Firefighting crews have 10 percent containment on the Taylor fire burning 22 miles southwest of Flagstaff. Overnight mapping shows that the fire, which was reported Sunday morning, has burned 3,000 acres.
Calmer winds overnight and so far today have prevented the fire’s thick smoke from spilling into Flagstaff this morning — unlike Monday, when the city was shrouded in smoke most of the day.
Fire crews — 505 strong — aggressively attacked the Taylor fire Monday and overnight, with tankers dropping fire retardant and helicopters laden with water-filled Bambi buckets making passes over as well. Four air tankers, three helicopters, three planes and dozers, along with hot shot crews and Type II management crews are working the fire.
Air attack is “ready to roll” today as well, said Jeannie Gilbertson, a spokeswoman for the firefighting team. Crews will continue burnout operations and attempt to hold existing control lines.
Gilbertson said firefighters will check for fire spread in Sycamore Canyon and to the north and northwest.Some historic cabins remain threatened, but nothing has been lost.
Buck Ridge Cabin, Taylor Cabin, Winter Cabin and Fernow Cabin — the last of which is rented out to the public — are all in the vicinity of the fire, along with some private property at Hog Hill.
The cause of the fire is still unknown and under investigation.
Woody Mountain Road (Forest Road 231) past the Arboretum is closed to public traffic, as well as FR 538 and 535.. All trailheads leading into the southeastern portion of Sycamore Canyon are also closed.
The Coconino National Forest has set up a public information line at 226-4600.
The fire began in the Sycamore Canyon Wilderness, a rugged 87-square mile canyon known for abundant wildlife and beautiful red cliffs.
Paul Glazer, left, Martin Johns, center, and J.A. Vacca work together to set up a communications repeater to transfer radio messages between the Taylor fire incident command post and firefighters on the fire lines. The three communications technicians installed the repeater on Sycamore Point.
A slurry tanker drops fire retardant on a section of the Taylor fire burning at the rim of Sycamore Canyon as seen from Sycamore Point Monday morning. The tanker was operating out of the Prescott airport
Smoke from the Taylor fire fills the horizon above Sycamore Canyon as seen from Sycamore Point Monday morning.
The blooms of smoke from the Taylor fire
Here as the fire is Raging
Crews getting dropped off
Getting water from a near bye lake 
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