Prescribed burn projects to produce noticeable smoke today and tomorrow
Flagstaff, Ariz., Oct. 18, 2016, For Immediate Release —
The Griffith Springs prescribed burn project is scheduled to begin this morning south of Flagstaff near Forest Highlands and will produce a large plume of smoke visible to Flagstaff and surrounding residents.
Test fire ignitions to determine ventilation and suitability for continuing with the project will begin between 9:30-10 a.m. If test ignitions show the weather
is appropriate for continuing, the burn will commence and continue through the afternoon, with smoke predicted to move toward the northeast.
The Horseshoe/Pete project is also scheduled to begin today about the same time and is located three miles north of the San Francisco Peaks between highways
180 and 89. Smoke will be noticeable to those traveling along those highways and could impact Highway 89.
As weather conditions allow, the Upper Beaver Creek prescribed burn project near Stoneman Lake is planned for tomorrow. More information is below.
Prescribed burns are conducted within a “prescription” that defines the fuel moisture levels, air temperatures, wind conditions and relative humidity levels
that are appropriate for each project. All prescribed fire activity is dependent on personnel availability, fuel conditions, weather and ventilation, as well as approval from the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality.
For these reasons, prescribed burn projects can be cancelled at the last minute if conditions are not suitable.
GRIFFITH SPRINGS PROJECT
When:
Today. If test ignitions show suitable weather conditions, primary ignitions will begin around 10 a.m.
Where: Approximately one mile northwest of Kachina Village near Forest Highlands.
Size: Approximately 300 acres.
Impacts: Good ventilation is expected to push smoke to the north/northeast during the day and will be visible to the Forest highland Golf Club, Flagstaff Pulliam Airport, Flagstaff residents and motorists on Arizona Highway 89A, Interstate Highway 17
and I-40.
HORSESHOE / PETE PROJECT
When:
Today. If test ignitions show suitable weather conditions, primary ignitions will begin around 10 a.m.
Where: North of San Francisco Peaks near Forest Service Road 418.
Size: Approximately 4,000 acres.
Impacts: Winds are expected to flow toward the east and northeast most of the week, so smoke will be visible to motorists along U.S. Highways 180 and 89, as well as
Wupatki National Monument, Painted Desert and Navajo reservation. Nighttime impacts are possible to the communities of Tuba City and Cameron.
UPPER BEAVER CREEK PROJECT (Stoneman Lake area)
When:
Planned ignition will be Wednesday (Oct. 19) as weather and conditions allow. Duration is expected to be one day.
Where: Immediately west and south of Stoneman Lake.
Size: Approximately 870 acres.
Impacts:
Smoke may impact Stoneman Lake and Mormon Lake communities to the north, and the Discovery Channel Telescope to the east. Cooling temperatures
in the evenings may cause smoke to settle and drain down nearby canyons, potentially impacting the Village of Oak Creek.
The public and media can get quick notification of when a prescribed burn or any other activity is happening on the Coconino National Forest by following us on Twitter
at www.twitter.com/CoconinoNF.
When ignition of a prescribed burn begins, we update our Twitter account so the public can know why
smoke is in the air and where it is coming from.
Notifications of upcoming prescribed burns
are also provided
regularly by news releases throughout the season and by the following online resources:
·
Sign up to receive news releases:
www.fs.fed.us/news/subscription.shtml
·
Inciweb:
http://inciweb.nwcg.gov/unit/303/
·
Twitter:
www.twitter.com/CoconinoNF
·
Coconino website:
www.coconinonationalforest.us,
(Under News and Events)
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Brady Smith, MBA
Public Affairs Officer
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Forest Service
Coconino National Forest,
Supervisor's Office
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p: 928-527-3490
bradysmith@xxxxxxxxx
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1824 S. Thompson Street
Flagstaff, AZ 86001
www.coconinonationalforest.us
  
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Caring for the land
and serving people
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