Category Archives: News

Point Wildfire is currently burning in Munds Mountain Wilderness

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sedona-point-fire-1SEDONA — The lightning-caused Point Wildfire is currently burning in Munds Mountain Wilderness on Munds mesa, which is located east of State Highway 179 and south of Sedona and Schnebly Hill road.

The fire is estimated at 190 acres and was ignited following several lighting storms that came through the area mid-week.

“Today we are focusing on stopping the northern progression of the wildfire,” said Nicole Branton, Red Rock District ranger. “This fire is in very difficult terrain that is dangerous to firefighting personnel, so we can expect to see smoke over the next several days as it continues to burn in areas that firefighters cannot access. Firefighter safety is our primary concern along with containing the fire on top of the mesa to prevent further spread into surrounding canyons.”

Smoke will also be visible from various parts of the Verde Valley and along Interstate 17 while firefighters work to contain the fire over the next few days.

Air attack helicopters and planes along with 55 firefighters are working to help slow progress across the mesa and to reduce its chance of moving into side canyons. Drones cannot be flown over or near the fire, as doing so will cease operations that are fighting the fire with water drops from the air.

For public and fire fighter safety, the public is asked to acknowledge the closure area of Munds Mountain Trail and Jack Canyon Trail.

Coco Fire Slowly Moving

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TUSAYAN — On July 22, the Coco Fire ignited due to lightning 6 miles southeast of Tusayan near the junction of Forest Road 302 and 2719. The initial start of the fire covered 15 acres and has now grown to 25 acres as of today by moving through the grass and pine litter. There was very minimal smoke production yesterday and no reported impacts to the east rim drive or the town of Tusayan overnight.

Today crews will be finishing up with preparation work along the planning area boundary. Later in the day when conditions are favorable, firefighters will be using management ignitions to create a black line along the Arizona Trail and FR 2719. This buffer will be in the Northeast corner of the planning area. Dave Barringer, Coco Fire Incident Commander-T, states “that slight delays may be expected for hikers in this small portion along the Arizona Trail due to the burn out operations if the assessment is made to start those ignitions today.” When those ignitions begin some smoke impacts to the east rim drive may occur during the evening hours.

Two new lightning caused wildfires on Williams Ranger District

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SunflowerFIre013WILLIAMS — Fire officials on the Williams Ranger District of the Kaibab National Forest have two new lightning caused fires called the “Sunflower” and “Ike” fires. Both fires are being assessed for their potential of reducing hazardous fuel accumulations and restoring overall forest health.

The Sunflower fire was discovered on July 20th, and has grown to approximately 11 acres in size. It is located near Sunflower Flat west of White Horse Lake close to the junction of forest roads 747 and 14. The Ike fire, also discovered on July 20, is approximately 1.5 miles to the southeast of the Sunflower fire and is currently less than one acre in size. Both fires are burning in a ponderosa pine fuel type mixed with oak and grasses and have the potential to grow over the next several days as a warmer drying weather pattern is forecasted.

Smoke may be visible from several communities including Williams, Parks, Bellemont, Pittman Valley, Prescott, Camp Verde, Flagstaff and Sedona. Fire managers will monitor smoke production closely and will take extra measures as necessary to minimize impacts to surrounding developed areas.

As these fires develop and expand in size, an emergency closure order may be implemented in the immediate effected areas and on a short section of the Overland Trail to ensure public and firefighter safety.

ADOT advises public to stay vigilant when purchasing used vehicles

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PHOENIX — Because a title establishes who owns and has liens on a vehicle, altering titles is a common way that criminals defraud those purchasing used vehicles in private sales.

That’s why it’s worth noting that in late May, when a robbery occurred at an Authorized Third Party motor vehicle services business in Phoenix, the suspect made off not with cash but with 1,300 blank vehicle titles. That case remains under investigation.

While the Arizona Department of Transportation has checks in place to protect consumers against stolen titles, investigators with the agency’s Office of Inspector General note that blank titles provide many opportunities for criminals to commit fraud.

First, they can be used to retitle stolen vehicles, salvaged vehicles and vehicles deemed totaled by crashes. They can also be used to skip vehicle inspections when one is required.

“Title fraud is a common way to cheat buyers out of their hard-earned money,” said Michael Lockhart, chief of ADOT’s Office of Inspector General. “However, detectives in our Office of Inspector General have highly trained skills in investigating this type of vehicle fraud.”

The Office of Inspector General maintains a list of serial numbers of stolen titles that is regularly shared with law enforcement agencies, MVD offices, Authorized Third Party businesses and other entities.

Meanwhile, here are some things you can do to avoid falling victim to criminals when buying a used vehicle in a private sale:

Conduct the transaction at an MVD office or Authorized Third Party business. Employees at MVD offices and Authorized Third Parties can run the vehicle identification number (VIN) and check the record for liens and other notations that may not be on the title. Don’t hand over that check until you’ve verified you can take complete ownership of the vehicle.

Use good judgment and ask lots of questions. There are no stupid questions when it comes to protecting yourself in a big purchase. Do this:

  • Ask for identification to make sure the seller is the owner listed on the title.
  • Ask to see vehicle maintenance records.
  • Check the VIN on the inside of the driver’s door frame and on the top of the dashboard to make sure they match.
  • Check for VIN tampering such as the door frame sticker peeled off and replaced, and altered rivets on the dashboard plaque.

It’s most important to take time and not rush the process. If the seller is acting suspicious, unwilling to show ID or records or trying to rush the process, walk away. Take the time to find the right purchase.

Use an online service to check the VIN. There are several online services that can perform a vehicle record check to look for salvage notices and other notations. These services can cost money, but it is well worth it when the alternative is potentially paying for a vehicle that can’t be registered, driven or sold.

Seek help if you’ve been scammed. ADOT is here to help victims of fraud involving vehicle titles, registrations and driver licenses. Call our 24-hour fraud hotline at 877.712.2370 or email fraud@azdot.gov.

Sheriff’s office releases name of lightning victim

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FLAGSTAFF — After consulting with families of the three victims of the lightning strike yesterday, the Coconino County Sheriff has released the names of two of the teenagers involved.

The 18-year-old who was injured is David Lyons from Tempe. The deceased 17-year-old was identified as Wade Young of Tempe. The other 17-year-old that was injured has not been identified.

The three youths were hiking near the summit of Humphreys Peak when the tragic lightning strike occurred.

Family Movie Night at the Calvary Chapel

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MV5BMTA0ODM5MTM5MTleQTJeQWpwZ15BbWU4MDAwNzk1NDYx._V1_UY268_CR6,0,182,268_AL_The Cavalry Chapel at 106 S 9th Street in Williams will be hosting a family movie night at 6:30 p.m. Friday, July 22. The adult movie will be Woodlawn. They will also show another movie for kids. There will be popcorn, snacks and awesome time of fellowship. All are invited. You can call (928) 202-1378 for more information.

Save the date: “Respected Access in Arizona” event is Oct. 15

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PHOENIX — The Arizona Game and Fish Department and Tread Lightly! will host their third annual “Respected Access in Arizona” fundraising event, presented by RideNow Powersports, on Oct. 15 to help raise awareness of the importance of protecting access and enhancing outdoor recreational opportunities, such as recreational shooting, off-highway vehicle (OHV) use and camping.

A fun-shoot, barbecue dinner, raffles and auctions are planned at the OneAZ  Credit Union Pavilion, located at the Ben Avery Shooting Facility in Phoenix. Proceeds will be used to help fund the long-term implementation strategies of the “Respected Access is Open Access in Arizona” campaign.

Tickets are available online at http://tinyurl.com/hchxtg8. The cost of the fun-shoot (which includes targets and two boxes of ammunition) and dinner, catered by Bobby Q restaurant, is $65. The cost of only the dinner, which includes beverages and a door-prize raffle ticket, is $40.  

The department and Tread Lightly!, a national organization that promotes responsible recreation through stewardship, communication and education, along with the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) and U.S. Forest Service, are helping to keep Arizona’s public lands healthy and open through the successful “Respected Access is Open Access in Arizona” campaign.  

The objective is to implement education, outreach and engagement strategies that promote stewardship and foster site-stewards through volunteerism. It can’t be done alone, however. That’s why the support of outdoor recreationists, and industries that serve them, is important.

For more information about the fundraiser, call (800) 966-9900, Ext. 13, or e-mail respectedaccess@treadlightly.org. For more information about the “Respected Access is Open Access in Arizona” campaign, visit www.respectedaccessarizona.org.

One hiker killed, two injured in Flagstaff

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Williams experienced severe lightning starting around noon.

Williams experienced severe lightning starting around noon.

FLAGSTAFF — At approximately 12:50 pm, the Coconino County Sheriff dispatcher received a 911 call concerning three hikers struck by lightning near the summit of Humphreys Peak. One hiker was reported as unresponsive.

Due to severe and continuous lightning on the peaks, emergency responders are staged at Agassiz Lodge and coordinating with the hikers to get them to safety.

At about 8 p.m., one male age 17 was confirmed deceased after being struck by lightning. Two other males ages 17 and 18 were transported to Flagstaff Medical Center with injuries that were likely received due to their proximity to the lightning strike.

The two injured hikers were conscious and walking when emergency responders reached them. The three hikers are from the Tempe, AZ area.

Nighttime high tech injection work on southbound Interstate 17 at McGuireville

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PHOENIX — Arizona Department of Transportation (ADOT) crews are performing nighttime operations on southbound Interstate 17 at the McGuireville exit (milepost 293), using new high tech injection technology to address needed repairs.

ADOT is injecting foam deep underneath the pavement as a way to smooth out dips on Arizona highways. This method is more cost efficient than ripping out old pavement, re-compacting the sub-grade, and placing new concrete or asphalt.

One lane of travel for southbound traffic will be closed in the construction zone from 7 p.m. to 7 a.m. nightly on Wednesday (July 20) through Friday (July 22). Work is also scheduled to occur at this location on Saturday (July 23) and Sunday (July 24) from 10 p.m. to 9 a.m.

ADOT advises travelers to observe reduced speeds in the area, watch for crews and equipment in the work zone and allow for extra time for travel. ADOT works to inform the public about planned roadway restrictions, but there is a possibility that unscheduled closures or restrictions may occur. Weather can also affect a project schedule.

Fall hunt draw results available now for Portal account holders

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PHOENIX — Hunters who have an AZGFD Customer Portal account now can view their draw results for the 2016 deer, fall turkey, fall javelina, bighorn sheep, fall bison, fall bear and pheasant seasons. Simply log into your account, and you will be taken to your personal ‘My AZ Outdoors” page.

Portal account holders have the benefit of being able to view their draw results a day or two before the results officially are released. It’s quick, easy and free to create a Portal account. Just click on the “Sign in to Account” button in the upper right-hand corner of the www.azgfd.gov home page and then select the “Create an Account” option, filling in the requested information.

Portal accounts are mobile-friendly, so customers can view their information on their smartphones.

Meanwhile, the department will post an announcement on its website, www.azgfd.gov, when results officially are released. All permit-tags are scheduled to be mailed by Aug. 5; all refund warrants by Aug. 15.

For more information, call the department at (602) 942-3000.