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U.S. Dept. of Agriculture U.S. Forest Service Coconino National Forest www.twitter.com/CoconinoNF www.flickr.com/photos/coconinonationalforest For Immediate Release Friday, November 07, 2014
Media Contact:
Brienne Magee – office: 928-527-8290, cell: 928-310-6035,
bmagee@xxxxxxxxx Prescribed fires planned at Upper Beaver Creek next week Flagstaff,
Ariz. – Pending favorable conditions, fire managers are planning to conduct
prescribed burns on the Upper Beaver Creek Project next week, starting with 430 acres on Monday, November 10. Monday’s burn is located just west of Long Valley and Forest Highway 3 (Lake Mary Road), approximately 30 miles northeast of Camp Verde. Smoke will
disperse to the north during the day. Overnight, smoke will settle through Beaver Creek and may be noticeable in the Rimrock area.
No prescribed burning will take place on Tuesday.
Crews are planning to continue efforts on the Upper Beaver Creek Project Wednesday and Thursday, treating a combined total of 1,500 acres for the week.
Fire managers on the Flagstaff and Red Rock Ranger Districts are not planning any prescribed fires next week, and are evaluating conditions and the possibility
of resuming burning week of Nov 17. 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.
Crews also seek opportunities to use slash from thinning projects around the community instead of burning it –it is often used as filler at the landfill and offered as firewood
to community members. However, no matter how many mechanical means we employ to restore our forests, fire is a natural and necessary part of this ecosystem, and a restoration tool that cannot be replaced by any mechanical means. Forests need the frequent,
low-intensity fire to remove accumulated smaller fuels and recycle nutrients into the soils to promote healthy vegetation and wildlife habitat. A healthier forest is a safer forest for firefighters and residents when wildfires inevitably occur. Notifications of upcoming prescribed burns are provided regularly throughout the season. The public can find this information online or through the recorded hotline. Contact
your local Coconino National Forest office for additional information.
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