Fire resources dispatched to White Sage Fire on July 9 continue suppression efforts
Start Date: Smoke reported Wednesday evening, July 9, 2025
Origin Location: 1.5 miles northeast of White Sage, AZ
Jurisdiction: Bureau of Land Management Arizona Strip Field Office, and U.S. Forest Service Kaibab National Forest, North Kaibab Ranger District
Fire Size: Mapped at 8,700 acres
Cause: Lightning
Fuels: Grass, shrub, pinyon juniper
Containment: 0%
Public Safety – Evacuations: Residents and visitors are encouraged to visit Coconino County Emergency Management Services webpage for information on evacuations and closures:
Current Situation:
Fire crews encountered very extreme fire behavior due to the dry conditions, gusty and erratic winds inhibiting the ability for fire fighters on the second night, to safely engage the fire. The fire made a significant run on the afternoon of July 10, spotting, and torching due to sustained winds from 15-20 mph, fueled by extremely dry conditions, low relative humidity, and low fuel moistures. This very active fire behavior continued into the evening and into the early morning.
Fire fighter and public safety are the highest priority. The BLM continues coordination with Coconino County Emergency Management on evacuations and closures.
A Complex Incident Management Team is in bound tomorrow with more resources including engines, crews and aviation support.
Fire managers are asking the public to avoid the area to allow fire resources uninhibited access to manage the fire. Highway 89A is closed at Fredonia and at Bitter Spring. Coconino County Sherriff’s Office and Coconino County Emergency Management have issued evacuation notices for the areas north and south of Jacob Lake and the North Rim of Grand Canyon National Park.
For more information visit InciWeb: https://inciweb.wildfire.gov/azasd-white-sage-fire .
Updates will also be provided via X/Twitter: https://x.com/BLMAZFire.
More Information and Resources:
- https://www.fs.usda.gov/r03/kaibab/alerts
- AZ511 Road Closure Status
- Coconino County Smart911 Registration
- Grand Canyon National Park Alerts
- Arizona Ready-Set-Go
For additional information, please contact the Arizona Strip Field Office at 435-688-3200.
-BLM-
The BLM manages roughly 245 million acres of public land located primarily in 12 western states, including Alaska, on behalf of the American people. The BLM also administers 700 million acres of sub-surface mineral estate throughout the nation. Our mission is to sustain the health, diversity, and productivity of America’s public lands for the use and enjoyment of present and future generations.
