The Wood Fire burning in the Battleaxe area was just about out early Thursday morning. The fire burned up to the road. Some of the guardrail posts were still on fire. A sign warned motorists about the smoke. Photo by James Carnes
A microburst with lightning moving through the Superior area on Saturday started a forest fire in the Tonto National Forest. The nature-caused Wood Fire consumed over 7,000 acres of Tonto National Forest, mostly within the burn scar of the 2021 Telegraph Fire. The fire was a slow moving fire and did not scorch the earth, which is not expected to create any major flooding risks to the area.
The fire reached the guard rails on the southbound side of Highway 177 which causes some traffic delays due to lane closures. Crews from the Tonto National Forest conducted back burn exercises to ensure the fire would not reach any values at risk, but would allow the fire to burn low lying grasses.
A vehicle fire on highway 177 posed another fire risk to the area. The Superior Fire department responded to the incident and with help from crews working on the Wood Fire, there was not additional fire risks to the area.
The Arizona Trail Alamo Canyon to Picket Post segment has been closed. The forest closure also extends to other areas south of Superior and Forest Road 230. The forest is expected to reopen in a few weeks once the land has had a chance to adjust to the nature-caused fire.
At press time, the fire was about 20 percent contained and is expected to continue to burn to the south and west of Superior in remote and rugged terrain. Residents and travelers in the area may still see some smoke and flames.