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Acres: Estimated 1,400 acres
Percent Containment: 0%
Start Date: April 25, 2021
Cause: Under Investigation
Origin Location: Hualapai Mountains; S of Pine Lake, Arizona
Fuels: Ponderosa pine at higher elevations, brush, and grass
Personnel Assigned: 263

Precipitation aids Flag Fire suppression efforts but danger remains

A transition of incident command occurred at 6:00 a.m. on April 28, from the Arizona Central West Type 3 Incident Management Team to Southwest Area Type 1 Incident Management Team 1.

Rain and snow fell over the entire fire area. The fire, burning in the Hualapai Mountains southeast of Kingman, diminished in immediate intensity Tuesday but is forecasted to return to dry and hot conditions. Fire managers remain concerned that the fire activity and intensity is likely to return. A great deal of heat remains on the west and north side of the fire. Incident Commander Alan Sinclair reminds everyone that despite the recent moisture, there remains a threat until all lines are secured.

Five crews, working with aircraft resources, were directly working the fire line Tuesday, while others were conducting structure protection actions adjacent to values at risk. These actions involve reinforcing contingency lines adjacent to area neighborhoods and removing dead trees along the north and east perimeter to create defensible space. The Pine Lake powerline has been re-energized to those structures.

Fire managers and the Mohave County Sheriff’s Office are continuing to assess when it will be safe for evacuated residents to return to their homes.

Evacuations:

• GO - Mohave County Sheriff’s Office has ordered evacuations of Hualapai Mountain Park, Lodge, and the Pine Lake Community. Please use Hualapai Mountain Road and be aware of public safety vehicles responding to the area.
• SET - Atherton Acres and Pinion Pine communities are currently on SET status for evacuations. Evacuation Orders remain imminent for this area; please start preparing for evacuations.

Mohave County residents are encouraged to learn more about Arizona's Ready-Set-Go program and sign up for Mohave County Emergency Notifications by visiting: https://ein.az.gov/ready-set-go

Closures: Hualapai Mountain Road is currently CLOSED at milepost 10 to everyone except first responders.

No Drone Zone: A temporary flight restriction is in place over the Flag Fire. Flying a hobbyist drone over a fire puts everyone at risk and hinders firefighting suppression efforts. If you fly, we must ground all aircraft, including the large air tankers due to the dangerous conditions drones pose in unauthorized airspace. Always follow FAA rules when flying your aircraft. If caught, your drone could be confiscated by law enforcement and you could face hefty fines.

Can I donate? We continue to receive numerous offers of donations of food, bottled water, cookies, and other items from the Kingman community. While we are deeply moved by the sentiment, we are unable to accept donations. This is partially due to our COVID-19 protocols and our firefighters have everything needed to support operations. We suggest donations be made to the Cornerstone Mission in Kingman, the local food bank, or cash donations to the Wildland Firefighter Foundation.

Fire Danger is high. Use caution when recreating or working outdoors. Check for fire restrictions or information on fire activity around Arizona at: https://wildlandfire.az.gov/

Flag Fire Information
• Phone: (602) 345-0246
• Inciweb: https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/7438/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BLMArizona/
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/BLMAZFire #FlagFire #AZFire