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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 October 23, 2014
Media Contact:
Brienne Magee – office: 928-527-8290, cell: 928-310-6035,
bmagee@xxxxxxxxx Lake Mary prescribed planned for burn Friday Flagstaff,
Ariz. – Crews completed ignitions on the A-1 Project this afternoon. The
low-severity fire is a natural and necessary aspect of the ecosystem that cannot be replaced by any mechanical means – this week’s efforts near A-1 Mountain reduced accumulated vegetation
across the forest floor, and recycled valuable nutrients into the soil promoting healthier vegetation and wildlife habitat. The risk of severe fire behavior has been reduced, and is therefore safer for firefighters as well as the Bellemont and Flagstaff communities.
Tonight and tomorrow morning, residents and visitors should expect similar smoke behavior as last night – smoke is likely to impact the Bellemont and I-40 areas most, and will
also be noticeable in northern portions of Flagstaff. Winds are expected to increase this weekend and will help move smoke away from the communities.
Fire managers still have additional prescribed burns to conduct on the A-1 project this fall and spring; however, to minimize smoke impacts around Bellemont and Baderville,
tomorrow crews are planning to move the restoration efforts southward to the Lake Mary Project. Pending ADEQ approval and favorable conditions, crews will burn approximately
115 acres south of Flagstaff and west of Lake Mary near Lake Mary Meadows. Smoke will disperse to the northeast. Overnight, residual smoke is expected to settle around Lake Mary Rd, Walnut
Canyon, I-40, and the southern and eastern communities of Flagstaff including Lake Mary Meadows, Herold Ranch, Heckethorn, Country Club and Cosnino. Prescribed fires are essential tools for restoring the forests in our fire-adapted ecosystem, and smoke is an unavoidable byproduct of these vital efforts.
Fire managers strive to minimize smoke impacts to the community as much as possible. They burn when winds and other atmospheric conditions will push the majority of smoke
away from homes; they’ll burn larger sections at a time to ultimately limit the number of days smoke is in the air; and they work closely with ADEQ, partners in the Ponderosa Fire Advisory Council, as well as neighboring forests to monitor air quality.
Notifications of upcoming prescribed burns are provided regularly. The public and visitors can find this information from:
Inciweb:
inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/4125
Prescribed Fire Recorded Hotline: 928-226-4607 Twitter:
www.twitter.com/CoconinoNF Coconino website “News and Events”:
www.coconinonationalforest.us
[Photo]: Low-intensity fire moves across the forest floor, removing hazardous fuels and recycling valuable nutrients into the soils, during the A-1 prescribed fire Oct 23,
2014. Interstate 40 can be seen to the right. Photo by Beale Monday, Coconino National Forest ### USDA is an equal opportunity provider, employer and lender. To file a complaint of discrimination, write to USDA, Office of the Assistant
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