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October 24 Update: Fire managers on the Mogollon Rim District moved forward with ignitions on the Victorine prescribed burn today; however, after checking conditions on the ground at the Fort Valley Project, fire managers determined winds and other conditions to be unfavorable and chose to postpone the burn until tomorrow. Some winds are helpful, as they help push smoke out of the community, but today’s winds were too high. Pending favorable conditions, fire managers plan to continue burning at the Victorine Project again tomorrow, as well as the Fort Valley Project originally planned for today. Details of these burns are below.
Brienne Magee Public Affairs Specialist Flagstaff Ranger District 5075 N Hwy 89 Flagstaff AZ 86004 Desk: 928.527.8290 Cell: 928.310.6035 bmagee@xxxxxxxxx
From:
Magee, Brienne U -FS
NEWS RELEASE U.S. Dept. of Agriculture U.S. Forest Service Coconino National Forest www.flickr.com/photos/coconinonationalforest
For Immediate Release October 23, 2012
Public Affairs Contacts: Brienne Magee, Flagstaff Ranger District, 928-527-8290 Brady Smith, Coconino National Forest, 928-527-3490 Connie Birkland, Red Rock Ranger District, 928-203-7505
Prescribed burns planned near Flagstaff and Blue Ridge Wednesday
Flagstaff, AZ – Pending favorable conditions, fire managers are planning a small burn in Fort Valley tomorrow as part of an ongoing research section. Crews also plan to continue burning efforts on the Victorine Project on the Mogollon Rim Ranger District.
For Wednesday, October 24, 2012 Victorine Project – 500 acres located approximately 5 miles southeast of Highway 87, 8 miles northeast of Blue Ridge Reservoir. Smoke will disperse to the north. Overnight residual smoke may be noticeable in the Blue Ridge communities. Fire managers are planning to continue burning in this project all week, with approximately 500 acres per day. Fort Valley Project – 35 acres located north of Flagstaff east of Highway 180 in the Fort Valley Experimental Forest, off Forest Road 164B near Chimney Springs. Smoke will rise and disperse over the San Francisco Peaks and through Schultz Pass with the forecast winds. Some smoke may be noticeable from east Flagstaff. Winds are expected to continue throughout the night; however if they become light residual smoke will settle in Fort Valley and drift into Cheshire and Flagstaff overnight.
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.
The public can obtain additional prescribed fire information via the following:
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