Horse Fire south of Prescott spreads to 9,442 acres

Smoke from the Horse Fire drifts over the Black Hills into the Verde Valley on Friday, Oct. 16. The fire began on Thursday, Oct. 15 and is located seven miles northwest of Crown King and 16 miles south of Prescott. The cause of the fire is still under investigation. Daulton Venglar/Larson Newspapers

For a week, Verde Valley residents have seen southern skies fill with smoke from the Horse Fire, burning 20 miles south-southwest of the Verde Valley and 13 miles south-southwest of Mayer near the unincorporated community of Crown King, a former mining area with 133 residents.

The southern perimeter of the 9,442-acre Horse Fire shows little heat Wednesday, Oct. 21, though winds are forecast to increase each day through Saturday, Oct. 24, and could rekindle interior heat sources.

The fire began Thursday, Oct. 15, and is burning juniper, chaparral and timber. The fire is human caused, but specifics are under investigation.

Crews are directly on the fire’s west-southwest edge holding containment there at 32%. The fire is moving and making short runs in the northeast corner where it is being monitored; helicopters are being used if needed.

Along the Forest Road 52/Senator Highway, firefighters are actively working this area to slow and hold the spread of fire to protect the community of Crown King, which is just two miles to the southeast of the fire’s perimeter. The goal is to keep the fire to the west of Forest Road 52. Dozers are being used to create firebreaks and vegetation is being cleared to protect Crown King. To date, no structures are reported damaged or destroyed.

Evacuations are still in effect. Today, the Yavapai County Sheriff’s Office will escort residents into Crown King for short home visits between 8:00 a.m. and noon. Proof of local residency is required; for information, go to the YCSO webpage at ycsoaz.gov or call: 928-771-3260.

Christopher Fox Graham

Christopher Fox Graham is the managing editor of the Sedona Rock Rocks News, The Camp Verde Journal and the Cottonwood Journal Extra. Hired by Larson Newspapers as a copy editor in 2004, he became assistant manager editor in October 2009 and managing editor in August 2013. Graham has won awards for editorials, investigative news reporting, headline writing, page design and community service from the Arizona Newspapers Association. Graham has also been featured in Editor & Publisher magazine. He lectures on journalism and First Amendment law and is a nationally recognized performance aka slam poet. Retired U.S. Army Col. John Mills, former director of Cybersecurity Policy, Strategy, and International Affairs referred to him as "Mr. Slam Poet."

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Christopher Fox Graham is the managing editor of the Sedona Rock Rocks News, The Camp Verde Journal and the Cottonwood Journal Extra. Hired by Larson Newspapers as a copy editor in 2004, he became assistant manager editor in October 2009 and managing editor in August 2013. Graham has won awards for editorials, investigative news reporting, headline writing, page design and community service from the Arizona Newspapers Association. Graham has also been featured in Editor & Publisher magazine. He lectures on journalism and First Amendment law and is a nationally recognized performance aka slam poet. Retired U.S. Army Col. John Mills, former director of Cybersecurity Policy, Strategy, and International Affairs referred to him as "Mr. Slam Poet."
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