Grand Canyon, AZ – The Thumb Fire continues to expand to the south on the Havasupai Reservation pushed by gusty and erratic winds. The fire was mapped late yesterday at 6,726 acres. The Arizona Central West Zone Type 3 Incident Management Team was delegated the management of the fire and is providing interagency support to Grand Canyon National Park, Truxton Canon Agency, and the Havasupai Tribe.

The team will continue suppressing the lightning caused fire while performing actions that protect identified sensitive natural and cultural resources. The Incident Management Team will support firefighters that are working in the remote and rugged terrain north of Supai as they build containment lines and strengthen natural containment features like roads, trails, and rock outcroppings. Helicopters will provide water drops to support firefighters on the ground to slow the growth of the fire. Additional firefighting resources are on order to assist in the wildfire suppression effort. Smoke from the Thumb Fire is visible from Supai and both the North and South Rims of Grand Canyon National Park.

Visitors may see increased smoke or haze filling the canyon. For more information about air quality at Grand Canyon National Park visit, https://www.airnow.gov/?city=Grand%20Canyon&state=AZ&country=USA There are no closures within Grand Canyon National Park related to the Thumb Fire. The Havasupai reservation is under an emergency closure due to the COVID-19 virus. Public entry into the reservation is prohibited and will be strictly enforced by the Havasupai Tribe. A Temporary Flight Restriction is in place over the fire area. For more information on the Thumb Fire, visit: https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/6870/ For information about wildland fire at Grand Canyon National Park, visit: https://www.nps.gov/grca/learn/management/firemanagement.htm or call 928-638-7819 for recorded fire information. -e