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NEWS RELEASE U.S. Dept. of Agriculture U.S. Forest Service Coconino National Forest www.twitter.com/CoconinoNF www.flickr.com/photos/coconinonationalforest
For Immediate Release September 28, 2012
Prescribed burning to begin near Flagstaff next week
Flagstaff, AZ – Pending favorable conditions, fire managers on the Flagstaff Ranger District are planning to begin prescribed burns next week starting Monday. Conditions are ideal for broadcast burning, which involves applying low intensity fire across the forest floor to consume duff (accumulated leaves, needles, and grasses) and other forest litter. Frequent low-intensity fire promotes new vegetation, enhances wildlife habitat and overall forest health, as well as reduces the threat of catastrophic fire and improves public and firefighter safety by reducing the accumulated dead fuels that could otherwise contribute to more intense fire behavior under hotter/drier conditions.
All prescribed fire activity is dependent on personnel availability, weather – including winds and ventilation, and approval from the ADEQ (www.azdeq.gov).
Fire managers make every effort to minimize smoke impacts to the communities while continuing to address the critical need to reduce the risk of severe wildfires around those communities. Tactics to keep smoke impacts as minimal as possible include canceling approved burns when conditions aren’t favorable, finding alternative uses for the debris in slash piles, timing daytime ignitions to allow the majority of smoke time to disperse prior to settling overnight, and burning larger sections at a time when conditions are favorable to reduce the overall number of days smoke is in the area.
In addition, the Coconino National Forest coordinates prescribed fire plans with the partners of the Ponderosa Fire Advisory Council (which includes state and local fire departments), as well as neighboring forests, to reduce the impact of smoke on the communities.
For Monday, October 1 A-1 Project: 150 acres west of Flagstaff and A-1 Mountain, approximately 3 miles north of I-40, just southwest of Baderville. Smoke will be very noticeable west of town and near Bellemont; with the forecast light winds it will lift and disperse to the southwest during the day. Some smoke may be noticeable on I-40 between Bellemont and Flagstaff. Fire managers plan to burn a total of 600 acres on the A-1 Project next week over the course of a few days, pending favorable conditions.
In addition, fire managers anticipate burning approximately 1300 acres on the Woody Ridge Project – located southwest of Flagstaff off Woody Mountain Road - over the next couple weeks.
The following project areas are also on the list for the Flagstaff Ranger District fall and winter prescribed burning season: Eastside: South of Flagstaff near Harold Ranch Rd as well as the Heckethorn area off Lake Mary Road Pete: North of the San Francisco Peaks Fort Valley: North of Flagstaff of Highway 180 Kachina: South of Flagstaff, west of I-17 near Kachina Village Mountainaire: South of Flagstaff, east of I-17 near Mountainaire Munds: South of Flagstaff, east of I-17 around the community of Munds Park
The public can obtain additional prescribed fire information via the following:
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