The Cedar Fire burning near Show Low and Pinetop-Lakeside is now 10 percent contained. On Thursday, fire crews were able to keep the blaze from moving closer to both communities, which remain under pre-evacuation orders.
"It sat exactly where we wanted it to within our lines and what we’re trying to do is strengthen those lines so when the fire gets active in the next couple of days, our lines are burned out with black to when they hit that black they just stop and it stays there," said Pruett Small, Cedar Fire deputy incident commander.
Still, residents there are not out of the woods just yet.
According to the national incident information system, InciWeb, the fire has burned more than 9,600 acres as of Friday morning and remains under investigation.
Hot, dry and windy conditions make fighting a fire like the Cedar Fire incredibly grueling. Still, progress is being made. Fire crews have held the lines and kept the blaze from reaching those so-called "trigger points." But Navajo County Sherriff KC Clark is leery of saying they're out of the woods.
"Well, were in the woods on two different things here. Were in Stage 1 fire restrictions here. So, this fire we put it out, were still not out of the woods," said Clark. "We’re thinking about going to Stage 2 fire restrictions not because of this fire but because of the lack of moisture and the overgrown forest that we have."
At a press conference, one fire official said if firefighters have another good day, the Cedar Fire could reach 30-percent containment later this evening.
Meanwhile, State Forester Jeff Whitney said it’s already been a busy fire season. He said the number of acres burned so far this year is four or five times more than the average we've seen in the past two years.
"Conditions this year were lining up very similar to 2002 and 2011," explained Whitney. "2002 was the year we had the Rodeo Chediski fire in this location, 2011 is when we had the Wallow fire a few air-miles to the east of us in the White Mountains."
Whitney said he is guardedly optimistic that firefighters will be able to hold the Cedar fire in its current location. Winds are not expected to kick up, but dry, hot conditions are expected again Friday.
