Daily Archives: June 7, 2021

Plan for week-long closure of Historic Route 66 in front of Flagstaff City Hall beginning June 10

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FLAGSTAFF – The Arizona Department of Transportation is advising motorists who use Historic Route 66 (B40) in Flagstaff to plan for road closures as work continues on the Rio De Flag Bridge replacement project.

The following around-the-clock closures on Historic Route 66 (40B) will occur from 9 p.m. Thursday, June 10, through 6 a.m. Friday, June 18:

  • Eastbound travel lanes will be closed at Sitgreaves Street.
  • Westbound travel lanes will be closed at Humphreys Street.

Detours:

  • Northbound Historic Route 66 (Milton Avenue) to northbound US 180 (Humphreys Street) traffic will be detoured to east Butler Avenue to north San Francisco Street to access north US 180 (Switzer Canyon Drive).
  • Southbound US 180 (Humphreys Street) to westbound Historic Route 66 (B40) will be detoured to south Beaver Street to west Butler Avenue.
  • Detour signs will be in place to direct drivers around the closure.

Drivers on Historic Route 66 (B40) from east Flagstaff can use Switzer Canyon Drive to head north or use Ponderosa Parkway to head south and connect with Butler Avenue to continue west and south. Drivers traveling south on US 180 are encouraged to use Switzer Canyon Drive to Historic Route 66 to bypass construction-related traffic impacts.

Slate Fire grows to 100 acres, leads to closures along Hwy 180

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Coconino Forest photo

FLAGSTAFF — The Slate Fire which began early this morning is located approximately 23 miles northwest of Flagstaff on the west side of U.S. Highway 180 and has grown to roughly 100 acres throughout the day.

Portions of Highway 180 will be closed throughout the remainder of the day and into the evening as responders work to contain the fire and conduct burnout operations.

About 100 personnel — including three Hotshot crews, six engines, a helicopter, water tender, and dozer — are currently on scene.

Motorists should avoid Highway 180 north of Kendrick Park, and visitors to the Grand Canyon National Park should use Highway 64 from Williams in order to access the entrance to the Park.

Though no structures are threatened at this time, recreation sites in the area, including the Red Mountain and Slate Mountain trailheads and Kendrick Cabin, have been closed.

The fire was called in by a Coconino County Sheriff’s Officer at 3 a.m.

Moving Wall moves on to Thatcher

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Visitors get one last look at the Moving Wall before it is taken down.

WILLIAMS — Veterans and other volunteers poured out to assist it taking down the Moving Wall. The Moving Wall is a replica of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington D.C. In addition, Williams hosted the War on Terror display with banners of military members killed in Afghanistan, Iraq and other areas in the Middle East and in the 911 attack.

Volunteers assist in taking down the Moving Wall.

Volunteers carefully carry pieces of the Moving Wall to the containers.


Family members and friends visited the wall leaving memorial items of their family members who did not return from Vietnam. People were still visiting as volunteers gathered to take down the wall. Pictures on Facebook show family members pointing out the names of their lost loved-ones appearing on the wall.

The pieces of the Moving Wall are carefully replace back into the containers.

Volunteers assist in taking down the Moving Wall.


Veterans of Williams and other members of the community, many who came to put the Moving Wall in place, gathered to take the wall down. Workers from the City of Williams assisted in taking down the War on Terror memorial.

The Moving Wall packed and ready to move on to Thatcher, Arizona.


The Moving Wall now moves on to Thatcher, Arizona.

Reminder: Public comment deadline on draft EA for Arizona’s sport fish stocking program is June 11

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PHOENIX — The deadline for submitting comments on the draft Environmental Assessment (dEA) for Arizona’s sport fish stocking program is 5 p.m. (Arizona time) on June 11, 2021.

The dEA is part of a process to continue to allow federal Sport Fish Restoration funding to support the Arizona Game and Fish Department’s (AZGFD) long-standing program of stocking fish for public recreational opportunities, and for hatchery operations and maintenance.

Each year, thousands of anglers in Arizona take advantage of the fish stocking program, which is funded in part by federal dollars from the Sport Fish Restoration Program and augmented by state dollars from fishing license sales.

Every 10 years, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) and AZGFD evaluate the social, economic and environmental effects of Arizona’s stocking program, and pursuant to the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), prepare a dEA that analyzes possible actions or alternatives. The preferred alternative for the agencies, also known as the Proposed Action, would allow AZGFD to continue its stocking program for the next 10 years and also includes conservation measures to reduce potential impacts on federally listed or sensitive native aquatic or semi-aquatic species.

Two Facebook Live sessions were held June 1 and June 2.

Written comments on the dEA, which was made available for public review beginning on May 11, can still be submitted through 5 p.m. (Arizona time) June 11, 2021. Comments can be either:

  • Emailed to fw2fa@fws.gov, or
  • Sent by U.S. Mail to Arizona Game and Fish Department, Attention: Dave Weedman, 5000 W. Carefree Highway, Phoenix, AZ 85086 (must be postmarked no later than June 11, 2021).

Your written comments—including personal identifying information, such as name, address, phone number, and email address—may be made publicly available at any time. While you may ask that personal identifying information be withheld from public review, we cannot guarantee that we will be able to do so.

Additional information

Recreational angling in Arizona created a statewide economic impact of more than $1.4 billion in 2013, according to the 2013 Economic Impact of Fishing in Arizona by Responsive Management (the last year such a survey was done). In fiscal year 2020, AZGFD sold 273,902 fishing licenses, generating revenue of nearly $14 million. During the last six years, AZGFD has stocked approximately 3 million fish per year. The majority of stockings were cold water species, such as Rainbow, Apache, Brook, Cutthroat, and Brown Trout. AZGFD also stocked warm water species including Channel Catfish, Largemouth Bass, Black Crappie, Redear Sunfish, and Bluegill.

In 2013, there were 5,979,637 angler days of fishing in Arizona. Sport Fish Restoration funding will make it possible for AZGFD to continue to meet part of this demand for public recreational angling opportunities on Arizona’s waters.

This information is also posted at https://www.azgfd.com/Fishing/FisheriesManagement/.

From Pens to Dens: A Record Number of Mexican Wolf Pups Fostered into the Wild

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–Arizona Game and Fish Photo

PINETOP —​​​​​​​ A record 22 captive-born Mexican wolf pups were placed in wild dens to be raised in the wild by their surrogate parents after another successful cross-foster season. For six years, wild Mexican wolves have been raising captive-born pups as their own, helping to boost the genetic diversity of this endangered subspecies and moving the wild population towards recovery.

During April and May, nine pups were fostered into three different packs in eastern Arizona and 13 were fostered into five packs in western New Mexico.

“Fostering is an outstanding example of a working private-public recovery program. Wolf recovery has to recognize the importance of meeting genetic criteria, which requires many private organizations maintaining captive wolves for release into the wild. Without this important partnership, genetic recovery would be essentially impossible,” said Jim deVos, AZGFD Mexican Wolf Coordinator. “Importantly, we are now seeing Mexican wolves that have been fostered producing litters themselves supporting the use of fostering as an effective conservation tool.”

Cross-fostering is a proven method used by the Mexican Wolf Interagency Field Team (IFT) to increase genetic diversity in the wild Mexican wolf population. It involves placing genetically diverse pups that are 14 days or younger from the captive breeding population into wild dens with similarly aged pups to be raised in the wild by experienced wolves. The IFT has documented that cross-fostered pups have the same survival rate as wild-born pups in their first year of life (about 50%).

“The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service remains committed to improving the health of the wild population of Mexican wolves, and cross-fostering is one of the many tools we are using to make progress in that direction,” said Allison Greenleaf, biologist with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. “To see this program continuing to have success is a true testament to the hard work of all our field staff and partners.”

Five different captive-born litters provided Mexican wolf pups for fostering into the wild population. The following facilities provided pups this year:

  • Endangered Wolf Center in Eureka, Missouri: one litter provided two pups into the Owl Canyon Pack in New Mexico and three pups into the Elk Horn Pack in Arizona; a second litter provided three pups into the Lava Pack in New Mexico and three pups into the Hoodoo Pack in Arizona
  • El Paso Zoo in El Paso, Texas: one litter provided three pups into the Castle Rock Pack in Arizona and one pup into the Leon Pack in New Mexico;
  • Sevilleta National Wildlife Refuge, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, in Socorro, New Mexico: one litter provided two pups into the San Mateo Pack in New Mexico and two pups into the Leon Pack in New Mexico; a second litter provided three pups into the Dark Canyon Pack in New Mexico.

Aerial support for this year’s operations was provided by three private organizations: LightHawk Conservation Flying and APLux and Aero Charter. In addition, Arizona Game and Fish Department provided air support to facilitate fostering efforts.

“The cooperation between Arizona Game and Fish Department, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and New Mexico Department of Game and Fish has allowed another record year, allowing us to improve the genetic diversity in the wild population and gaining on the goal for genetic recovery,” said Stewart Liley, Wildlife Management Division Chief at New Mexico Department of Game and Fish.

Since the beginning of the cross-fostering program, the IFT has documented a minimum of 12 cross-fostered wolves currently alive and surviving in the wild. Seven of these wolves have reached breeding age (two years old) and count toward the Mexican Wolf Recovery Plan criterion for genetic recovery of the population. Four of these cross-fostered wolves have subsequently produced pups in the wild. Pups are too young to mark when fostered, therefore only those that are recaptured can be confirmed as being alive. It is likely that other fostered pups are alive and contributing to improving the genetic diversity of the wild population and helping meet recovery criteria.

The IFT will continue to monitor the packs that pups were placed in through GPS and radio telemetry signals from collars on older wolves within the pack to avoid further disturbance. Later, through remote camera observations and efforts to capture the young of the year, the IFT plans to document additional survival of cross-fostered pups.

The end-of-year census for 2020 showed a minimum of 186 wild Mexican wolves in the Mexican Wolf Experimental Population Area (72 in Arizona and 114 in New Mexico). This marked a 14% increase in the population from a minimum of 163 wolves counted at the end of 2019. The IFT documented a 24% growth in the Mexican wolf population in 2019, which has nearly doubled in size over the last five years.

Cross-fostering is a coordinated effort of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Arizona Game and Fish Department, New Mexico Department of Game and Fish, Bureau of Land Management, New Mexico State Lands Office, U.S. Forest Service, and the Mexican Wolf Species Survival Plan.

Coconino NF responding to 20-plus-acre Slate Fire

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FLAGSTAFF — The Coconino National Forest is responding to the 20-plus-acre Slate Fire located in the northern part of the Flagstaff Ranger District near Highway 180 and the border of the Kaibab National Forest.

Roughly 50 personnel — including four engines, two crews, a water tender and a dozer — have been dispatched to the fire.

Traffic along Highway 180 may be affected.

The fire was called in at about 4 a.m. and the cause is still under investigation.

Coconino NF seeks input on Mt. Elden/Dry Lake Hills project

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FLAGSTAFF — The Coconino National Forest is seeking public input on a proposed project to improve non-motorized trails in the Mt. Elden/ Dry Lake Hills area just outside the city of Flagstaff.

The Mt. Elden/Dry Lake Hills (MEDL) Recreation Planning Project includes proposed trail construction, relocation, re-routes, closures and improvements. It includes the construction and improvements of trailheads and will make improvements in the Mt. Elden Environmental Study Area. It also aims to identify appropriate trail systems for special-use permit events.

As the most popular and heavily used recreation area on the Flagstaff Ranger District, frequent use of the MEDL area has led to both deteriorating conditions on existing trails as well as a system of unauthorized trails.

In addition to developing a premier trail system, the MEDL project will also respond to ongoing negative impacts from unsustainable recreational uses, which affect natural resources such as wildlife, watershed and soil conditions, recreational experience, and vegetation.

The proposed plan has been modified based on comments received during last fall’s scoping period, in addition to numerous meetings with partners and stakeholders. The goal of the MEDL plan is to protect natural land and cultural resources while providing opportunities for forest visitors to enjoy public land.

The public comment period will run for 30 days, from June 1 to July 1.

An environmental analysis, as required by the National Environmental Policy Act, has been prepared and can be found on the Coconino National Forest’s website.

The Coconino National Forest will hold several informational events throughout the 30-day comment period, as listed below. Advance registration is not required.

  • 11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Saturday, June 5: Forest Service representatives will staff a kiosk located at “The Y” Schultz Creek Natural Area, at the intersection of Mount Elden Lookout and Schultz Pass roads
  • 8 a.m. to 10 a.m. Sunday, June 20: Forest Service staff will be available at the Flagstaff Community Market farmers market, located at City Hall, 211 W. Aspen Ave.
  • 4 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, June 22: Forest Service staff will be available at the Ramadas at Buffalo Park, located at 2400 N. Gemini Road

In addition, timely, project-specific written comments can be submitted online. Comments must be received by June 30 to be considered for analysis.

Only those who submit comments — as defined by 36 CFR 218.2 — will be eligible to file an objection after a draft decision notice is issued, which is anticipated to happen during the summer of 2021.

For additional information, please contact Environmental Coordinator Christine Handler at 559-920-2188 or christine.handler@usda.gov, or Recreation Staff Pat McGervey at 928-526-0866 or patrick.mcgervey@usda.gov.

Coordinated law enforcement & volunteer efforts result in cleaner forests, protection of habitat, safer off-road use

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FLAGSTAFF — Memorial Day weekend was marked by efforts that resulted in a safer and cleaner Coconino National Forest, thanks to Arizona law enforcement officers, employees with state and federal agencies, along with volunteer organizations. Arizona Game and Fish Department (AZGFD), Coconino County Sheriff’s Office (CCSO), and the U.S Forest Service recently conducted several joint law enforcement efforts on the Coconino National Forest over Memorial Day weekend.

Prior to the holiday weekend, employees of these agencies and the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality, along with volunteers from National Forest Foundation, Oak Creek Watershed Council, and Friends of Northern Arizona Forests, spent several hours picking up trash at popular camping areas in the Coconino National Forest at the headwaters of Oak Creek Canyon. A 20-yard dumpster donated by Waste Management Group was filled with trash left in the forest by about 30 volunteers.

Law enforcement personnel then contacted campers as they were leaving their campsites to ensure camping areas were left as clean as when they arrived. Ten citations and 11 warnings were issued over the holiday weekend, while another 27 citations and four warnings were given last Labor Day weekend.

“This was the most thorough saturation patrol I have seen, demonstrating tremendous collaboration, planning and follow through between the Forest Service, Law Enforcement agencies and public interest groups,” said Forest Service Patrol Captain Andy Pederson. “A big thanks to Game and Fish for all the pre-work that made this event a success.”

Additionally, law enforcement agencies conducted an off-highway vehicle (OHV) patrol on the Coconino National Forest targeting unlawful off-road vehicle travel that was damaging sensitive wildlife habitat. CCSO made 144 contacts with OHVs which resulted in 25 citations, two of which were injury accidents. AZGFD made 168 contacts with OHVs, resulting in 17 citations, 11 of which were for unlawful travel off roads.

Another forest cleanup project will be conducted on June 30 in anticipation of the busy IDEPENDENCE weekend around the fourth of July. For more information about that event, see Pickin’ Up in the Pines online or send an email to sstortz@nationalforests.org.