NEWS RELEASE
U.S. Forest Service
Coconino National Forest
www.fs.fed.us/r3/coconino
www.twitter.com/CoconinoNF
www.flickr.com/photos/coconinonationalforest
August 3, 2011
Coconino NF Wildfire Activity Update
Flagstaff, AZ – Several low-intensity, lightning-caused wildfires on the Coconino National Forest are being managed for natural resource objectives such as improving forested conditions and returning fire to a fire-adapted ecosystem. Fire activity was moderate over the past weekend due to widespread precipitation and higher humidity. With warmer and drier weather forecast through this weekend, fire activity and smoke will increase.
Bolt Fire
The Bolt Fire received significant precipitation and is inactive.
Bolt Fire Facts
Behavior: No further fire growth is anticipated, as crews continue to monitor.
Start Date: July 11, 2011
Location: Approximately 6 miles northeast of Munds Park, off Forest Road 132A
Size: 1,780 acres
Rocky Fire
Crews continue to monitor the Rocky Fire, which received light rain and continues to burn at a low intensity. This fire is being managed by the Red Rock Ranger District.
Rocky Fire Facts
Behavior: Light. The fire is staying in the ponderosa pine understory.
Start Date: July 18, 2011
Location: 2 miles south of Stoneman Lake, near Rocky Gulch.
Size: 120 acres
Sandrock and Zeus Fires
These two wildfires are within the same area and are being managed together on the Mogollon Rim Ranger District. After weekend rainfall, fire crews are planning ignitions with drip torches along the control lines to “box in” the fire boundaries. Smoke may increase along the highways and funnel into Calf Pen Canyon. Drivers on Highways 87 and 260 may experience brief traffic delays due to the falling of snags along the highways.
Sandrock and Zeus Fire Facts
Behavior: Light. The fire is staying in the ponderosa pine understory.
Start Date: July 21 and 28, 2011
Location: off Highway 260, near Twenty-Nine Mile Lake
Size: 250 acres
Scout Fire
The fire is burning at a low to moderate intensity, and is managed by Mogollon Rim Ranger District. Fire crews are preparing for additional ignitions along control lines, similar to strategy on Sandrock Fire. Planned ignitions will produce smoke which will be visible from Payson.
Scout Fire Facts
Behavior: Light, burning in the ponderosa pine understory. There are heavy pockets of pine needles within the perimeter of the fire. When these pockets burn, intermittent periods of heavier smoke will be produced.
Start Date: July 21, 2011
Location: Near Forest Road 141H and Forest Road 320
Size: 150 acres
Fire managers recognize the need to minimize smoke impacts to the communities as much as possible and use several tactics to do so while managing these wildfires including slowing fire growth and intensity when ventilation conditions aren’t as favorable, and conducting firing operations earlier in the day to allow the majority of smoke to disperse before nightfall.
To learn more about fire and smoke activity on the Coconino National Forest, visit www.fs.fed.us/r3/coconino or contact your local ranger station.
Mogollon Rim Ranger Station (Blue Ridge): 928-477-2255
Red Rock Ranger Station (Sedona): 928-203-7500
Flagstaff Ranger Station: 928-526-0866
###
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Karen Malis-Clark
Public Affairs, Conservation Education
Coconino National Forest
1824 S. Thompson St.
Flagstaff, AZ 86001-2529
Phone 928-527-3492 Fax 928-527-3620
email kmclark@xxxxxxxxx
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
To receive official Forest Service information by e-mail, please subscribe by visiting http://www.fs.fed.us/news/subscription/
To unsubscribe from this mailing list, please visit http://www.fs.fed.us/news/subscription
If you wish to make changes to an existing account, please visit http://www.fs.fed.us/news/changes.shtml
