The forecast for the weekend calls for drier, warmer conditions which are expected to increase the fire’s activity and lead, once again, to growth on the fire.

The lightning-caused Point Fire continues to be managed to achieve multiple objectives, including resource and protection objectives. The fire is estimated at 245 acres in size and continues to slowly burn, with flame lengths ranging from six to eighteen inches, in ponderosa pine and occasional small patches of mixed conifer.

Fire Facts:

Start Date: July 4, 2011

Location: Approximately 10 miles west of the North Rim developed area in the vicinity of Walla Valley and Point Sublime. The North Rim sits at approximately 8,000 feet in elevation.

Size: estimated at 245 acres

Management Objectives: The Point Fire is being managed to achieve multiple objectives.

Resource objectives for the fire include maintaining fire in a fire-adapted ecosystem, reducing hazardous accumulations of forest fuels and recycling of forest nutrients.

Protection objectives for the fire include protection of sensitive cultural resources and critical wildlife habitat areas.

Closures: In order to assure firefighter and visitor safety, the Point Sublime Road (also known as the w4 road) has been closed until further notice from its junction with the w1 road, out to and including Point Sublime.

Smoke impacts: Smoke from the Point Fire is expected to be visible from US Highway 64 as far south as Valle, South Rim viewpoints, the Rim Trail, US Highway 67, the North Rim entrance station and some North Rim viewpoints. Coordination with the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality is ongoing.

Updated maps and acreages for the Point Fire will be available by noon, Friday on InciWeb.

For more on Grand Canyon’s Fire Management program, please visit us on the Web.

United States Forest Service Management