°W / 35.432; -111.831
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For the 2018 fire in Montana, see Boundary Fire (2018).

Boundary Fire
Silhouetted firefighter in front of red flames burning among a group of trees at nighttime
Firefighter watching the Boundary Fire, June 17, 2017
Date(s)
  • June 1, 2017 (2017-06-01) –
  • July 3, 2017 (2017-07-03)
  • (33 days)
LocationCoconino and Kaibab National Forests, Arizona, United States
Coordinates35°25′55″N 111°49′52″W / 35.432°N 111.831°W / 35.432; -111.831
Statistics
Burned area17,788 acres (71.99 km2; 27.794 sq mi)
Impacts
Damage$9.4 million (equivalent to $11.5 million in 2023)
Ignition
CauseLightning
Map
Jagged footprint of the fire is outlined in red, spanning parts of Kaibab and Coconino National Forests, west of U.S. Route 180
Footprint of the Boundary Fire, from the National Interagency Fire Center
A flame icon marks the location of the fire in a map of Arizona, roughly in the central northern part of the state
A flame icon marks the location of the fire in a map of Arizona, roughly in the central northern part of the state
The location of the Boundary Fire, in northern Arizona

The Boundary Fire was a 2017 wildfire in Arizona that burned 17,788 acres (7,199 ha) of the Coconino and Kaibab National Forests. The fire was ignited on June 1 when lightning struck a spot on the northeast side of Kendrick Peak within the Coconino National Forest. The fire spread rapidly because of high temperatures, steep terrain, leftover dead trees from a wildfire in 2000, and high wind speeds.

The winds blew smoke over local communities and infrastructure, leading to the closure of U.S. Route 180 from June 8 to June 21. Smoke was also visible from the Grand Canyon. The Boundary Fire burned out on July 3, 2017, after 32 days of firefighting. The cost of managing the fire was $9.4 million (equivalent to $11.5 million in 2023). Damage to the area's foliage increased the risk of landslides into 2018.

Background

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Wildfires are a natural part of the ecological cycle of the Southwestern United States,[1]: 3–6  but human-induced climate change has caused them to increase in number, destructiveness, duration, and frequency.[2] Fire suppression efforts can also have the contradictory effect of worsening the effects of fires that do occur.[3] The Boundary Fire was one of 2,321 wildfires that burned 429,564 acres (173,838 ha) in Arizona in 2017.[4] In a report released in April 2017, about a month before the fire, Arizona State Forester Jeff Whitney expected a typical season in the state's northern forests but one with high fire potential in the state's southern grasslands because of high temperatures, low humidity, and an abundance of fuels.[5] Temperatures in Arizona were higher than usual through the 2017 season;[6]: 1  on July 4, the National Weather Service stated that that year's June was the fifth-hottest recorded in the city of Flagstaff, which sits between the Coconino and Kaibab National Forests.[7][8] According to the Arizona Department of Health Services, Flagstaff recorded temperatures of up to 93 °F (34 °C) between June 12 and June 27.[9] By August, wildfires had burned the most land since the 2011 season.[10]

Progression

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The Boundary Fire was sparked when lightning struck the northeast slope of Kendrick Peak, within Coconino National Forest, at about 2:02 pm on June 1, 2017.[11] The fire grew to 380 acres (150 ha) by June 6. Owing to the danger posed to firefighters by difficult terrain and leftover dead trees from the Pumpkin Fire in 2000, the United States Forest Service (USFS) decided to confine the Boundary Fire to a 15,000-acre (6,100 ha) area around the mountain and allow it to burn out naturally. Firefighters began creating firebreaks along roads in the area on June 6, especially to the west of the fire.[12][13] On June 8, high winds fanned the fire over the firebreaks to its north and towards U.S. Route 180 (US 180), 2 mi (3.2 km) from the fire at that time.[14][15][16] That night, fire managers closed US 180 as firefighters monitored the fire's spread.[15][17][18] Smoke from the Boundary Fire drifted into communities surrounding the fire, such as Flagstaff, and was visible from the Grand Canyon, approximately 65 mi (105 km) north of Flagstaff.[17][19][20]

By June 9, the Boundary Fire had grown to 1,550 acres (630 ha) and was burning along US 180 and within both Coconino and Kaibab National Forests.[17] Fanned by strong winds on June 10 and 11, the fire swelled to 4,420 acres (1,790 ha) and was being managed by 261 firefighters.[21][22][23] After June 12, reduced winds enabled the USFS to use aerial ignition, a form of controlled burn, to spread the fire uphill more quickly, reducing the damage to the soil from the fire.[24] By June 14, the fire had grown to 5,784 acres (2,341 ha) and was being managed by almost 500 firefighters with aerial firefighting assets.[24][25] Low wind speeds allowed ground crews and aerial assets to continue with controlled burns from June 15 to June 19,[26][27][28][29] ahead of forecasted high temperatures in the following days. By June 19, the fire had burned 8,067 acres (3,265 ha).[30] The next day brought light rain, cloud cover, and a higher humidity, which caused the fire to burn lower to the ground and consume detritus rather than foliage. Firefighters were able to secure fire breaks and private property, increasing the portion of the fire that was contained from 18% to 30%.[31]

The visibility along US 180 had improved enough by June 21 to allow the Arizona Department of Transportation to reopen the road with reduced speed limits.[32] On June 22, firefighters raised containment of the Boundary Fire to 42 percent despite high winds and temperatures that fanned it to 11,540 acres (4,670 ha).[33] On June 23, the USFS stated that it believed the area closed by the fire could expand to 18,000 acres (7,300 ha),[34] but made progress in containing its spread.[35][36] By June 25, the fire had grown to 17,049 acres (6,899 ha) but was 88 percent contained,[37] and temperatures dipped to 88 °F (31 °C).[38] Aerial firefighting assets were temporarily grounded on June 25 because a civilian drone flew over the fire.[39] The fire burned out on July 3.[6]: 14 

Aftermath

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The Boundary Fire burned 17,788 acres (7,199 ha) over 32 days and cost $9.4 million (equivalent to $11.5 million in 2023) to suppress.[6]: 14 [11][40] Of the total area burned, three percent suffered total foliage mortality. No structures were damaged or destroyed. Four evacuated civilians suffered injuries related to the fire.[6]: 14–15  Almost 500 firefighters worked to contain and suppress the Boundary Fire at its height.[41] Due to the smoke from the Boundary Fire and plans for a later prescribed burn, the USFS decided to quickly suppress the Government Fire when it ignited "a few miles away" in the same season.[42]: 10 

Environmental consequences

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Trails on Kendrick Peak did not reopen until September 14, 2017, because of the potential for landslides caused by heavy rains brought by the North American monsoon.[43] The Kaibab National Forest Supervisor stated that the closure was prolonged to "allow the landscape to stabilize during the immediate post-fire period", particularly with the added monsoon conditions.[44] Forest Road 149, near Kendrick Peak, was closed again in July 2018 because the area was at risk for landslides, as stabilizing foliage growth after the Boundary Fire had been slow in that area.[45]

The base camp for fighting the Boundary Fire was located at a nearby fairground.[46]: 10  When the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) visited the site for an audit on June 19, 2017, the camp was consuming 106 US gallons (400 L) of diesel fuel per day for lighting, electricity, and food preservation, as well as 2,250 US gallons (8,500 L) of water.[46]: 10–12  The audit also found that 5% of the waste was recycled and all of the batteries were single-use.[46]: 12 

References

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  1. ^ Pyne, Stephen J. (2016). The Southwest: A Fire Survey. University of Arizona Press. ISBN 978-0-8165-3448-7.
  2. ^ Crimmins, Allison R.; Ostoja, Steven M. (November 14, 2023). "Focus on Western Wildfires". Fifth National Climate Assessment. National Climate Assessment. Archived from the original on December 22, 2023. Retrieved February 8, 2024.
  3. ^ Extreme Events: Wild & Forest Fire, archived from the original on January 14, 2009, retrieved January 7, 2009
  4. ^ "National Report of Wildland Fires and Acres Burned by State" (PDF). National Interagency Fire Center. 2017. Archived from the original (PDF) on June 28, 2018. Retrieved January 25, 2023.
  5. ^ Jeong, Yihyun (April 11, 2017). "What to expect for Arizona's 2017 wildfire season". The Arizona Republic. Archived from the original on January 28, 2024. Retrieved January 25, 2023.
  6. ^ a b c d Lynch, Michael; Evans, Alexander (May 2018). "2017 Wildfire Season: An Overview" (PDF). Southwestern United States. Northern Arizona University. Archived (PDF) from the original on May 12, 2021. Retrieved December 30, 2022.
  7. ^ Vanek, Corina; Adams-Ockrassa, Suzanne (July 4, 2017). "June was fifth-hottest, monsoon to begin this week". Arizona Daily Star. Archived from the original on July 4, 2017. Retrieved January 9, 2024.
  8. ^ "Flagstaff Ranger District". Coconino National Forest. United States Forest Service. Retrieved February 25, 2024.
  9. ^ Christ, Cara (April 13, 2018). "Stakeholders Gather for Arizona Extreme Heat Planning Workshop". Arizona Department of Health Services. Archived from the original on May 26, 2021. Retrieved January 9, 2024.
  10. ^ Ziegler, Zachary (August 31, 2017). "Looking back on fire season in Arizona, and places touched by the flames". Arizona Public Media. Archived from the original on November 8, 2017. Retrieved January 9, 2023.
  11. ^ a b "Boundary Fire". InciWeb. United States Forest Service. Archived from the original on September 8, 2018. Retrieved June 15, 2023.
  12. ^ "Type III Incident Management Team takes command of wildfire located on Kendrick Mountain northwest of Flagstaff". Coconino National Forest. United States Forest Service. June 6, 2017. Archived from the original on June 15, 2023. Retrieved June 15, 2023.
  13. ^ Cowan, Emery (June 6, 2017). "9:30 a.m. update: Type III team assigned to Kendrick Mountain fire". Arizona Daily Sun. Archived from the original on June 8, 2023. Retrieved June 15, 2023.
  14. ^ "Boundary Fire (Kendrick Mountain): Increased Winds Cause Significant Growth on Boundary Fire; Highway 180 to Close Temporarily Due to Potential Smoke Impacts". Coconino National Forest. United States Forest Service. June 8, 2017. Archived from the original on June 16, 2023. Retrieved June 16, 2023.
  15. ^ a b "3:45 p.m. Kendrick fire jumps containment lines; Highway 180 to be closed for smoke". Arizona Daily Sun. June 8, 2017. Archived from the original on June 16, 2023. Retrieved June 16, 2023.
  16. ^ "8 a.m. update: Kendrick fire jumps northern containment line, Highway 180 remains closed". Williams–Grand Canyon News. June 8, 2017. Archived from the original on June 17, 2023. Retrieved June 17, 2023.
  17. ^ a b c Cowan, Emery (June 9, 2017). "Kendrick Mountain fire triples in size, Highway 180 to remain closed". Arizona Daily Sun. Archived from the original on June 17, 2023. Retrieved June 17, 2023.
  18. ^ "U.S. Highway 180 to Grand Canyon closes as Boundary Fire spreads". Arizona Public Media. Associated Press. June 9, 2017. Archived from the original on June 22, 2023. Retrieved June 22, 2023.
  19. ^ McKenney, Loretta (July 11, 2017). "Northern Arizona air quality in question after smoky wildfire season". Navajo-Hopi Observer. Archived from the original on June 17, 2023. Retrieved June 17, 2023.
  20. ^ "Doney Park meeting tonight to discuss Kendrick fire, smoke". Arizona Daily Sun. June 15, 2017. Archived from the original on July 4, 2023. Retrieved July 4, 2023.
  21. ^ Cowan, Emery (June 10, 2017). "Saturday afternoon update: Type 2 team takes over Kendrick Mountain fire, grows to 3,800 acres". Arizona Daily Sun. Archived from the original on June 17, 2023. Retrieved June 17, 2023.
  22. ^ "Boundary Fire (Kendrick Mountain): Type II Incident Management Team Takes Command of the Boundary Fire". Coconino National Forest. United States Forest Service. June 10, 2017. Archived from the original on June 17, 2023. Retrieved June 17, 2023.
  23. ^ "Boundary Fire (Kendrick Mountain): Wind-Driven Fire Growth on the Boundary Fire". Coconino National Forest. United States Forest Service. June 11, 2017. Archived from the original on June 18, 2023. Retrieved June 22, 2023.
  24. ^ a b "Boundary Fire (Kendrick Mountain): Aerial Ignition Operations Begin on Kendrick Mountain". Coconino National Forest. United States Forest Service. June 14, 2017. Archived from the original on June 22, 2023. Retrieved June 22, 2023.
  25. ^ Cowan, Emery (June 14, 2017). "3 p.m. Wednesday update: Boundary fire smoke drifting toward Flagstaff". Arizona Daily Sun. Archived from the original on June 22, 2023. Retrieved June 22, 2023.
  26. ^ "Boundary Fire (Kendrick Mountain): Calm winds allow continued air operations". Coconino National Forest. United States Forest Service. June 15, 2017. Archived from the original on January 9, 2024. Retrieved January 9, 2024.
  27. ^ "Boundary Fire (Kendrick Mountain): Increased Smoke Production Expected While Crews Make Progress on the Boundary Fire". Coconino National Forest. United States Forest Service. June 16, 2017. Archived from the original on January 9, 2024. Retrieved January 9, 2024.
  28. ^ "Boundary Fire (Kendrick Mountain): Timing is everything". Coconino National Forest. United States Forest Service. June 17, 2017. Archived from the original on January 9, 2024. Retrieved January 9, 2024.
  29. ^ "Boundary Fire (Kendrick Mountain): More Smoke in the Air". Coconino National Forest. United States Forest Service. June 18, 2017. Archived from the original on January 9, 2024. Retrieved January 9, 2024.
  30. ^ "Boundary Fire (Kendrick Mountain): Increased Smoke Production Expected While Crews Make Progress on the Boundary Fire". Coconino National Forest. United States Forest Service. June 19, 2017. Archived from the original on January 9, 2024. Retrieved January 9, 2024.
  31. ^ "Boundary Fire (Kendrick Mountain): Firefighters Make a Big Stride in Boundary Fire Containment". Coconino National Forest. United States Forest Service. June 20, 2017. Archived from the original on January 9, 2024. Retrieved January 9, 2024.
  32. ^ "US 180 reopens after smoke conditions improve". Arizona Daily Sun. June 21, 2017. Archived from the original on January 9, 2024. Retrieved January 9, 2024.
  33. ^ "Boundary Fire (Kendrick Mountain): Suppression Repair Needs Assessed". Coconino National Forest. United States Forest Service. June 22, 2017. Archived from the original on January 9, 2024. Retrieved January 9, 2024.
  34. ^ "Boundary Fire update". Coconino National Forest. United States Forest Service. June 23, 2017. Archived from the original on January 9, 2024. Retrieved January 9, 2024.
  35. ^ "Boundary Fire (Kendrick Mountain): Containment increases, Flagstaff gets a break from heavy smoke". Coconino National Forest. United States Forest Service. June 24, 2017. Archived from the original on January 9, 2024. Retrieved January 9, 2024.
  36. ^ "Unhealthy air for sensitive groups on tap Saturday in Flagstaff region". Arizona Daily Sun. June 24, 2017. Archived from the original on January 9, 2024. Retrieved January 9, 2024.
  37. ^ "Boundary Fire update". Coconino National Forest. United States Forest Service. June 25, 2017. Archived from the original on January 9, 2024. Retrieved January 9, 2024.
  38. ^ Vanek, Corina (June 25, 2017). "Streak of 90-degree days in Flagstaff snapped". Arizona Daily Sun. Archived from the original on January 9, 2024. Retrieved January 9, 2024.
  39. ^ Marsh, Adrian (June 25, 2017). "Drones continue to cause problems for wildfire crews". The Arizona Republic. Archived from the original on January 9, 2024. Retrieved January 9, 2024.
  40. ^ Johnston, Louis; Williamson, Samuel H. (2023). "What Was the U.S. GDP Then?". MeasuringWorth. Retrieved November 30, 2023. United States Gross Domestic Product deflator figures follow the MeasuringWorth series.
  41. ^ Cowen, Emery (July 16, 2017). "What's behind the Kendrick Mountain fire's $9.4 million price tag?". Arizona Daily Sun. Archived from the original on January 9, 2024. Retrieved January 9, 2024.
  42. ^ Timberlake, Thomas J.; Schultz, Courtney A.; Evans, Alexander; Abrams, Jesse B. (2020). "Working on institutions while planning for forest resilience: a case study of public land management in the United States". Journal of Environmental Planning and Management. 64 (7): 1291–1311. doi:10.1080/09640568.2020.1817730.
  43. ^ "Kendrick Mountain trails reopened". Arizona Daily Sun. September 15, 2017. Archived from the original on January 9, 2024. Retrieved January 9, 2024.
  44. ^ "Forest Service reopens Kendrick Mountain". Williams–Grand Canyon News. September 19, 2017. Retrieved January 30, 2024.
  45. ^ "Forest Road 149 closed due to risk of flooding". Arizona Daily Sun. July 18, 2018. Archived from the original on January 28, 2024. Retrieved January 9, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  46. ^ a b c Kandt, Alicen; Elgqvist, Emma; Salasovich, Jimmy (2019). Opportunities for Energy, Water, and Waste Reduction at U.S. Forest Service Fire Camps (PDF) (Report). Golden, CO: National Renewable Energy Laboratory.
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