Arizona, 2018Wildfire in Arizona, April 28 to 30, 2018
April 28 to 30, 2018 · NWS FGZ · 1 event in 1 county or zone
The Tinder fire was first observed on April 27, 2018 at 11:43 AM by Moqui Tower lookout. The fire was caused by an illegal and abandoned campfire.
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.
- Tornadoes
- Tropical storms and surge
- Floods
- Wind
- Hail
- Winter weather
- Heat and drought
- Cold
- Fire, smoke and dust
- Marine and coastal
- Other
Open the live radar over this ground
- Deaths
- 0
- Injuries
- 0
- Property damage
- $50 million
- Crop damage
- None recorded
- Events
- 1
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 Tinder fire was first observed on April 27, 2018 at 11:43 AM by Moqui Tower lookout. The fire was caused by an illegal and abandoned campfire. Fire restrictions were in place at 800 AM that morning.
What forecasters said that day
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 Apr 28, 9:14 AM MST, 2 hours 29 minutes earlier.
Area forecast discussion, Apr 28, 9:14 AM MST, 2 hours 29 minutes before
Area Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service Flagstaff AZ
914 AM MST Sat Apr 28 2018
.SYNOPSIS...There are slight chances for high based thunderstorms
producing gusty outflow winds today along and northeast of the
Mogollon Rim. Southwest winds will also develop, with gusts to 40
mph across Coconino County this afternoon. Cooler, dry, and breezy
conditions are expected Sunday through Monday. Much colder and
unsettled conditions return starting Tuesday.
&&
.UPDATE...
Water vapor loop this morning shows much drier air moving into
western AZ with gravity waves indicating southwest flow already
over Mohave county. The mid level moisture field that covered much
of the northland yesterday is now across Navajo and Apache
counties, with scattered light radar echoes seen across the
southern half of Apache county.
We have two sources of wind to watch today. Southwesterly
gradient winds due to a trough of low pressure over the Pacific
northwest will bring gusts to 40 mph to Coconino county. The
second is outflow winds from isolated high based showers/Tstorms
across areas east of along from Page- Flagstaff-Payson through
this evening. Yesterday, outflow gusts of 53 mph were measured at
the Grand Canyon Airport, and 49 mph at Kykotsmovi. Downdraft cape
values are slight higher today v yesterday across northeast AZ
indicating the potential for faster outflow winds.
The short term forecast is in good shape with no updates.
&&
.PREV DISCUSSION /428 AM MST/... We are expecting more chances for
high-based showers and isolated embedded thunderstorms again
today, though now generally confined to eastern Arizona. Daytime
temperatures will remain above normal through the weekend, though
tightening pressure gradients will lead to increasingly gusty
southwest winds. A Red Flag Warning for today and a Fire Weather
Watch for Sunday remain in effect for portions of the Northland to
address the concerns for extreme fire behavior. Dry weather
returns for Sunday through Monday night, though gusty daytime
winds will persist for Monday.
By Tuesday through Thursday of next week, low pressure will bring
much cooler temperatures and periods of rain and high elevation
snow showers, along with the additional potential for a few
thunderstorms. Unsettled conditions may linger through the end of
next week, under gradually warming daytime temperatures.
&&
.AVIATION...For the 18Z package...VFR conditions will prevail over
next 24 hours. Southwest winds 15-25 kts gusting 30-35 kts with the
strongest winds across Coconino and Yavapai Counties. Isolated high-
based showers/thunderstorms likely mainly across Navajo and Apache
Counties through 03z Sun. Aviation discussion not updated for TAF
amendments.
&&
.FIRE WEATHER...Expect isolated to scattered dry high-based showers
and thunderstorms into Saturday evening, mainly across Navajo and
Apache counties with very little precipitation. Gusty southwest
winds will create critical fire weather conditions across western
Coconino and Yavapai counties Saturday, expanding to cover most of
northern Arizona Sunday.
Monday through Wednesday...Breezy southwest winds persist on Monday
with a storm system bringing much cooler and wetter weather to the
region Tuesday and Wednesday.
&&
.FGZ WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...Fire Weather Watch from Sunday morning
through Sunday evening FOR AZZ104>117-137>140.
Red Flag Warning until 7 PM MST this evening FOR AZZ104-106>108.
&&
PUBLIC...DL/KD
AVIATION...TPS
FIRE WEATHER...TPS
For Northern Arizona weather information visit
weather.gov/flagstaff
Wildfire, Eastern Mogollon Rim
- When
- April 28, 11:43 AM MST to April 30, 11:59 PM MST
- Where
- Eastern Mogollon Rim forecast zone
- Property damage
- $50 million
- Reported by
- Park/Forest Service
- Coordinates
- 35.620, -111.045 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
The Tinder Fire was first seen by Moqui Tower lookout on April 27 11:43 AM. Investigators determined that the fire originated in the East Clear Creek drainage approximately 1 mile downstream from Forest Road 95. Forest Road 95 runs north-south and is located approximately 1.5 miles east of C.C. Cragin (Blue Ridge) Reservoir. The cause of the fire was an abandoned illegal campfire. The fire burned 16,309 acres, 33 primary residences, and 54 minor structures.
- Wildfire
- A fire burning in wildland vegetation, with its acreage and damage where known.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
- Flood in Maine, April 28 to 30, 2018$2.8 million · 1 event
- Flooding in Montana, April 28 to 30, 2018$30,000 · 2 events
- Flood in Washington, April 28 to 30, 2018$20,000 · 1 event
- High Surf in Hawaii, April 28 to 30, 201811 events
- Marine Thunderstorm Winds in North Atlantic Coastal Waters, April 28, 20184 events
- Damaging Winds in New Mexico, April 28, 2018$10,000 · 56 kt wind · 3 events
- Funnel Clouds in Oregon, April 28 to 29, 20183 events
- Flood in Maine, April 28 to 30, 20181 event
- Funnel Cloud in Washington, April 28, 20181 event
- High Wind in Montana, April 28, 201850 kt wind · 1 event
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: 744124.