Category Archives: City

Critical Incident Response Training to be held in Downtown Flagstaff

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FLAGSTAFF – On August 14 and 15, 2018 the Coconino County Sheriff’s Office will be hosting a Critical Incident Response Training that involves personnel from several Northern Arizona law enforcement agencies as well as personnel from local area fire departments.

We want our residents, business owners, and visitors to be aware that this training will result in increased police and fire activity in the area. The training will occur between 8 am and 5 pm on August 14-15 at the former San Francisco de Asis School, located at 320 N. Humphreys St. Flagstaff AZ, 86001.

The training will be a reality-based exercise to provide first responders additional tools to use when faced with an integrated response to critical incidents.

The Sheriff’s Office along with the other agencies would like to thank St. Francis De Asis Parish for providing the venue for this training.

Cat Fire Burns Aggressively Downslope to the East

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FREDONIA — Active fire behavior was seen on the Cat Fire today, resulting in the consumption of an estimated 800 acres. Fire spread mainly downslope to the east and south predominately in ponderosa and pinyon-juniper fuel types.

Overview
Date reported: August 6, 2018
Size: 2,118 acres
Location: The Cat Fire is about 25 miles southeast of Jacob Lake in the Saddle Mountain Wilderness on the North Kaibab Ranger District of the Kaibab National Forest.
Fuel: Mixed conifer, ponderosa pine, and pinyon-juniper.
Weather: Forecasters anticipate a slight increase in moisture across the fire area.
Strategy: Full suppression
Situational update: Crews continued to focus control actions on the western side of the fire today as it moved closer to Forest Road 219, and very little growth occurred on the western flank. Management of the Cat Fire will transition to the Central West Zone Type 3 team under the command of Rob Williams on Sunday, August 12, 2018 at 6 a.m.

Closures: Fire management resources have closed all roads within the planning area boundary, which includes Forest Roads (FR) 213 and 220 on the north, FR 610 on the east and south, and House Rock Valley Road 8910 on the east.

The following trails are closed: Arizona Trail from FR 213 to FR 610, North Canyon Trail, South Canyon Trail and Pt. Imperial and Nankoweap Trails, which are both located on Kaibab National Forest and Grand Canyon National Park land. The closure will remain in effect until it is considered safe to enter the area.

Smoke: Smoke is visible on both the North and South Rims of the park, and there is a regional haze present in surrounding communities from multiple wildfires in the West. Individuals sensitive to smoke can learn how to help protect their health by visiting the Coconino County Public Health Services District website at: http://bit.ly/SmokeHealthAwareness.

For fire information on the Kaibab National Forest, visit www.fs.usda.gov/kaibab and Inciweb under the name of the fire at https://inciweb.nwcg.gov or visit us on Facebook and Twitter @KaibabNF or call (928) 635-8311 for recorded fire information.

A Good Day on the Stina Fire

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FREDONIA — Incident Commander Trainee Dave Veater said, “It was a good day on the Stina Fire.” Fire crews were able to make good progress on the east and north flanks of the fire today; preparing lines for burning operations on the north side, placing a hose lay in on the east side of the fire, and assessing the suppression options for the south flank of the fire. The west side of the fire was very active in the mixed conifer, but there was not any significant fire growth today.

Resources:
4 20-person hotshot crews and 1 20 person type two hand crew
9 fire engines
1 bulldozer
Miscellaneous overhead (a total of 156 personnel)

Stina Fire Overview
Start date: July 26, 2018
Size: 1,200 acres

Location: The Stina Fire is 23 miles southwest of Jacob Lake and about 2 miles east of Fire Point on the North Kaibab Ranger District of the Kaibab National Forest.

Fuel: Ponderosa pine, aspen and mixed conifer.

Weather: Forecasters anticipate a chance of thunderstorms across the fire area.

Strategy: Full suppression

Public invited to release of endangered California Condors

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VERMILION CLIFFS – There is nothing quite as iconic in the western United States as a California Condor soaring over the red-rock-canyon landscapes of northern Arizona and southern Utah. Thanks to people working together to recover this species, condors have become a fixture in southwestern skies. On National Public Lands day this year, the public is invited to join the recovery effort by witnessing first-hand a spectacular release into the wild of several captive-bred young condors.

California Condors will be released by The Peregrine Fund atop the spectacular cliffs in Vermilion Cliffs National Monument in northern Arizona at 11 a.m. Saturday, September 22. The public is welcome to observe the release from a viewing area where spotting scopes provided by partners and Swarovski Optik will be set up and project personnel will be available to answer questions.

The release coincides with National Public Lands Day, the nation’s largest hands-on volunteer effort to improve and enhance America’s public lands. National Public Lands Day involves the U.S. Bureau of Land Management and other federal agencies, along with state and local governments and private groups.

This will be the 23rd annual public release of condors in Arizona since the southwest condor recovery program began in 1996. Condors are produced at The Peregrine Fund’s World Center for Birds of Prey in Boise, Idaho, the Oregon Zoo, Los Angeles Zoo, and San Diego Zoo Safari Park and then transported to release sites annually for release to the wild.

The historical California Condor population declined to just 22 individuals in the 1980s when the greater California Condor Recovery Program was initiated to save the species from extinction. As of July 25, 2018 there were 85 condors in the wild in the rugged canyon country of northern Arizona and southern Utah and the total world population of endangered California Condors numbers nearly 500 individuals, with more than half flying in the wilds of Arizona, Utah, California, and Mexico.

The Arizona-Utah recovery effort is a cooperative program by federal, state, and private partners, including The Peregrine Fund, Arizona Game and Fish Department, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the Bureau of Land Management’s Vermilion Cliffs National Monument, Grand Canyon and Zion national parks, Utah Division of Wildlife Resources, and Kaibab and Dixie national forests among many other supporting groups and individuals.

For more information about California Condors in Arizona visit http://www.peregrinefund.org/condor.

I-17 traffic restrictions south of Flagstaff through early November

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Drivers on Interstate 17 in northern Arizona are advised to plan for travel delays because of traffic realignment and ramp closures at Willard Springs Road, 17 miles south of Flagstaff near Munds Park. Crews are replacing the Willard Springs Road bridges on I-17 and will close access under the highway.

Drivers should prepare for delays while the following detours are in place:

  • Northbound I-17 drivers heading to Willard Springs Road will be detoured to Newman Park Road to exit and re-enter southbound I-17.
  • Drivers exiting Willard Springs Road toward northbound I-17 will be detoured southbound I-17 to Pinewood Road in Munds Park to exit and re-enter northbound I-17.

Drivers in both directions of I-17 will be re-routed around the bridge construction at Willard Springs Road onto the on- and off-ramps at reduced speeds.

For more information, email MKirby@azdot.gov or call Mackenzie Kirby, Community Relations project manager, ADOT Northcentral District, at 928.525.6494. Information is also available on the project web page.

Schedules are subject to change because of weather and other unforeseen situations. For more information, please call the ADOT Project Information Line at 855.712.8530 or email Projects@azdot.gov. For real-time highway conditions statewide, visit ADOT’s Traveler Information Site at www.az511.gov, follow ADOT on Twitter (@ArizonaDOT) or call 511, except when driving.

Schedules are subject to change based on weather and other unforeseen factors. For more information, please call the ADOT Project Information Line at 855.712.8530 or email Projects@azdot.gov. For real-time highway conditions statewide, visit ADOT’s Traveler Information Site at www.az511.gov, follow ADOT on Twitter (@ArizonaDOT) or call 511, except when driving.

Low-cost Rabies Vaccination Clinic

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FLAGSTAFF- The Coconino County Public Health Services District (CCPHSD) is sponsoring a low-cost Rabies Vaccination Clinic from 1 to 4 p.m. on Saturday, August 11 at the Coconino Humane Association, 3501 E. Butler Avenue, Flagstaff.

Rabies vaccinations will be $10 for dogs and cats. The Kaibab Veterinary Clinic will provide services as well as other vaccinations. Fees will vary and only cash or check will be accepted.

CCPHSD Animal Management will also be offering a one-year license for dogs for $12 altered and $25 unaltered. CCPHSD Animal Management also offers 2 and 3-year license options. Spay/neuter vouchers ($30 value) will also be available for canine owners current with rabies vaccinations and licensing.

Arizona State law requires all dogs to be properly vaccinated and licensed. The CCPHSD strongly recommends that cats be vaccinated against rabies.

Rabies is an infectious disease that affects the nervous system, including the brain and spinal cord of animals and humans. It is caused by a virus present in the saliva of infected animals and is transmitted to humans through contact with the live virus.

For more information, call the CCPHSD Animal Management Program at 928-679-8756 or visit www.coconino.az.gov/health.

5 life jacket exchanges scheduled for August

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PHOENIX — Nearly 850 life jackets have been exchanged so far this year, but that number will ramp up after the Arizona Game and Fish Department (AZGFD) holds five more events in August. 2018 is the 10-year anniversary of the life jacket exchange program, and AZGFD is aiming to exchange a record-setting 1,700 life jackets this year.

Anyone who has an old, worn-out or improperly fitting life jacket is welcome to exchange it for a new one in the appropriate size during the events. Type I and Type II life jackets will not be accepted.

The public is invited to join AZGFD and its partner organizations at the following life jacket exchange events:

  • Bullhead City at BCFD Fire Station #2 (1230 Highway 95) on August 4 from 9 a.m. to noon
  • Lake Pleasant at the 4 Lane boat ramp and the 10 Lane boat ramp August 4 from 10 a.m. to noon
  • Lake Havasu at Site Six on August 25 from 10 a.m. to noon
  • Yuma at Martinez Lake on August 25 from 8:00 a.m. to 10:00 a.m.

“In addition to exchanging more life jackets than ever before, this year we have been excited to hold the events in new locations throughout Arizona,” said Josh Hoffman, boating safety education coordinator for AZGFD. “This will be our first life jacket exchange in Yuma, and it’s a great opportunity to allow as many Arizonans as possible to ensure they have a new life jacket that fits properly.”

State law requires all passengers 12 years old and younger to wear a life jacket while on board and each passenger must have a properly fitting, U.S. Coast Guard-approved life jacket available.

Another important aspect of safe boating is understanding the laws and regulations for cruising around Arizona’s waterways. AZGFD offers free in-person courses for both boaters and paddlers to ensure that all of Arizona’s residents have access to instruction on the basic skills required to safely and legally operate their boat.

For more information about boating in Arizona or to sign up for a free safety course, visit azgfd.gov/boating.

Bald Fire Update

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WILLIAMS — Thunderstorm outflows with shifting wind patterns are fanning flames and influencing growth on the Bald Fire located on Sitgreaves Mountain on the Williams Ranger District of the Kaibab National Forest.

BALD FIRE OVERVIEW
Start Date: July 22, 2018.
Cause: Lightning.
Location: South slope of Sitgreaves Mountain southwest of Spring Valley.
Current Size: Approximately 40 acres.
Resources: 1-Type 6 Engine, miscellaneous aircraft.

Current Status: Officials have been monitoring the Bald Fire for just over a week and will continue to watch fire behavior using aircraft and from vantage points on the ground below. The Lightning caused Bald Fire now 40 acres in size continues to burn within the 2014 Sitgreaves fire scar about halfway up the south slope. Because there are less control risks associated with this fire, managers are airing on the side of safety by limiting exposure keeping fire personnel off the steep terrain. Growth will likely continue as weather allows.

Smoke: Smoke will continue to be visible from a wide area around the mountain and could occasionally impact the communities of Spring Valley, Pittman Valley, Parks, and the Interstate 40 corridor. Motorists are asked to always use caution when ever driving near the vicinity of a fire.

For additional information the following sources are available:

InciWeb: inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/6006/
Website: www.fs.usda.gov/kaibab
Twitter: twitter.com/kaibabnf
Facebook: www.facebook.com/KaibabNF/
Kaibab National Forest Fire Information Phone Line (928) 635-8311.

Zipline takes another hit

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Another RV tries and fails to zip under the Zipline sign.

WILLIAMS – This morning at about 7 a.m., another RV attempted, and failed, to get under the Zipline signage. There is no safety issue with the Zipline ride.According to a witness, the RV attempted to go under the rails and got stuck. It backed up and attempted to go in-between the sign posts and a white van. The witness stopped the vehicle while calling the Williams Police Department. The damage was minimal.

Becoming an Outdoors Woman workshop set for September 7 to 9

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PHOENIX — For women who just want to find out what the outdoors experience is all about, signing up for a Becoming an Outdoors Woman (BOW) workshop is a great place to start.

The Arizona Wildlife Federation, in partnership with the Arizona Game and Fish Department, will conduct its next BOW workshop September 7 to 9 at Friendly Pines Camp near Prescott. The workshop introduces like-minded women (18 and older) to outdoor skills in an enjoyable, no-pressure setting with expert instructors.

In addition to being able to select from more than 30 classes, like horsemanship, geocaching, wilderness medicine, birding and hiking, participants also will have an opportunity to fulfill the field-day requirements to earn their Arizona Hunter Education certificate. The online course must be completed prior to the workshop, however, at www.hunter-ed.com/arizona. The evenings will be filled with fun and entertainment, like night hikes and guest speakers.

A pair of new classes also are being offered: a geology class titled “Name That Rock” and a class in primitive skills. Meanwhile, participants will learn how to catch crayfish, then prepare them along with other wild foods to be served at a game-tasting the first night of the workshop.

Participants will stay in rustic cabins equipped with showers and toilets. The workshop fee is $250 and includes all instruction, course materials, use of equipment, meals and lodging. For information, visit www.azwildlife.org, email awf@azwildlife.org or call (480) 644-0077.