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Please contact me if you have any questions regarding this release. Thank you! Respectfully, David Hercher/Public Affairs Specialist USDA – Forest Service, Kaibab National Forest, R3, NKRD Fredonia, AZ 86022 Office: 928-643-8110 Mobile: 928-522-4660 Fax: 928-643-8105 Email: davidjhercher@xxxxxxxxx “We Do Not Inherit the Earth from Our Ancestors; We Borrow It from Our Children” -Author Unknown
Fire Managers Complete Ignitions, Monitor Rx Treatments
FREDONIA, Ariz. –
Working together as the North Zone Fire Management Unit,
U.S. Forest Service and National Park Service fire managers completed ignitions on more than 7,000 acres across the North Kaibab Ranger District. The North Zone consists of the North Rim of Grand Canyon National Park and the North Kaibab Ranger District,
Kaibab National Forest. During this year’s prescribed fire burn season, plans call for up to six prescribed fires this fall, ranging in size from 471 to 3,541 acres in size. Weather dependent, fire crews plan to move forward with the Big Ridge Rx on Monday in order
to complete treatments of Jacob-Ryan South project area, which is 1,075 acres in size.
During these prescribed treatments, it is important to note that human health takes precedence over forest health. “We take all measures available to us to ensure the integrity of air quality
within our community as this is always a number one priority,” said District Ranger, Randall Walker. To help determine air quality, wind direction and wind speed, fire managers use a PIBAL or
Pilot Balloon Operation to construct a wind profile prior to starting ignitions. “If air-shed conditions are not amicable to implementing the prescribed treatment then we do not treat.” Today, fire managers at the Kaibab National Forest Williams Ranger District elected to move a planned prescribed treatment operation into another project area in order to mitigate smoke impact on the City of Williams, a decision intended
to benefit and show support for the city during Homecoming celebration activities.
Based on the objectives that fire managers wish to achieve, a burn plan is developed for every prescribed fire. Each prescription contains a set of parameters that define when fire managers
can initiate burning based on environmental factors such as wind, relative humidity, temperature and expected weather patterns, and on fuel conditions.
The PIBAL is one tool used to determine wind direction and wind speed by setting the instrument up so that it is level and it is pointed towards true north with both scales reading 0 degrees
exactly. A balloon is then released in front of the theodolite. It is sighted at timed intervals (usually one minute apart) and the position of the theodolite's telescope (azimuth and elevation) is recorded. If all prescriptive parameters within a fire’s plan are not met, the fire will not be started. Likewise, extensive coordination with the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality occurs
before and during any prescribed fire. For additional information on the Smoke Management Division of the ADEQ and to view prescribed burns authorized for any given day, visit
http://www.azdeq.gov/environ/air/smoke/index.html. During these prescribed treatments, visitors may see fire personnel and fire vehicles in the vicinity when any prescribed fire is being implemented. Visitors should drive slowly, turn on
headlights, and avoid stopping in areas where fire personnel are working. Before prescribed fire treatment is implemented, notification will be provided through multiple channels to include email news releases, Twitter and the forest website, and the status of
any initiated prescribed fire can be tracked on InciWeb. Get fire activity updates and maps 24 hours-a-day: Fire Information Line at 928-635-8311 InciWeb at
inciweb.nwcg.gov To SMS text: ‘follow kaibabnf’ to 40404 -USFS- This electronic message contains information generated by the USDA solely for the intended recipients. Any unauthorized interception of this message or the use or disclosure of the information it contains may violate the law and subject the violator to civil or criminal penalties. If you believe you have received this message in error, please notify the sender and delete the email immediately. |
Attachment:
1650-1_d3_RxFollowUp_2014_1017.pdf
Description: 1650-1_d3_RxFollowUp_2014_1017.pdf
