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Wild River Fire in White Mountains Now More Than Half Contained

Eased fire behavior from recent rain has given crews an opportunity to secure containment lines.

Overview

  • The blaze, which started Sunday, Nov. 1, has burned about 821 acres and was reported at 53% containment in the latest update.
  • Rain and cooler temperatures over the weekend reduced active flames to smoldering pockets and helped crews increase and tie together containment lines.
  • About 88–95 personnel have worked the incident using helicopters, engines, suppression modules and an unmanned aerial system while managers have begun adjusting resources to match lower fire activity.
  • The fire remains inside White Mountain National Forest under a closure order, investigators are probing a likely human-caused ignition, and public briefings are being held for nearby towns.
  • Remote access from a road washed out in 2023 forced early transport by utility vehicles and construction of a temporary footbridge, which shaped tactics and slowed initial suppression work until weather aided containment.