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NEWS RELEASE
U.S. Dept. of Agriculture U.S. Forest Service Coconino National Forest www.flickr.com/photos/coconinonationalforest For Immediate Release February 25, 2014
Public Affairs Contacts:
Brienne Magee, Flagstaff District Public Affairs Specialist, 928-527-8290 Brady Smith, Forest Public Affairs Officer, 928-527-3490 Prescribed burn planned for Wednesday south of Little America Hotel
Flagstaff, AZ – Pending favorable conditions tomorrow, Feb 26, fire managers on the Flagstaff Ranger
District of the Coconino National Forest are planning to conduct a prescribed burn approximately 2 miles south of Flagstaff and the Little America Hotel, off Harold Ranch Road. Crews plan to burn 225 acres, in increments of 100. Winds in the forecast will
help disperse smoke to the east and northeast. Some smoke may be noticeable on Interstate 40 and in southeast Flagstaff including Harold Ranch, Walnut Canyon, and Country Club areas.
The forest depends on low-intensity fire to reduce accumulated vegetation, enhance wildlife habitat, and recycle valuable nutrients into the soil. “Fire is a natural part
of this ecosystem,” says Vic Morfin, Coconino National Forest Fuels Management Officer. “It reduces the likelihood of severe fire behavior, creating safer conditions for the community and firefighters.”
Prescribed burns are termed such because they are conducted within a “prescription” that defines the fuel moisture levels, air temperatures, wind conditions, and relative humidity
levels that are appropriate for each project. All prescribed fire activity is dependent on personnel availability, fuel conditions, weather and ventilation, and approval from the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality
(ADEQ). Fire managers strive to minimize smoke impacts to the community by working closely with ADEQ, partners in the Ponderosa Fire Advisory Council, as well as neighboring forests
to monitor air quality. In addition, fire managers try to burn when winds and other atmospheric conditions
will push the majority of smoke away from homes, and try to burn larger sections at a time to ultimately limit the number of days smoke is in the air. The public can register to receive regular email notifications by choosing the “Southwestern Region” option at
http://www.fs.fed.us/news/subscription. Information can also be obtained via the
Prescribed Fire Hotline at 928-226-4607, our website, and Twitter at www.twitter.com/CoconinoNF.
Wednesday’s burn is part of the Eastside Project. Map below shows general location.
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