The Bear Fire started in Bear Canyon about half a mile north of the Mogollon Rim on June 1. The Highline Fire Started south of the Mogollon Rim on June 10.
Every event with a place to put it; 1 filed by county or forecast zone are drawn at its center, in a lighter ring. Tap one for its entry below.
Deaths and injuries are direct and indirect together, as the offices filed them. Damage is property and crops in the dollars of the year, not adjusted for inflation, and only where an office estimated it.
The episode as NWS FGZ wrote it up.
The Bear Fire started in Bear Canyon about half a mile north of the Mogollon Rim on June 1. The Highline Fire Started south of the Mogollon Rim on June 10. These two fires eventually merged to become the Highline Fire. The fire burned 2,591 acres on the Coconino National Forest and the 7,198 acres on the Tonto National Forest. The fire changed the hydrology of the area and resulted in significant flash flooding during the raining season in July 2017.
The local office's own words before the first event, as it sent them, from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service text.
NWS Flagstaff, AZ wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Jun 1, 9:55 AM MST, 6 hours 5 minutes earlier.
Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Flagstaff AZ 955 AM MST Thu Jun 01 2017 .SYNOPSIS...Lingering moisture and instability will bring afternoon showers and thunderstorms to areas along and north of the Mogollon Rim and White Mountains today. Warmer and drier conditions will develop heading into the weekend and next week. A lingering chance of showers and thunderstorms will persist through Sunday or Monday over the White Mountains. && .DISCUSSION...A large trough over much of the western United States has two distinct areas of rotation this morning. The first area is located over southeastern Arizona, with a second area over central and northern Nevada. This means there is some weak diffluence aloft over far northern Arizona and some colder air and weak lift aloft over southeast and eastern Arizona. Residual moisture from yesterday convection and westward moving outflows, along with mid-level moisture associated with the trough, will combine for more isolated to scattered high-based storms today. In general, the coverage will not be as great as drier air and subsidence begins to develop later today, but coverage will be a bit higher than previously thought. Hghts rise over the weekend and into next week as the trough exits the region. Residual moisture and cooler air aloft will be slow to exit our far eastern zones and isolated convection will persist near the White Mtns through the weekend. Most other areas will see drying and a substantial warming trend. Zones/grids look good, no updates this morning. && .AVIATION...For the 18Z package...Mainly VFR conditions will continue for the next 24 hours. Isolated to scattered high-based thunderstorms will develop along and north of a KGCN-KFLG-KSOW line aft 18Z. Strong and erratic surface winds are likely in the vicinity of storms, otherwise expect south-southwest winds from 10-20 knots through sunset. Aviation discussion not updated for TAF amendments. && .FIRE WEATHER...Lingering moisture will bring isolated to scattered afternoon thunderstorms along and north of the Mogollon Rim today, with storms confined to the eastern third of the state Friday. Gusty and erratic winds are likely near storms, with generally light south-southwest winds elsewhere. Saturday through Monday...Mainly dry conditions, light winds and above normal temperatures are forecast through the weekend. A slight chance of high based thunderstorms will persist along the New Mexico border. Southwest winds may increase modestly on Monday. && .FGZ WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...NONE. && PUBLIC...Peterson AVIATION...MCT FIRE WEATHER...JJ For Northern Arizona weather information visit weather.gov/flagstaff
The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
1 wildfire. Local standard time, as filed.
The Bear Fire started about ten miles southeast of Clints Well in Bear Canyon. It eventually merged with the Highline Fire and continued to grow until around July 7. Together, the fires burned 9789 acres.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Arizona in 2017Every state in 2017This day in weather historyWarnings in Arizona, June 2017
NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, Storm Events Database, compiled from the National Weather Service’s monthly Storm Data. Complete through 2026-06; NCEI adds each month about 75 days after it ends and revises past years a few times a year. Rebuilt 2026-09-24. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 706081.