The Arizona Department of Transportation is advising motorists to plan for closure of the on-ramp to westbound Interstate 40 from Business 40 (Route 66) on Wednesday, May 25, as crews perform pavement repairs.
Drivers should be prepared to use Flagstaff Ranch Road to access westbound I-40 during the on-ramp closure from 6 a.m. to 5 p.m. Flaggers will assist with traffic control.
FLAGSTAFF – Multiple resources from the Forest Service and City of Flagstaff are responding to a 1-acre fire on city land, called the Railroad Fire, located about half a mile south of Lowell Observatory.
Reported at approximately 2:08 p.m. today by Elden Lookout, the fire is producing smoke that will be visible to those in the Flagstaff area.
The cause is under investigation, and more information will be provided as it is received.
FLAGSTAFF — On 5/24/2022 at approximately 1403 hours, reports of a wildland fire north of the tracks, north of the Railroad Springs Neighborhood was reported to emergency personnel. US Forest Service, Flagstaff Fire, Flagstaff Police, and CCSO personnel were dispatched to the area.
The Flagstaff Police Department is seeking information related to individuals possibly involved in the incident. Witnesses described observing a juvenile to young adult aged white or light skinned Hispanic male subject wearing a white t-shirt leaving the area and entering a White Dually Pickup Truck, unknown make/model, leaving the adjacent access roads in an eastbound direction.
If you have any information about the possible identity of this person, please contact the Flagstaff Police Department at 928-774-1414 or Silent Witness at 928-774-6111.
FLAGSTAFF – On May 21st, 2022 at 1:35 pm, a Coconino County Sheriff’s Deputy responded to a report of an All-Terrain Vehicle (ATV) crash involving 3 people on Forest Service Road 240 east of Munds Park.
Upon arrival, the deputy assisted medical personnel who were already on scene treating the three patients. An adult male sustained severe head trauma, an adult female sustained hip and back injuries, and a 4-year-old boy being treated for an eye and lower body injuries. After initial treatment and assessment of injuries all three subjects were transported by Ambulance to Flagstaff Medical Center. At the time of this release, all patients are in stable condition.
Initial investigation indicated the grandfather was operating an ATV with the grandmother and their 4-year-old grandson on board. Indications are the grandfather lost control of the ATV, rolled, which ejected the occupants causing the injuries. None of the riders were wearing protective gear.
This matter is still under investigation by CCSO, and no further information is available.
Off road vehicle regulations and safety information can be found on the CCSO’s website,
https://www.coconino.az.gov/1991/OHV-Guidelines.
FLAGSTAFF – The V-Bar-V Heritage Site, located on the Coconino National Forest’s Red Rock Ranger District, has re-opened following several months of construction work and site improvements.
The heritage site now includes an American Disabilities Act-accessible viewing platform, a new security fence and a seating area.
“We are excited to improve the accessibility and security of the petroglyph panel in a way that honors this sacred place and is respectful of the American Indian Tribes who still use and protect these areas today,” said District Ranger Amy Tinderholt. “We hope that the public will visit the site to learn about past and current traditional cultural practices.”
The petroglyph panel at V-Bar-V is considered the largest and best-preserved in the Verde Valley and features more than 1,000 individually pecked and incised images.
The Beaver Creek-style petroglyphs at the site are known to represent the Southern Sinagua Culture from between 1150 and 1400.
Regular hours for V-Bar-V are 9:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. Friday through Monday. Pets are not allowed.
The V-Bar-V Heritage Site is located 2.8 miles east of the junction of Interstate 17 and State Route 179 on Forest Road 618. Watch for the entrance on your right less than one-half mile past the Beaver Creek
Reservations are not required, but V-Bar-V is a fee site, so a Red Rock Pass or America the Beautiful Interagency Pass is required for admission.
WILLIAMS – Due to increased fire danger and for public safety, the Kaibab National Forest will elevate to Stage 2 fire restrictions forest wide beginning 8 a.m. Thursday, May 26.
Stage 2 fire restrictions prohibit the following:
Explosives and fireworks are NEVER allowed.
Violations could result in mandatory appearance in a federal court, fines, and/or jail time.
The Kaibab National Forest’s Stage 2 fire restrictions do not prohibit target shooting. However, all existing regulations pertaining to discharging a firearm still apply.
Stage 3 restrictions/closures may be forthcoming if conditions warrant. Forest managers consider several factors before implementing fire restrictions or forest closures, including current fire danger and fire activity, local, regional and national fire preparedness levels, expected weather conditions, availability of firefighting resources, and the economic impacts on businesses and communities. The Kaibab National Forest continues to coordinate with federal, state, tribal and local partners.
Fire restrictions typically remain in effect until the area receives significant, widespread precipitation.
Other national forests and neighboring agencies are also elevating fire restrictions this week. For restriction information on state and federally managed lands in Az visit wildlandfire.az.gov/fire-restrictions. Find restriction information for Coconino County at coconino.az.gov/2595/Fire-Restriction-Information. Additional information about the stages of fire restrictions, forest orders, and general forest conditions can be found at fs.usda.gov/kaibab.
FOREST LAKES – On May 8, 2022, at about 1:00 PM the Coconino County Sheriff’s Office received a report of a missing 8-year-old child from a campsite near Bear Canyon Lake. Due to the remote location, Sheriff’s Deputies, DPS Troopers, and Forest Service personnel responded to the call. While responding, a second report was made that the juvenile had been located and had been involved in an accident.
The subsequent investigation revealed the Mesa area family had been camping near Bear Canyon Lake when the child went missing. The child had reportedly taken the family’s ATV. The family immediately reported the incident to the camp host and began looking for the missing child. A short time later family members located the ATV and the child down a steep embankment. The child was not breathing and was transported by private vehicle to a location where they met with medical personnel. The child was pronounced deceased on scene.
The investigation is ongoing by the Coconino County Sheriff’s Office and the Coconino County Medical Examiner’s Office. No further information is available at this time. The Coconino County Sheriff’s Office would like to thank the Arizona Department of Public Safety and the U.S. Forest Service for their assistance.
The Sheriff’s Office would like to remind the public to wear recommended safety equipment and follow all applicable state and federal laws regarding the safe use of ATVs while recreating. Please visit the Coconino County Sheriff’s Office website for more information.
The Arizona Department of Transportation is advising motorists to plan for daytime lane restrictions on State Route 89A between Sedona and Flagstaff starting Tuesday, May 10, as crews perform guardrail repairs north of Grasshopper Point.
The following restrictions are in place from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. Tuesday, May 10, through Thursday, May 12:
As a reminder, portions of SR 89A in Oak Creek Canyon are currently reduced to one lane only with alternating north- and southbound travel between Pumphouse Wash Bridge and Oak Creek Vista (roughly between mileposts 387 and 390) as part of the SR 89A Oak Creek Canyon Improvements project that is underway.
FLAGSTAFF – On 05/07/22 at approximately 9:30 PM, an unknown suspect entered the Family Dollar at 3494 E Route 66 and displayed a handgun to the clerks and demanded money. The suspect then left the store on foot with an undisclosed amount of cash. A video canvass was completed, and the pictured vehicle was observed leaving the parking lot of the shopping complex around the time of the robbery.
On 05/09/22 at approximately 05:45 AM, an unknown suspect entered the Circle K store at 2718 N Steve’s Blvd and again displayed a handgun to the clerks and demanded money. The suspect left on foot Northbound on Steve’s Blvd into the lower Greenlaw neighborhood of Flagstaff after the incident. The suspect appears to be wearing identical clothing from the incident at Family Dollar from 05/07/22.
The suspect appears to be wearing a dark colored Carhartt brand jacket, and has a beanie, face mask, black pants and black shoes. The suspect should be considered armed and dangerous.
If you have information about these crimes, please contact Detective Gilbert at 928-679-4120 or jdgilbert@flagstaffaz.gov. You can also submit your tip anonymously at Coconino County Silent Witness at 928-774-6111. Remember, we need your information not your name.
PHOENIX — Arizona’s hot, dry conditions have reduced the amount of natural vegetation available to bears in the wild, raising the chance of them wandering into areas they are typically not seen in search of food. Although bears are typically shy and tend to avoid humans, they have an excellent sense of smell, and this can be problematic for bears and people.
Wildlife officials advise those living in or visiting bear country to not feed wildlife or leave trash or other attractants, such as pet food or bird seed, accessible because a fed bear is a dead bear.
“If a bear becomes habituated to getting food from trash cans and other human sources, it’s only a matter of time before it loses its fear of humans and begins to actively search out other human food sources,” says Amy Burnett, AZGFD information and education program manager. “At that point, the bear becomes a threat to public safety.”
Safety tips to avoid attracting bears:
Keep them away from your home
Although forest closures or restrictions due to wildfires and hot, dry conditions may temporarily affect access for hiking and camping in parts of Arizona, the following are good tips nonetheless:
Camping
Hiking
In case of a bear encounter
Bear sightings in areas where there is human activity should be reported to AZGFD’s dispatch center at 623-236-7201. For questions or to obtain a brochure on living with bears, visit www.azgfd.com/Wildlife/LivingWith.