Daily Archives: October 24, 2019

Elk / Lee Prescribed Fire Project Completed on Williams Ranger District

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WILLIAMS — Fire crews have successfully treated 8152 acres of forested landscape over the past 4 days bringing the Elk / Lee Prescribed Fire Project to full completion.

Located 10 miles south of Williams on the northwest side of Sycamore Canyon, this project was identified by local fire managers as a high priority area in need of fuels reduction on the Williams Ranger District.

“Critical watersheds that supply water to several of the communities to the south in the Verde Valley will now be better protected from the threat of a destructive wildfire” said Fuels Program Manager Mike Uebel. “This type of burning not only helps protect these resources but also restores these landscapes to a more sustainable healthier condition”.

Officials recognize the inconvenience that smoke has caused for many residents who experienced impacts from this burn. Smoke is an unfortunate and unavoidable byproduct of this work. One of the goals is to limit the number of days that smoke is in the air as opposed to an uncontrolled wildfire where smoke can be much denser and linger for prolonged periods of time.
Kaibab National Forest officials are grateful for the patience and support of all members of the public from the surrounding communities who were affected by this project. To learn more about smoke and public health, visit bit.ly/SmokeHealthAwareness

All prescribed burning on the Kaibab National Forest is subject to approval by the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality. (ADEQ) To view approved prescribed burns for any given day on the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality’s website go to:

Notifications of upcoming prescribed fire projects are provided regularly by news releases throughout the year and through the following sources:

Officials to lift Ikes Fire closure on the North Kaibab Ranger District

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FREDONIA — Effective Sunday October 27, the Kaibab National Forest will lift the area closure around the Ikes Fire, including the popular Rainbow Rim Trail, that has been in place since the lightning caused wildfire started in late July.

The public will be able to access Kaibab National Forest lands in and around the fire area, which had been closed to ensure public and firefighter safety during ongoing fire operations. Areas affected by the fire in Grand Canyon National Park will continue to remain closed to protect the public as well as natural and cultural resources. For information on closures within Grand Canyon National Park please visit www.nps.gov/grca/learn/management/firemanagement.htm

“We want to thank the public for their compliance while the closure has been in effect,” said North Kaibab District Ranger Randall Walker. “That area of the forest is extremely popular, and we appreciate their patience and cooperation while we completed operations restoring fire to the ecosystem, which will improve overall forest health and greatly reduce the risk of future catastrophic wildfire.”

Due to the lack of significant moisture over the fire area, isolated pockets of heat and smoke may still be found within the fire area. The public is advised to have heightened awareness about potential safety hazards and exercise increased caution regarding personal safety while in the area.

“We urge visitors to understand the potential hazards and to prepare accordingly,” said Peter Goetzinger North Zone Fire Management Officer for the Kaibab National Forest. “We want them to enjoy the forest but we also want them to do it safely, recognizing that any area recently impacted by wildfire will likely have some greater risk than other areas.”

Potential risks in any area recently burned by wildfire include the following:

· Burned out stump holes that could cause injury if stepped in;
· Unstable terrain with potential for rolling debris (boulders, logs, rocks, etc.);
· Fire weakened trees and snags that could fall or drop large limbs;
· Blowing dust and ash on roads and hillsides.

Prescribe burn north of Mormon Lake this morning

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FLAGSTAFF — Fire managers are planning to conduct a prescribed burn on the Flagstaff Ranger District just north of Mormon Lake starting this morning. The Upper Lake Mary 3 project is slated for 919 acres, to be completed in one day.

The area is approximately 15 miles southeast of Flagstaff. GPS: 35.014971, -111.463811

This is an initial-entry burn conducted by drip torch and helicopter. This burn’s specific objectives are to protect Pine Grove Campground and Lake Mary Road corridor from any southwesterly fire threats and to help lessen any potential wildland fires that may start near Pinegrove Campground. Since this is an initial-entry burn, smoke will be thicker and more noticeable than a maintenance burn due to the amount of forest fuels in the burn area.

Ventilation is predicted to move smoke toward the southwest, which may impact Lake Mary Road in the area, Interstate 17, Mormon Lake Village, and Munds Park. No area closures are expected.

For more information on how prescribed burns are planned and why they are used in this ecosystem, please see “Planning for and Implementing Prescribed Fire in Fire-Dependent Forests.”