Crooks Fire: Fire grows to 6,454 acres, 16% contained as officials worry about winds

The Crooks Fire burning near Mount Union, about 10 miles south of Prescott, grew to 6,454 acres burned. The fire was 16% contained as of Monday evening.

The fire was reported on April 18, and the cause is still under investigation.

Some residents were allowed to return home, starting at 3 p.m. Monday. Residents can drive to the checkpoint on Walker Road at the south entrance to Lynx Lake.

The U.S. Forest Service said fire crews wrapped Palace Station Historic Stagecoach Stop Cabin in a foil-like wrap designed to reflect heat away from the structure and cleared brush and low-hanging branches near it. The cabin is located in Crooks Canyon roughly 17 miles south of Prescott.

More: Phoenix could hit 100 degrees this week as Crooks Fire smoke leaves the city

Winds pushed smoke from the fire north toward Prescott with reports of ash falling in Prescott and Prescott Valley Monday afternoon, according to InciWeb.

Kyle Jacobson, an operations section chief for the Crooks Fire, said Monday that the fire became less active as the day progressed and crews used "aviation assets" to drop retardant on the southern parts of the fire while utilizing other tactics to prevent the fire from spreading further west.

"On Tuesday, very low humidity will combine with increasing south winds to produce near critical fire weather conditions," the website states.

A post from the city of Prescott said that smoke impacts may continue through the week.

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Fire outlook and smoke forecast

The fire was more active in the Ash Creek drainage and winds pushed its growth in this area overnight, according to an update from InciWeb, a website tracking wildfire information.

The fire was progressing on the southwest side of the fire. Resources were concentrated in the Johnson Flat area where fire officials think they could be more successful in halting the spread.

Dry conditions were expected to continue over the fire on Monday with humidity between 5-10%. The winds were expected to be "slight, mostly terrain driven and will vary throughout the day in both direction and speed," InciWeb stated.

About 746 personnel were working on the fire as of Monday morning.

Only two structures have been reported damaged since Monday, but additional information will be released when property locations have been verified and owners have been notified, forest officials said.

The Arizona Department of Environmental Quality gave an update on smoke from the fire, noting smoke will be visible from Phoenix.

"Smoke yesterday moved toward the south over the Phoenix Valley, but almost all the smoke over the Valley was at about 10,000 ft above ground level," the website stated.

Tuesday, southerly winds will push the smoke toward Prescott, Prescott Valley, and locations within the Verde Valley

Where is the Crooks Fire burning?

Crooks Fire is burning about 10 miles south of Prescott in the west portion of Prescott National Forest, west of Big Bug Mesa, east of Lookout Mountain, northwest of Pine Mountain, southeast to Mount Tritle and south of Potato Patch.

The fire has reached Mount Union, Starlight Canyon, Mount Davis, Yankee Doodle Peak, Moscow Peak and Ash Creek Ridge.

The Forest Service closed sites in Groom Creek and Lynx Lake recreation areas, White Spar campground, Prescott Circle Trail and the Prescott Basin on Thursday night. A full list of what is closed can be found on the Forest Service's website.

Evacuations in effect for Crooks Fire

People evacuated from Walker Road north of mile marker 10 and west of Big Bug Mesa will be allowed to return to home starting Monday at 3 p.m. The area will remain in "set" status, however. A full list of streets where residents can return was posted on Facebook.

The Yavapai County Sheriff's Office said on Facebook residents can drive to the checkpoint on Walker Road at the south entrance to Lynx Lake, where deputies will help them.

The Sheriff's Office said Friday the Groom Creek area should remain ready to evacuate. The following areas are on evacuation status:

• Potato Patch

• Breezy Pines

• Lookout Mountain

• Kamp Kipa

• Mountain Pines Acres

• Mount Tritle

The American Red Cross said a shelter was set up for residents affected by the fire at the Yavapai College gymnasium, at 1100 E. Sheldon St. in Building 2, in Prescott.

If anyone has questions or needs assistance, they can stop by or call 1-800-RED-CROSS (800-733-2767).

The sheriff's office will continue to provide updates on evacuations.

Reach breaking news reporter Angela Cordoba Perez at Angela.CordobaPerez@Gannett.com or on Twitter @AngelaCordobaP.

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This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Crooks fire 16% contained; nearly 6,500 acres burned