Iron Fire did not show significant growth Monday, under cloudy skies, cool temperatures, and even a bit of snow early in the morning. These conditions helped calm fire behavior, allowing firefighters to access the fire and assess opportunities to contain it. Given the frequency of fires experienced in the vicinity, there are a number of known indirect containment features to work with.
On Sunday, during extreme fire behavior, crews completed improvement of these indirect containment features including the Snow Lake Road system to Willow Creek, a previously worked line behind Willow Creek Subdivision, and across to Highway 159. On Monday, crews began chipping branches and slash produced by the effort to improve indirect containment features. The Southwestern Area Type 3 Team was inbriefed this afternoon and they will assume command of the Iron Fire Tuesday at 6:00 a.m.
A Temporary Flight Restriction is in effect (5/5773) within 7 nautical miles around the fire area, up to an altitude from the surface up to and including 13,500 feet MSL.
Snow Lake boat launch, trailhead, and Dipping Vat Campground are evacuated. Continental Divide Trail hikers following the Middle Fork Gila River are advised to exit the river corridor at Aeroplane Mesa Trail to avoid the closed Snow Lake area and possible fire activity.
