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U.S. Forest Service
News Release
Media Contact: Brady Smith
Pile burns planned for tomorrow south of Mountainaire Flagstaff, Ariz., Dec. 10, 2015, For Immediate Release —
Fire managers plan to burn slash piles on Friday located approximately two miles south of the Mountainaire community.
Smoke is expected to rise and drift to the north, possibly lingering in low lying areas overnight
in the Kelly Canyon and Pumphouse Wash areas. Good ventilation is expected for the afternoon, which should carry the smoke up and over communities. Smoke will be most visible to those in Mountainaire, Flagstaff, surrounding communities and motorists along
Interstate 17 traveling near the area.
All prescribed burns are dependent upon weather conditions, personnel availability and forest conditions and can be cancelled and rescheduled for a later time.
The Forest Service seeks 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 the Forest Service employs to restore 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 through several resources:
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Inciweb:
http://inciweb.nwcg.gov/unit/303/
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Twitter:
www.twitter.com/CoconinoNF
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Coconino website:
www.coconinonationalforest.us,
(Under News and Events)
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