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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 Tuesday, November 18, 2014
Media Contact:
Brienne Magee – cell: 928-310-6035
Prescribed burning in Oak Creek Canyon and Mountainaire Projects today, Upper Beaver Creek and Woody Ridge tomorrow.
Flagstaff,
Ariz. – Ignitions are complete on today’s 15-acre Pine Flat Project in
Oak Creek Canyon and the 175-acre Mountainaire Project south of Flagstaff. Smoke from the Mountainaire project – located southeast of the Flagstaff Pulliam Airport between Forest Highway 3 (Lake Mary Road) and Mountainaire – is moving to the southwest toward
Kachina Village, Mountainaire and I-17. This area consists mainly of small plants and grasses, or “light fuels,” meaning they’ll be consumed quickly and residual smoke will be lighter. Nevertheless, overnight residual smoke is expected to settle in low areas
including I-17, Kachina Village and Mountainaire, as well as FH-3 and Lake Mary Meadows. For Wednesday November 19, crews are planning to resume efforts on the Upper Beaver Creek Project and burn a patch of invasive weeds off Woody Mountain Road
in an area affected by the 2010 Tornados.
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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