SIT REP 1: Saturday, May 11, 2024, 2033 hours PDT

MARICOPA COUNTY, AZ — A wildfire has ignited about 18 miles west of Wittman in the Whispering Ranch community in Arizona, with an AZ Forestry hand crew and engines working on fire suppression.

Two additional hand crews and three more engines have been placed on order.

The fire has already impacted approximately 50 – 100 acres of grass and brush. It is a wind-driven fire that is moving rapidly northwest. At 2032 hours PDT, per scanner traffic, it was stated that forward progression had been stopped but due to the time of day, it has been stated there is a 0% containment status. Crews are starting to work the perimeter of the fire.

Incident Cooperators include AZ Forestry and Fire Management as the Lead Fire Agency.

More critical resources have been deployed to arrive on the fireline tonight by 2200 hours AZ time and others by no later than 0600 hours tomorrow morning.

Photo Courtesy: AZ Forestry

We are unsure if there are any evacuations so we are just putting this out there in case you need to evacuate, here are the colors and what they mean.

Fire History – Painted Wagon Fires

The Painted Wagon Fire name was used for other previous wildfires that broke out west of Wittman, Arizona.

April 8-9, 2019: A wildfire ignited on April 8th, about 20 miles west of Wittmann. It was said to be 80 acres at that time and moving at a slow rate of speed that was said to be wind-driven and moving to the northeast side. It had a 10% containment status on Day 1.

Firefighters worked throughout the night mopping up into Day 2.

Incident Cooperators included Lead Fire Agency AZFMA and mutual aid units from Buckeye Fire, Wickenburg Fire, and Stateland Fire Department.

(L) AZ Fire & Medical Authority (posted on 4/9/2019)

June 25-28, 2020:

The AZ State Forestry took the lead during this fire from the local fire agencies.

By Day 2 of the incident, the fire had burned about 490 acres. Resources on the fire line were mopping up the fire which started on June 25, 2020, off 299th Avenue and Painted Wagon Road in the Wittman area. The cause at that time was unknown and under investigation.

There were some recognizable and very vital Incident Cooperators during this incident which include,

The American Red Cross was also listed as an Incident Cooperator and held a vital role in getting out important wildfire preparedness messaging to folks in their communities.

The CEDR Digital Corps provided a reposting of important information from various and verified sources.

Super Scoopers were used on the 2020 Painted Wagon Fire working from Roosevelt Lake and dipping out of Lake Pleasant over the 550-acre wildfire. (Sources: BLM, local news media)

Photo Credit: AZFMA

Structure protection went into effect during this incident, along with bringing in water supply by shuttling apparatuses back and forth.

Photo Credit: AZFMA

Evacuations took place for humans and livestock on Day 1. Community members came together to help with the evacuation of livestock and sheltering them.

On the final day of the fire (Day 4), June 28, 2020, Fire crews were able to fully contain the fire at 100% and held it to 440 acres.

The final cause by Investigators was deemed by human-caused.

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