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Infared Cameras Used to Map the Schultz Fire

http://stream.publicbroadcasting.net/production/mp3/knau/local-knau-908971.mp3

Phoenix, AZ –
The massive wildfire was caused Sunday morning by an abandoned campfire, near Schultz Tank and the Elden trail in the Schultz Pass area. That's in between Mt. Elden and the San Francisco Peaks, a recreation playground for mountain bikers, hikers, horseback riders and campers. But so far at least, Phelps says it hasn't reached some of the most popular areas.
"It hasn't moved too much in the dry lake hills area, thankfully, or the inner basin, so those two trail systems are fairly intact, they'll be a little more impacted to the north.
The fire has crossed the Waterline road, a popular route to the Inner Basin. But it hasn't reached the Weatherford Trail toward Doyle Saddle. And while it hasn't reached the Dry Lake Hills, an area known for its mountain biking trails, Phelps says it is moving in that direction.
"Folks from town can see the southernmost edge of the fire, I can see it from my house, hasn't hit the Sunset trial, they're talking about possibly having to prep that trail, possibly to burn out from there."
The new map also shows the fire has burned right to the ridgeline above Lockett Meadow, a popular camping area and trail head.
"What we're doing is building line, looking to do a burnout operation, if we don't it has a possibility of hooking it around, wilderness area "
Phelps says the aspen trees around Lockett Meadow and the Inner Basin have slowed the fire, because aspens hold more moisture than ponderosa pine. They'll know whether they slowed it down enough late tonight, when they take more infrared pictures of the fire.
For Arizona Public Radio, I'm Daniel Kraker in Flagstaff
View the map on the front page of our website KNAU.org