Siphon Fire requests calls to register for alerts in Maricopa and Pima Counties
A Tonto forestry official is urging residents near the roughly 12,000-acre Siphon Fire to sign up for alerts from Maricopa and Pinal counties and to prepare.
Amy Austin had just finished hiking the Cloud View Trailhead when authorities began putting up a “No Trespassing” sign at the trailhead because of the Siphon Fire.
“These are all my favorite outdoor spots. I would be sick if something happened to the Tortilla Flats,” Austin said.
The Siphon Fire broke out around 1 p.m. Tuesday and has burned 15,876 acres of land without being fully contained. The Tonto National Forest posted on X, formerly known as Twitter, that the fire was human-caused, though the exact cause is still under investigation. Austin, who lives near Tortilla Flats on the outskirts of Apache Junction, expressed her concern about the fire and confirmed she has an evacuation plan in place just in case.
“I have two emergency backpacks with about 72 hours of supplies,” Austin said. “I also have essentials in the trunk of my car, as well as medications, pet food for my two cats and my parrot, and a tent to last everyone at least three days. I usually try to stock up on a week’s worth of supplies.”
For Austin, this is the first time a fire has come so close to her neighborhood and she has prepared everything for evacuation, but that does not worry her.
“I’m an independent traveler who is prepared for any situation, whether it’s hot or cold or whatever. I’m also fine just traveling in my car,” Austin said.
Threat of siphon fire
Pinal County has issued a “Set” status for residents east of Mountain View Road and west of the Tonto National Forest between Broadway Road and Lost Dutchman State Park.
The “Ready” status applies to residents south of the Tonto National Forest in the Gold Canyon area and the communities between East Broadway Avenue and East Southern Avenue and between South Geronimo Road and South Barkley Road.
Pinal County has informed the public on its website that State Route 88, Apache Trail, is closed past Lost Dutchman State Park. Tortilla Flat, Canyon Lake Marina and Lost Dutchman State Park are also closed.
According to the Pinal County website, residents in the vicinity of the Siphon Fire in the Superstition Mountains are in various stages of evacuation preparations as an extreme precautionary measure.
Matt Wilcox, spokesman for the Tonto National Forest, said it was difficult to contain the fire because it is a wilderness area with no roads.
“We’re making sure crews are safe when they run to the fires,” Wilcox said. “We’re using aircraft, we have a Type 1 helicopter in service and a Super Scooper aircraft that’s operating between the Point and Siphon fires.”
Demanding hike
Burnout operations were conducted on the north side of the fire on Thursday to burn out fuel before the fire reached that point, Wilcox said.
The rugged terrain prevented ground crews from safely reaching most of the fire, but an aerial mapping mission on Friday allowed firefighters to get a better view of the east side of the fire.
“The biggest challenge with this fire is access. The wilderness is brutal,” Wilcox said. “Many people from the Phoenix area are very popular hiking areas here and know how tough this is. Imagine having to do this with a chainsaw on your back like some of these firefighters have to do,” he said.
Wilcox urges people to monitor their county’s emergency management website, sign up for alerts and start preparing now.
“Just knowing where your pets, your medications and your records are can be a huge help if your status changes,” Wilcox said.
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In the event of a full evacuation, the Apache Junction Rodeo Grounds, 1590 E. Lost Dutchman Blvd., will serve as a large animal shelter. Residents requiring this service may call 480-474-5418 for further instructions.
