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Crews have started ignitions on the Woody Ridge project west of Ft Tuthill. Smoke will disperse to the southwest with the forecast winds today. Residual smoke will likely drain to Pumphouse Wash and Highway 89A overnight. Today’s burn is divided into two sections –the first is 160 acres. If all conditions continue to be favorable as they near completion of this section, crews will continue with ignitions on the remaining 426 acres. Fire managers anticipate ignitions to be complete by mid-day, leaving the remainder of the day for the majority of smoke to disperse before nightfall.
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 November 2, 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 tentatively planned near Flagstaff and Stoneman Lake next week
Flagstaff, AZ – Pending favorable conditions, fire managers are planning prescribed burns at various project areas on the Coconino National Forest next week, and are looking at forecast conditions that would move the majority of smoke away from the community and minimize impacts as much as possible.
For Monday November 5 Woody Ridge Project – 586 acres located south of Flagstaff, directly west of Fort Tuthill. The weather forecast is calling for northeast winds that will take smoke to the southwest away from Flagstaff. Smoke will be noticeable in the immediate area, though, including the trail network and archery course at Fort Tuthill as well as Soldier Trail located immediately east of control lines.
For the remainder of the week, fire managers are tentatively planning to burn near Lake Mary, north of the San Francisco Peaks, and at Upper Beaver Creek approximately 2 miles northwest of Stoneman Lake.
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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