Daily Archives: May 30, 2014

SR 89A project resumes in Oak Creek Canyon’s switchbacks

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adot-logo3OAK CREEK – As the battle against the Slide Fire in Oak Creek Canyon winds down, the ongoing highway-improvement project along the “switchbacks” section of State Route 89A will resume this weekend.

The previously-scheduled closure of the three-mile stretch of SR 89A between the Pine Flat Campground and the Vista scenic overlook south of Flagstaff will remain in place for several weeks while crews remove loose rocks above the switchbacks, complete other safety improvements and resurface the highway.

SR 89A will reopen to traffic before the Fourth of July weekend.

The full closure of the highway had been scheduled to start on Tuesday (May 27) but crews were temporarily pulled off the project more than a week ago (Tuesday, May 20) due to the Slide Fire.

DETOUR INFO: While the switchbacks section along SR 89A is closed, ADOT recommends drivers use Interstate 17 and State Route 179 to travel between Flagstaff and Sedona.

Emergency Area Closure for the Slide Fire

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640px-sliderockFLAGSTAFF – The Coconino National Forest has issued an emergency closure on all National Forest System lands within the area of the Slide Fire on the Coconino National Forest, in Coconino and Yavapai Counties.

This area closure is implemented as a standard fire operations procedure which helps to protect the public from entering into an area that is still active with fire, so as not to impede the efficiency of firefighters and allow for their safety while they do their job, where snags and rolling rocks will be an issue until mitigated, and during post-fire efforts to abate potential flooding and debris flows. The public is prohibited from entering any trails, roads, or areas within the fire closure area, which will be in force until further notification.

This area, road, and trail closure only affects National Forest System land, roads, and trails within the closure area on the Coconino National Forest. The closure does not affect any private, state, county, or other Non-National Forest System lands within the closure boundary.

Wildfires behave differently in areas where fuels have been previously treated. Fast moving wildfires slow down when they burn onto the footprints of past wildfires, prescribed burns, or thinned areas. As we learn to live with wildfire as a natural part of the ecosystem, we continue to reduce risks associated with uncharacteristic wildfires.