The Coconino National Forest has established this method of notifying you of planned and current fuels treatment activities on the forest. For confirmation or for more information, please visit our "Current Conditions" page of the Coconino National Forest web-site. You may click
this link http://www.fs.fed.us/r3/coconino/conditions/current-rx.shtml, or use the "shortcut" to our main page: www.coconinoforest.us
The Coconino County Health Department provides information about smoke concerns and offers suggestions for minimizing smoke impacts to your family and home at the following website http://www.coconino.az.gov/health.aspx?id=6564.
March 22, 2011
Pile burns to be conducted throughout the week
Flagstaff, AZ – The recent snow has made conditions ideal for fire managers to conduct prescribed pile burns. Throughout the week, crews will burn slash piles in various locations across the Coconino National Forest including Oak Creek Canyon, and off Lake Mary Road near JW Powell Blvd, pending approval and favorable conditions. Smoke from these burns will be minimal and should disperse quickly.
Piles consist of the slash and small debris that remain after forest thinning projects. Left on the ground, the piles could act as “ladder fuels” during a wildfire, enabling flames to move from the forest floor to the branches of trees. Fire Managers find many alternative means of removing slash piles including using the wood as filler layers in the local landfill, chipping and scattering it, making it available to the public for free firewood, as well as burning them. Pile burns require enough moisture on the ground to keep fire from spreading to the surrounding vegetation, thus pile burning typically occurs after snow events. Smoke from pile burns is generally lighter and disperses faster than that of broadcast burns.
Fire managers continue to work hard balancing the critical need for reducing the risk of severe wildfires with the importance of minimizing smoke impacts to communities. The Coconino National Forest coordinates prescribed fire plans with the partners in the Ponderosa Fire Advisory Council (which includes local fire departments), as well as neighboring forests, to reduce the overall impact of smoke on the communities.
As usual all prescribed fire activity is dependent on personnel availability, weather – including ventilation, and approval from the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality (www.azdeq.gov).
The public can obtain prescribed fire information via the following:
Prescribed Fire Hotline: 928-226-4607
Coconino National Forest Website: www.fs.fed.us/r3/coconino
o Click on the Prescribed Fire Link to the right of the page
Sign-up to receive regular email notifications: http://www.fs.fed.us/news/subscription
o Choose “Southwestern Region”
Follow us on Twitter: www.twitter.com/CoconinoNF
Local Ranger Stations: Peaks Ranger District (Flagstaff), 928-526-0866; Red Rock Ranger District (Sedona) 928-203-2900; Mogollon Rim Ranger District (Blue Ridge) 928-477-2255
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