Daily Archives: April 29, 2022

Coconino National Forest offices open and begin firewood permit sales May 2

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FLAGSTAFF – The Coconino National Forest will open its headquarters building and ranger stations to the public on Monday (May 2), which is the same day it will also begin selling firewood permits for the 2022 season.
Purchases can be made over the phone or in-person using check or credit card at the Forest Supervisor’s Office and Flagstaff Ranger Station between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m., Monday through Friday, and 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Red Rock Ranger Station on weekdays (except Wednesdays from noon to 3 p.m.)
  • Forest Supervisor’s Office, 928-527-3600, 1824 S. Thompson St, Flagstaff, AZ 86001
  • Flagstaff Ranger Station, 928-526-0866, 5075 N. Hwy 89, Flagstaff, AZ 86004
  • Red Rock Ranger Station, 928-203-2900, 8375 AZ-179, Sedona, AZ 86351
The Mogollon Rim Ranger Station is currently not able to process permit sales at this time.
In addition to a method of payment, purchasers should be prepared to provide their name, address, phone number, type of identification and identification number, the names of any additional cutters, credit card information, the type of wood and number of cords desired.
The minimum cost for a permit is $20, with a maximum purchase of 12 cords per household. Permits allow for the cutting of down and dead wood or standing wood that meets certain criteria in specified areas. The cost for oak, aspen, juniper and maple will be $5 per cord, and the cost for pine and mixed conifer will be $2.50 per cord.
There will be many visitors and phone calls during the first couple of weeks, so please be patient and realize there is limited staffing fielding a large volume of requests. In-person purchases will be given priority over phone calls, but we will do everything we can to accommodate both as much as possible.
For those ordering over the phone, permits and associated load tags will be mailed to purchasers, along with a receipt and a firewood guide that includes cutting instructions and a map. Purchasers are required to sign and date the permit in the permittee line as soon as it is received.
Purchasing by mailed check:
If purchasing by check, send a written request by mail to any of the offices previously mentioned, to the attention of “Timber Permits.” The written request should include your name, address, phone number, type of identification and identification number, the names of any additional cutters, the type of wood and number of cords desired. Your written request must be signed and dated, as well as include your check payment for the exact amount of cords being purchased — as long as the minimum of $20 is met.
Forest roads and other precautions
Unless specified elsewhere in the permit or on its accompanying map, or identified as prohibited, motorized off-road travel is authorized to access and load firewood. The permit does not authorize motorized cross-country travel to scout for firewood, but it does authorize off-road vehicle use by the most direct route in and out of the area to accomplish firewood retrieval. Please exercise caution when driving off-road and avoid resource damage.
The Coconino National Forest now has GPS-enabled firewood maps for smartphones, tablets and Garmin GPS devices, which may be used as a supplement to the firewood guide issued with each permit.
Firewood cutters should be aware chainsaws can throw sparks and ignite grasses and brush, so please take care when cutting firewood. Always carry a shovel and a fire extinguisher or water in case of a fire start. Additionally, all chainsaws must be equipped with a stainless-steel spark arrestor screen. As the season continues, cutters need to ensure they are aware of any fire restrictions by checking local Forest Service information.
Free use firewood areas
There are currently no free-use firewood areas designated for the 2022 season, but areas may be designated at a later point. Please check with your local Forest Service office periodically for any updates.
Other permit info
Additional forest and district permit programs such as Wildings, Post, Poles or House logs and Post and Stays will also be open for sale.

Kaibab National Forest firewood permit sales begin May 2

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WILLIAMS – On Monday, May 2, the Kaibab National Forest will begin selling personal-use firewood permits for the 2022 season. Permit holders will be able to collect firewood from May 2 through November 30 on the North Kaibab Ranger District and through December 31 on the Tusayan and Williams Ranger Districts.

Permits are $20 for 10 cords of wood. Permit holders will receive maps, detailed cutting regulations, and load tags which must be physically attached to each ¼ cord of firewood and visible from the rear of the vehicle. The load tagging system helps maintain accountability and provides data for planning future firewood programs.

The 2022 load tags are not reusable. In 2020 and 2021, the forest issued reusable load tags to continue providing access to firewood while minimizing exposure during the pandemic. This season the Kaibab NF is returning to the single-use, quarter-cord tags.

Permits will be valid for firewood collection only within the ranger district from which the permit was purchased.

Permits for the Williams and Tusayan Districts will be issued only in person.

  • Williams Ranger District Office, 742 S. Clover Road, Williams; 928-635-5600
  • Tusayan Ranger District Office, 176 Lincoln Log Loop, Tusayan; 928-638-2443
  • Forest Supervisor’s Office (Williams and Tusayan permits only), 600 S. 6th St., Williams; 928-635-8200

Until the North Kaibab Ranger District Office reopens its doors, permits for this district may only be purchased by phone and will be issued by mail. Once the office is open, permits will be issued in person.

North Kaibab Ranger District Office, 430 S. Main St., Fredonia; 928-660-3913

The Kaibab NF firewood permits webpage will be updated with additional details throughout the season.

Intermittent closures of State Route 89A near Pumphouse Wash bridge May 2

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The Arizona Department of Transportation is advising drivers, area residents and businesses that a 3-mile section of State Route 89A in Oak Creek Canyon will be intermittently closed overnight on Monday, May 2.

SR 89A will be closed intermittently to traffic through the switchback portion of the roadway between the Pumphouse Wash Bridge and Oak Creek Vista (approximately between mileposts 387 – 390).

The 15-minute, non-consecutive full closures will occur twice per hour from 9 p.m. Monday, May 2 to 6 a.m. Tuesday, May 3.

Drivers should be prepared to stop and use caution around construction personnel and equipment while the overnight closures are in place.

The restrictions are needed so crews can place traffic-control barriers on the roadway for the SR 89A Oak Creek Canyon Improvements project, which includes rockfall mitigation, erosion control and a bridge rehabilitation.

Please visit azdot.gov/SR89A for additional project information

Plan for 40-day closure of A-1 Mountain Road Bridge over Interstate 40 in Flagstaff scheduled for May 2 – June 10

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The Arizona Department of Transportation advises drivers to plan for an extended closure of the A-1 Mountain Road Bridge over Interstate 40 (exit 190) from midnight Monday, May 2, to 11 p.m. Friday, June 10, as work continues on the bridge replacement project.

  • DETOUR TO A-1 MOUNTAIN ROAD: Drivers traveling eastbound on I-40 traffic will take Exit 191 to turn around and travel westbound on I-40 to access A-1 Mountain Road.
  • DETOUR TO EASTBOUND I-40: Drivers on A-1 Mountain Road will first travel west on I-40 and exit Hughes Avenue (Exit 185- Bellemont) to turn around and proceed eastbound on I-40.

Drivers should proceed through the work zone with caution, slow down and watch for construction personnel and equipment.

For more information, visit https://azdot.gov/i40-A1-Mountain

Nicole Branton selected as new Kaibab Forest Supervisor

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WILLIAMS — Southwestern Regional Forester Michiko Martin has announced that Nicole Branton will be returning to the region as the new Forest Supervisor for the Kaibab National Forest.

Branton has led complex, partner-driven natural resource management efforts since 2013, first as the Red Rock District Ranger on the Coconino National Forest in Sedona and, beginning in 2019, as the Deputy Forest Supervisor for the Mt. Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest in western Washington. In her 25 years of public service, Branton has also worked as a resource specialist and line officer in Colorado, Utah, Wyoming, Illinois, South Dakota, and Washington, D.C.

Branton will take the reins from Diane Taliaferro, who began serving as Acting Forest Supervisor after Heather Provencio’s departure last fall and ended her tour in early April.

“We’re grateful for the dedication that Diane brought to her time on the Kaibab National Forest and for her continued service,” said Martin. “Nicole will bring a wealth of knowledge as she follows Diane. The Kaibab National Forest and those they serve will continue to see high quality leadership as Nicole brings her experience and local understanding to this position.”

With a strong foundation in northern Arizona and a career built around collaborative problem-solving, Branton is well positioned to lead the forest through its many crucial projects including the Bill Williams Mountain Restoration Project, Burnt Corral Vegetation Management Project, Mangum Fire response efforts, Four Forest Restoration Initiative, and Northern AZ Grassland Restoration Project (a 2022 Joint Chiefs’ project).

“I am thrilled to be returning home to northern Arizona, and I’m honored to be selected as the Forest Supervisor for the Kaibab, a forest with a reputation for getting work done with partners and communities,” said Branton. “I have admired the Kaibab staff for a long time. I’m looking forward to working with them on the challenging yet rewarding tasks of protecting our climate-vulnerable communities through landscape scale restoration, deepening relationships with Tribes, and building socially equitable and environmentally sustainable outdoor experiences that support rural economies.”

Branton will begin her new role as Kaibab National Forest Supervisor May 8, 2022.

Verde River reopens following Backbone Fire closure

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FLAGSTAFF – The lower Verde River affected by the 2021 Backbone Fire has reopened to recreationists while other nearby areas – including Childs Camping area and Fossil Creek – remain closed.
The Childs Dispersed Camping area will remain closed to river entry and exit, day use and camping. Visitors are, however, welcome to float the river past Childs. River users should plan to take out at Gap Creek or be prepared to go more than 40 river miles further to Sheep Bridge or Horseshoe Reservoir.
The Fossil Creek corridor will remain closed due to potential post-fire hazards, including snags (dead trees), flash floods, debris flows and debris dams. The Fossil Creek closure order is set to expire at the end of 2022. It could be rescinded earlier if conditions are deemed safe enough to open the area or could be extended further if conditions are still dangerous.
A new closure order and closure map have been released detailing restricted areas. The Coconino NF will communicate all changes to the closure order as they occur, and updates about Fossil Creek conditions will be recorded and posted on the Fossil Creek Hotline at 928-226-4611.
Photos of both Fossil Creek damage and Fossil Creek assessments are available online via the Coconino NF’s Flickr page.