Arizona, 2019

Wildfire in Arizona, July 21 to 31, 2019

July 21 to 31, 2019 · NWS FGZ · 1 event in 1 county or zone

The Museum Fire started in the Dry Lake Hills 4 miles north of downtown Flagstaff. It was human caused.

Where it happened

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.

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The toll

Deaths
0
Injuries
0
Property damage
$9.0 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.

What happened

The episode as NWS FGZ wrote it up.

The Museum Fire started in the Dry Lake Hills 4 miles north of downtown Flagstaff. It was human caused. The fire was hit by heavy thunderstorms rains just two days later that caused ash and debris flow out of the fire area. The final size was 1,961 acres. The fire did not grow much after the first week. It was declared contained on Monday August 12.

The radar

The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.

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Event by event

1 wildfire. Local standard time, as filed.

Wildfire, Black Mesa Area

When
July 21, 11:15 AM MST to July 31, 11:59 PM MST
Where
Black Mesa Area forecast zone
Property damage
$9.0 million
Reported by
Park/Forest Service
Coordinates
35.545, -110.527 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

The Museum Fire started about 4 miles north of Flagstaff on Sunday July 21 at around 1115 AM. The fire grew to 1,962 acres in the Dry Lake Hills area. The burn severity was 12% High, 28% moderate, 48%, and 12% very low. Much of this area drains into the Spruce Wash which runs into several communities of Flagstaff. An initial estimate of $9 million was spent on fire suppression. Extensive flood protection measures (200,000 sand bags and many jersey barriers) have been put in place below the fire scar.

What these are

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.

The same day elsewhere

More

Every storm in Arizona in 2019Every state in 2019This day in weather historyWarnings in Arizona, July 2019

Sources

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: 838601.