It is with great disappointment that we are postponing the June 21 – June 25 Camp Colley session scheduled to begin Monday due to the Backbone Fire, which is encroaching on Strawberry, Arizona about 30 miles southwest of camp. We have been following the AZ Department of Environmental Quality, Department of Transportation, and Coconino National Forest updates and together with our City of Phoenix partners and onsite staff, have determined that poor air quality and limited road access to Camp Colley due to the Backbone Fire prevents us from providing a safe and enjoyable week at camp.
Weather projections show wind pushing smoke North/Northeast from the fire, currently uncontained at 17,000 acres as of June 19, 2021. This puts Camp Colley on the direct path or where the smoke is most likely to go in the coming days.
The good news is there is currently no threat of fire on camp property. We know how much our children were looking forward to camp and we are inviting them to attend either session 5 (June 28 – July 2) or session 6 (July 5 – July 9), as long as conditions permit these sessions to take place.
We have notified parents and program partners and will ensure this news is handled with care and concern for the disruption it will likely cause families.
We will continue to share more information about the Backbone Fire’s impact on Camp Colley as more information becomes available.