To support efforts in containing the Sand Stone Fire spreading along SR 87, the Southwest Incident Management Team 4 is utilizing the We-Ko-Pa Conference Center at We-Ko-Pa Casino Resort.

It serves as a base of operations and provides accommodations for the Incident Management Team and firefighters battling the blaze.

Southwest Incident Management Team 4 is made up of 200 firefighters and support staff who will occupy a significant number of the guest rooms over the next two weeks. In addition, several meeting rooms have been secured to set up a base of operations during their stay.

“Last Saturday, we were contacted by the USDA Forest Service regarding available guest and meeting rooms due to a fire near Payson,” stated resort management. “This is happening right up the road from us, potentially impacting both neighboring communities and the Fort McDowell Yavapai Nation, so we immediately began securing space for them. It is our privilege to do whatever we can to give the firefighters a restful place to eat and sleep after a long day and serve as a base of operations to help contain the spread of this devastating brush fire.”

The Southwest Incident Management Team assumed command of the Sand Stone, Deer and Davenport Fires at 6 a.m. Monday, July 29.

A complex team brings additional resources and management capabilities to manage these incidents.  The objectives include protecting values at risk, including adjacent tribal and private lands, power and transportation infrastructure, cultural and natural resources including the Sonoran Desert ecosystem and Mazatzal Wilderness, threatened and endangered species, and range improvements.