FLAGSTAFF β Winds covered the sky with a smoky haze in the Flagstaff area Saturday, blowing smoke into the city from three managed forest fires, the National Weather Service said.
The U.S. Forest Service is managing two lightning-caused fires just south of Flagstaff on the Coconino National Forest. The Cowboy fire, about eight miles south of Flagstaff immediately east of Interstate 17, had burned 2,139 acres as of 2 p.m. Saturday. The Mormon fire, six miles east of Munds Park near Mormon Mountain, was at 1,333 acres.
In addition to the Cowboy and Mormon fires, the Forest Service is also managing a lightning-caused fire about eight miles northeast of Strawberry. The Pivot Rock fire, about three miles northeast of the junction of State Route 260 and 87, had burned approximately 1,719 acres as of Saturday morning.
On Friday morning, the Coconino National Forest issued an emergency closure on all National Forest lands within the area of the Mormon Fire.
