Monthly Archives: April 2022

Tunnel Fire located north of Flagstaff

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FLAGSTAFF — The Tunnel Fire, located north of Flagstaff along Highway 89 (35°18’14.4″N 111°35’20.4″W) is at 100-plus acres and 0 percent containment.

Fire is rapidly spreading in a northeast direction due to high winds with medium-to-high-range spotting occurring in timber and grass.

The area around Moon Crater and all areas north of Campbell East and West of highway 89 to Sunset Crater are ordered to evacuate. The Antelope Hills area east of Highway 89 is to prepare for evacuation. The Red Cross Evacuation Center is at Sinagua Middle School, 3950 E Butler Ave, Flagstaff, AZ 86004. Animals are not allowed in the evacuation center and must be taken to the Coconino Humane Association. Updated evacuation events can be found here.

While closure orders have not yet been issued, the public is asked to avoid the northern portion of U.S.Highway 89 from Elden Springs Road to the forest boundary for safety.

Resources on scene include three Type 1 handcrews, two dozers, two water tankers and seven engines.

The fire was reported at 4:22 p.m. on Sunday and its cause is under investigation.

Firefighters Respond to Wildfire South of Prescott near Mt Union

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PRESCOTT — At approximately 10:00 AM on Monday, April 18, 2022, resources from Prescott National Forest responded to a reported wildfire south of Prescott near Mt Union. The Crooks fire is burning through brush, ponderosa pine and mixed conifer. Local resources including aircraft have been working throughout the day in rugged terrain identifying hazards and scouting control feature as the begin to suppress the fire. Resources including crews, engines and aircraft are on scene and have been ordered. Smoke may be visible from multiple locations including Chino Valley, Mayer, and Prescott Valley.

Road closures include Goodwin Road – Crown King to Senator Highway; Walker Road is blocked at Senator Hwy, Lower Wolf Creek Road is closed at Senator Hwy and Big Bug Mesa Road is closed at Goodwin Road. As a reminder to the public, with the increased fire vehicles in the area, for public and firefighter safety people should not travel into any of the fire area.

The cause of the 500-acre fire is still under investigation.

The Yavapai County Sheriff’s Office has issued a mandatory evacuation for residents located near Mt. Union and Camp Kippa. For more information visit: https://ein.az.gov/ready-set-go.

ADOT management of state vehicle fleet saves taxpayers $6 million

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PHOENIX — The Arizona Department of Transportation has saved taxpayers more than $6 million since taking over the management of fleet vehicles for more than 60 state agencies beginning in 2021.

The concept was first championed by Senator T.J. Shope (R-LD 8) and included in the overall state budget package approved by Governor Doug Ducey at the close of the 2021 legislative session. It gave ADOT the authority to consolidate the fleet and the agency began implementing standardized best management practices that reduce duplication, cut costs and improve processes. These practices align with the Arizona Management System introduced by the Governor in 2015.

With this consolidation, the state fleet operations follow the same uniform guidelines, including purchasing and preventative maintenance.

“The fleet consolidation effort is a win-win for taxpayers and the state,” ADOT Director John Halikowski said. “We are already witnessing savings by reducing the size of the state’s fleet, ordering in bulk and selling vehicles online. We are creating uniform guidelines and processes that will maximize resources and provide improved service to customers.”

To date, this effort has achieved a number of specific results:

  • Reduced underutilized assets including sedans, minivans, half-ton pickups and SUVs, saving more than $6 million.
  • Implemented a standardized vehicle replacement system.
  • Moved preventative maintenance schedules from 6,000 miles to 8,000 miles while following manufacturers’ guidelines.
  • Implemented a cost-savings statewide fleet tire policy.
  • Sold more than 1,000 vehicles for other state agencies since March 2020 and received on average 15% above Blue Book value.
  • Maximized vehicle replacement savings by leveraging the state’s vehicle order size.

For more information: azdot.gov

Fire managers to begin prescribed fire near Williams

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WILLIAMS — Kaibab National Forest fire managers are planning to conduct a prescribed fire near the Williams starting Wednesday, April 20 and continuing through the week, pending favorable weather conditions. The Three Sisters Prescribed Fire Project is located just north of Interstate 40, the City of Williams, and Kaibab Lake Campground, west of State Route 64.

Crews are aiming to treat up to 2500 acres total, burning 400 to 1000-acre units at a time. They will start at the northeast end of the project area between Forest Road 796 (Pipeline Rd) and Kaibab Lake, working their way west and south. Area residents can expect to see and hear a helicopter in the area, as fire managers plan to conduct aerial ignitions on portions of the burn.

By planning this project now, fire managers can take advantage of the forecast for cooler temperatures, higher humidity and favorable winds. In advance of operations, crews identified and prepared various features that they’ll utilize during their burn such as existing roads, dozer lines, and open spaces and natural breaks surrounding and throughout the units. Ignitions are scheduled to begin early in the day to allow most of the smoke to disperse before nightfall. Firefighters will remain on site through the night monitoring fire and smoke behavior.

Smoke will be highly noticeable from Interstate 40, State Route 64, H.A. Clark Memorial Field airport, Kaibab Lake, Valle, Parks, and the City of Williams. During the day, smoke will disperse northeast away from the city, and the continued breezes overnight will help minimize the amount of residual smoke that settles in low-lying areas around the community.

No closures are planned as part of this project. However, motorists are reminded to slow down and drive with heightened awareness when in the vicinity of active project areas.

Prescribed fires like the Three Sisters Project are part of the Forest Service’s comprehensive 10-year strategy for protecting communities and improving resilience in America’s forests. The intent of the Wildfire Management Strategy is to increase fuels treatments that help firefighters respond safely to incidents, restore and maintain resilient landscapes, and create fire-adapted communities. The plan calls for treating up to an additional 20 million acres of National Forest System lands, and up to an additional 30 million acres of other federal, state, tribal and private lands.