Arizona, 2022Wildfire in Arizona, June 12 to 30, 2022
June 12 to 30, 2022 · NWS FGZ · 2 events in 1 county or zone
The Pipleline Fire was human caused and detected around 1015 AM on June 12, 2022 about 6 miles north of Flagstaff. It burned through 26,532 acres by the end of July.
Every event with a place to put it; 2 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
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- Deaths
- 0
- Injuries
- 0
- Property damage
- None recorded
- Crop damage
- None recorded
- Events
- 2
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 Pipleline Fire was human caused and detected around 1015 AM on June 12, 2022 about 6 miles north of Flagstaff. It burned through 26,532 acres by the end of July. The location and terrain of the fire set the stage for extensive flash flooding in and around Flagstaff once the rainy season started a few weeks later. The Haywire Fire was detected June 13 at 530 AM 7.5 miles northeast of Doney Park. It burned a total of 5,575 acres.
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 Jun 12, 9:23 AM MST, 52 minutes earlier.
Area forecast discussion, Jun 12, 9:23 AM MST, 52 minutes before
Area Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service Flagstaff AZ
923 AM MST Sun Jun 12 2022
.SYNOPSIS...Hot conditions will continue today. Southwesterly
winds will become gusty this afternoon, with increased fire
danger. On Monday, temperatures will be a little cooler and winds
will become even stronger with dangerous fire weather conditions
developing across all of northern Arizona. Lighter winds and a
brief warm up is expected by mid-week, with the potential for a
push of monsoon moisture by Friday.
&&
.UPDATE...The forecast remains on track this morning with
increasing southwest winds and mostly clear sky conditions
expected for this afternoon. Temperatures will remain hot across
northern Arizona today before decreasing some for Monday and
Tuesday. The Excessive Heat Warning remains in effect today for
lower elevations from the Grand Canyon to Page.
Red Flag Warnings remain in place as well...the first for today
across portions of northern Arizona and the second for Monday
across all of northern Arizona. Gusty to strong southwest winds
with low humidity is anticipated both days.
&&
.PREV DISCUSSION /223 AM MST/...A broad upper trough entering the
Pacific Northwest will tighten the pressure gradient across
northern Arizona this afternoon. The combination of gusty winds
and low RH values will lead to critical fire conditions. A Red
Flag Warning will remain in effect for portions of Yavapai and
Coconino counties, and the western portions of Navajo Nation and
the Hopi Tribe this afternoon. Furthermore, temperatures will
continue to run above normal, with an Excessive Heat Warning
remaining in effect along the Grand Canyon into Page today.
By Monday, the aforementioned trough will push east into the
northern Rockies, further tightening the gradient over northern
Arizona. With windier conditions expected, critical fire weather
conditions are expected across all of northern Arizona. Therefore,
upgraded the Fire Weather Watch to a Red Flag Warning for Monday.
By Tuesday, the upper trough should begin lifting into Canada,
with weaker winds expected across northern Arizona. High pressure
over the southern US should gradually expand westward into Arizona
through mid-week, with temperatures peaking by Thursday.
By Friday, a classic monsoonal pattern is progged to develop with
high pressure becoming centered over the Southern Plains opening
up a Gulf of California tap over Arizona. Coincident troughing
over California should aid in thunderstorm development over
Arizona through the weekend. The highest chances currently look to
be over eastern Arizona, with still pretty good chances over
central and western Arizona.
&&
.AVIATION...For the 18Z TAF package...VFR conditions will prevail
over northern Arizona through the TAF period. Expect southwesterly
wind 15-25kts with gusts 25-35 until around 02Z...then southwest 10-
20kts. Southwest winds will become even stronger after 16Z. LLWS
will be possible near KFLG-KGCN after 06z Monday.
&&
.FIRE WEATHER...Hot and dry conditions will continue today. Gusty
southwesterly winds with peak gusts of 30-45 MPH are expected this
afternoon. A Red Flag Warning is in effect for portions of northern
Arizona this afternoon. Even stronger southwest winds are expected
Monday, with a Red Flag Warning in effect for all of northern
Arizona.
Tuesday through Thursday...Winds will decrease some on Tuesday, but
minimum RH values will remain below 15 percent. Lighter winds are
expected on Wednesday and Thursday with little to no precipitation
likely.
&&
.FGZ WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...Red Flag Warning from 11 AM to
8 PM MST Monday FOR AZZ104>118- 137>140.
Red Flag Warning until 8 PM MST this evening FOR AZZ104>109-112-
139-140.
Excessive Heat Warning until 8 PM MST this evening FOR AZZ005-
006.
&&
PUBLIC...LaGuardia/TM
AVIATION...MAS
FIRE WEATHER...MAS
For Northern Arizona weather information visit
weather.gov/flagstaff
Wildfire, Western Mogollon Rim
- When
- June 12, 10:15 AM MST to June 30, 11:59 PM MST
- Where
- Western Mogollon Rim forecast zone
- Reported by
- Park/Forest Service
- Coordinates
- 35.839, -111.770 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
The Haywire Fire started near Haywire Crater the day after the Pipeline Fire exploded. It burned through pine (ponderosa and pinyon), juniper, grass, and brush. Another fire (Double Fire) started near the Double Crater (two vents) a few days later and merged with the Haywire Fire. The Double Fire was either a spot from the other two fires or lightning caused. Once the two fires merged, 5,575 acres burned. Several years of persistent drought has much of northern Arizona in severe or extreme drought. The drought combined with the time of year, has both the live and dead fuels at critically dry levels. Strong winds also pushed the fire northeastward. The fire continued to burn through July with little additional spread. The topography and soils (cinders) of the Haywire Fire did not substantially increase the treat of post fire flash flooding.
Wildfire, Western Mogollon Rim
- When
- June 12, 10:15 AM MST to June 30, 11:59 PM MST
- Where
- Western Mogollon Rim forecast zone
- Reported by
- Park/Forest Service
- Coordinates
- 35.839, -111.770 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
The Pipeline Fire was reported on June 12, 2022 approximately 6 miles north of Flagstaff on the southwest flanks of Fremont Peak. Strong southwest winds pushed this fire up and over Fremont Peak, Doyle Peak, eastern portions of Locket Meadow, Sugarloaf Peak, O'Leary Peak, parts of Sunset Crater National Monument, across Forest Service Roads 420, 556, 418, and across Highway 89. Most of the 26,532 acres burned in June before higher humidity and rain arrived. The burned area lead to many flash flood events once rain started to fall during the yearly summer thunderstorm season (North American Monsoon). The fire suppression costs were at least 11 million dollars. Damage to the forest and watershed was much more than that.
- 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.
- Excessive Heat and Heat in Mississippi, June 12 to 18, 20221 death · 38 events
- Flooding in Wyoming, June 12 to 15, 2022$25 million · 5 events
- Tornadoes and Hail in South Dakota, June 12 to 13, 2022EF2 · 32 events
- Flooding and Heavy Rain in Idaho, June 12 to 13, 2022$1.8 million · 13 events
- Tornado and Hail in Wyoming, June 12, 2022EF2 · 4 events
- Excessive Heat in Oklahoma, June 12, 20229 injured · 25 events
- Flash Flood and Flooding in Montana, June 12 to 26, 2022$500,000 · 5 events
- Hail and Damaging Winds in Kansas, June 12, 2022$265,000 · 1.75 in hail · 6 events
- Damaging Winds in Virginia, June 12, 2022$54,000 · 50 kt wind · 15 events
- Excessive Heat and Heat in Tennessee, June 12 to 17, 202247 events
- Hail and Damaging Winds in Illinois, June 12, 2022$71,000 · 2 in hail · 6 events
- Tornadoes and Hail in Minnesota, June 12, 2022EF1 · 15 events
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: 1040529, 1040540.