Kinlichee Two Fire is 40 percent Contained

KINLICHEE, Ariz. The Navajo Nation Forestry Department reported that the Bureau of Indian Affairs Navajo Regional Fire Management & Aviation Center has contained 40percent of the Kinlichee Two Fire. Kinlichee is located about 20 miles west of Window Rock, Arizona. The Kinlichee Two Fire, which is located south of the old Cross Canyon Trading Post and Arizona Highway 264, consumed 1,655 acres in fuel model 7 (Pinon and cedar trees and sage brush) as of 8:15 a.m. June 7, 2006. Bill Watchman, BIA Fire Center Manager, said, The wildfire is not controlled at this time. Currently there are a few hot spots that are burning, fueled by the winds and from thunderstorm cells from the western side of the fire. Alex Becenti, Navajo forestry director, said that a Type II Navajo Region Helitack team is making bucket drops. Watchman said, We are monitoring the weather very closely. The high winds in the area may cause spot fires, but crews are on top of these areas. Two helicopters, including a Type III helicopter from the BIA and a Type II helicopter from Flagstaff, Arizona, are dropping buckets of water from the air. They are concentrating on wetting down the hot spots and the southern and eastern perimeters of the fire. There are also four Type VI fire engines and four Type III Water Tenders on the scene. Three U.S. Forest Service air tankers from Albuquerque, N.M. made 17 slurry drops on the east, south and west side of the fire on June 6, 2006. They were assisted by a lead plane and one Air Attack Boss. There was no loss of life. Two abandoned houses were burned but the fire went around two hogans. BIA Navajo Regional Fire Management & Aviation Type III Incident Commander Patrick Willeto had five Type II Navajo Scouts crews, a partial T2IA Navajo Hot Shot crew and two Type VI engines conduct burnout operations until midnight on June 6, 2006. The five Scout crews and Hot Shot crew remained at the fire scene throughout the night. A sixth Navajo Scout crew was mobilized at 8 a.m. June 7, 2006, for local initial attack from yesterday evenings dry lightening in the White Clay area. Other resources at the Kinlichee Two Fire on June 6, 2006, were: one Type III Navajo Region Helitack crew and chase truck, two Apache County dozer crews, two Type III water tenders from the Ganado Fire Department, and one Type VI engine from the Hopi Fire Department