NAU study: Post-wildfire flooding to cost hundreds of millions

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FLAGSTAFF — The Coconino County Board of Supervisors heard a presentation from the Northern Arizona University (NAU) Alliance Bank Economic Policy Institute (EPI) on the economic impact of post wildfire flooding to the City of Williams resulting from a wildfire on Bill Williams Mountain.

The EPI study, commissioned by the Coconino County Flood Control District, estimates that the economic impact from a catastrophic wildfire and the post-wildfire flooding in the Bill Williams Mountain watershed (City of Williams and downstream) is between $379 million and $694 million. The estimated cost of forest restoration on Bill Williams Mountain is approximately $8 million.

The response to a fire would incur immediate expenses, including suppression, post-fire rehabilitation, evacuation and repair costs. Long-term impacts of a catastrophic fire include the loss of sales tax revenue, tourist revenue, business revenue, and repair costs to railroads, highways and facilities.

Last year, a study conducted by J.E. Fuller Hydrology and Geomorphology, at the direction of the County’s Flood Control District, recommended the development of a pre-disaster plan to identify ways to reduce the impacts of flooding. The City of Williams is working with the County to develop the plan and secure funding.

The Bill Williams Mountain Watershed is located south and uphill from The City of Williams’ cultural, tourist, retail, residential and governmental core. The watershed is heavily used for outdoor recreation including a ski area, residential housing and summer camps. It is also unnaturally dense with ponderosa pine and mixed-conifer forests and characterized by steep slopes, making this area vulnerable to an intense catastrophic wildfire and post-wildfire flooding.

Due to increasing fire danger with warmer and dryer weather conditions in the immediate forecast, the Kaibab National Forest closed the Bill Williams Mountain watershed area last week until the area receives significant precipitation.

Coconino County provides notice of security incidents

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FLAGSTAFF — Coconino County recently detected suspicious activity within certain staff members’ email accounts.

The County engaged a leading computer forensics investigation company to determine the nature and scope of these activities. Although the investigation is ongoing, the County did identify certain individuals whose personal and protected health information may have been compromised. There is no evidence that anyone’s information is being misused and the County is providing individuals with notice of these data security events as well as access to credit and identity protection services. A hotline has been established (855-789-0940) where people with questions can call. Additional information is also available at http://www.coconino.az.gov/1985/Data-Security-Public-Notices.

Coconino County takes the security and privacy of personal information very seriously. The County has ensured the security of its email accounts and continues to monitor its systems to ensure the privacy and security of personal information in our care.

Trail camera rule change subject of webcast May 29

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PHOENIX –– The Arizona Game and Fish Department will host and webcast a public forum on a proposed rule change within Article 3, “Taking and Handling of Wildlife,” at 6 p.m. May 29 at department headquarters (Quail Room), 5000 W. Carefree Highway, Phoenix.
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The webcast can be viewed at www.azgfd.gov/webcast. The topic of discussion will focus exclusively on a proposed rule change by the Arizona Game and Fish Commission pertaining to the use of a trail camera within one-fourth mile of a developed water source.Questions can be asked in-person in the department’s Quail Room, or submitted by e-mail during the forum at questions@azgfd.gov. The final rule will be presented to the five-member commission at its June 8-9 meeting at the Mazatzal Hotel and Casino, Highway 87, Mile Marker 251, in Payson.

To track the progress of this rule, view the regulatory agenda and all previous Five-year Review Reports, and to learn about any other agency rulemaking matters, visit https://www.azgfd.com/agency/rulemaking/.

Sheriff’s Office Investigating a Homicide of Elderly Male Whose Body was Found Near Forest Lakes

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FOREST LAKES – The Coconino County Sheriff’s Office is investigating the homicide of an elderly male whose body was found west of Forest Lakes, AZ.

On Sunday May 20, 2018 around 3:30 PM the Coconino County Sheriff’s Office received a call of a deceased person found lying along Forest Road 512 (to Young, AZ), less than ½ mile south of State Route 260.

A deputy responded from Forest Lakes and contacted the reporting party, a couple who had been driving in that area. The reporting party said they were travelling the Young Road around 3:30 pm and observed a male lying in the dirt approximately 20 yards off the side of the road in a pull-out area. They stopped to check on the male and could see he was obviously deceased.

Detectives from the Sheriff’s Office responded out of Flagstaff to conduct the investigation. They found the deceased victim with severe trauma to his body and head. The victim had no identification.

Investigators and crime scene personnel from the Arizona Department of Public Safety also responded to the scene and assisted in the investigation. The victim was transported to Flagstaff where an autopsy will be conducted by the Coconino County Medical Examiner’s Office.

The victim is described as a 60-70-year-old white male, about 110 pounds, about 5 feet 6 inches tall, with gray hair that is longer but cut above the shoulders, gray beard and mustache, wearing a white “Head” sports polo style shirt, off white or light British tan colored shorts with a black leather belt, black socks and white New Balance tennis shoes.

The Sheriff’s Office is asking for the public’s help for information about this death or the identity of the victim. Please call the Coconino County Sheriff’s Office at 1-800-338-7888, option 1 for Dispatch or Silent Witness 928-774-6111.

Arizona Highways offers new guidebook on northern Arizona

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PHOENIX – Northern Arizona, home to some of the country’s most scenic areas, is the focus of a new travel book produced by Arizona Highways magazine.

Arizona Guidebook, Part One, now available in bookstores and at ArizonaHighways.com, offers tips on places to eat, sleep, hike, drive and take beautiful photographs across the region.

The 160-page soft-cover book features detailed travel information about Flagstaff, Sedona, Williams, Prescott, Jerome, the Grand Canyon, Monument Valley and the Navajo Nation, Lake Powell and Route 66. It also contains stunning photographs by Arizona Highways contributors.

The book, the first of two about travel across Arizona, is the latest in Arizona Highways’ collection of guidebooks on subjects including camping, hiking, scenic drives and photography. The second guidebook in this series will be available in fall 2019.

Arizona Highways, produced by the Arizona Department of Transportation, has subscribers in all 50 states and more than 120 countries and is regarded as the authority on Arizona travel. It also publishes a variety of coffee table books and a popular calendar.

MVD in the inbox

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PHOENIX – Innovations that are making lines shorter and services more convenient for Arizona Department of Transportation Motor Vehicle Division customers are coming at a rapid-fire pace. To keep up, MVD is using occasional emails to let customers know what’s new.

More than 1.6 million customers currently get registration renewal updates and will also now periodically receive information about MVD service improvements.

Since 2016, MVD has added more online services options to include:

· electronic title transfers,
· updating insurance information,
· creating personal AZ MVDNow accounts,
· making office appointments for road tests,
· getting the Voluntary Travel I.D., among other services.

About two-thirds of all MVD transactions can be done online.

Other innovations include streamlined office customer service, expanded operating hours, and shorter wait times for phone customers.

“Obviously, people don’t want to be overwhelmed with emails, so any communication will be infrequent and designed to inform our valued customers about improved or added services options. It’s very important that we keep our customers updated about ways we’re working to get Arizonans out of line and safely on the road,” she added.

To sign up for both email registration renewal notification and updates go to the “Address / email change” tab at www.ServiceArizona.com. Those interested in service improvement updates only may sign up for “Motor Vehicle News and Info” at the “Subscribe to Updates” tab at www.azdot.gov.

Technical issues resolved

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We had a technical issue which prevented us from posting news items. We finally had time to contact our ISP Bluehost. They resolve the issue in their quick fashion. That is why they are our ISP. Now we can get back to watching Batman. If the Queen of Diamonds marries Batman, is she just married to Batman? Or is she married to Bruce Wayne also? Isn’t that polygamy?

Kaibab National Forest to implement fire restrictions on North Kaibab Ranger District starting this Friday

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FREDONIA — The Kaibab National Forest will implement campfire and smoking restrictions, also known as Stage I fire restrictions, on the North Kaibab Ranger District beginning at 8 a.m. this Friday. As a reminder, Stage II fire restrictions are already in effect across the entire Williams and Tusayan Ranger Districts and will continue until significant precipitation is received.

Under the restrictions to be implemented Friday across the North Kaibab Ranger District, fires, campfires, charcoal, coal and wood stoves are prohibited, except within the specific developed recreation sites listed here:

· Big Springs Rental Cabins
· Jacob Lake Campground
· Jacob Lake Group Campground & Picnic Site
· DeMotte Campground

Stage I restrictions also limit smoking to within enclosed vehicles or buildings or in the listed developed recreation sites.

Using a device that is solely fueled by liquid petroleum or LPG fuels that can be turned on and off is allowed in areas that are barren or cleared of all overhead and surrounding flammable materials within 3 feet of the device. Fireworks are always prohibited on all National Forest lands.

The Forest Service uses fire restrictions to help prevent unwanted, human-caused fires and to limit the exposure of visitors during periods of potentially dangerous fire conditions. Implementation of fire restrictions normally occurs based on a combination of factors that are carefully measured.

Criteria used to determine when to implement restrictions include things such as current and predicted weather, fuel moisture, a variety of science-based indices, fire activity levels and available firefighting resources. Additional restrictions may be applied any time that conditions warrant. Fire restrictions typically remain in effect until the area covered by the restrictions receives significant precipitation, at which time they will be rescinded.

Forest officials would also like to remind visitors that having a campfire on the National Forest while under fire restrictions is a violation that carries a mandatory appearance in federal court. Violations are punishable by a fine of not more than $5,000, imprisonment of not more than six months, or both.

These fire restrictions apply only to the North Kaibab Ranger District of the Kaibab National Forest. However, many city, state, and county agencies implement similar restrictions, so members of the public should check with the appropriate agency on any restrictions applying to privately-owned property or other lands not within Kaibab National Forest jurisdictional boundaries.

Know Before You Go! Members of the public can find additional information through the following sources:

· Website: www.fs.usda.gov/kaibab
· Twitter: www.twitter.com/KaibabNF (Text ‘follow kaibabnf’ to 40404 to receive text messages.)
· Facebook: www.facebook.com/KaibabNF
· Arizona Fire Restrictions: firerestrictions.us/az

American Red Cross dispatched teams to three fires last night

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FLAGSTAFF – It was a very busy night for the Arizona American Red Cross last night. Three teams were dispatched to various fires.

Casa Grande, Arizona – The American Red Cross Pinal County Disaster Action team lead by Captain Jim Porter assisted 3 adults displaced due to a Mobile Home #fire and a fifth wheeler trailer parked in the back. Included in the #fire 1 adult next door displaced due to no utilities.

Phoenix, Arizona – The American Red Cross Phoenix Chapter, led by DAT team Captain Michael Young cared for 3 adults and 3 dogs displaced by a multiple apartment units #fire near West Campbell Ave, Phoenix, AZ.

Prescott Valley, Arizona – American Red Cross Northern Arizona, assisted 1 adult and 1 dog from a single home #fire due to the Viewpoint fire. Both are safe and being cared for by the DAT volunteers of Northern Arizona Red Cross. This was follow up as part of their larger wildfire response efforts.

Thank you, DAT volunteers, in providing shelter, food and emotional support to these families. We appreciate all that our volunteers do, to provide hope and help to members of our communities.

Fox tests positive for rabies

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FLAGSTAFF – The Coconino County Public Health Services District (CCPHSD) confirmed today that a fox tested positive for rabies. The fox was found in a wooded area north of Interstate 40, west of Milton Road and south of University Ave. in west Flagstaff.

The fox was captured and tested after residents walking in the area reported the animal attacked their dog and bit them when they intervened. The individuals are receiving post exposure rabies prophylaxis treatment.

CCPHSD is reminding individuals to use caution to protect against rabies exposure when hiking, camping or in situation where wildlife may be present. Health officials recommend the following precautions to protect against rabies:

Avoid wildlife, especially those exhibiting unusual wildlife behaviors which can include; showing no fear of humans, aggressive behavior, staggering and/or acting sickly, and nocturnal mammals active during daytime.
Keep all pets current on vaccinations and obey leash laws.
Always keep pets away from wild animals.
Never pick up, touch, or feed wild or unfamiliar animals, even if they do not appear sick or aggressive.
Report any wild animal exhibiting erratic or aggressive behavior.
Seek immediate medical attention if bitten by or have contact with a wild animal.
Pet owners should seek medical care from their veterinarian if their pet is bitten by wildlife.

To report unusual wildlife sightings or behavior call the Coconino County Public Health Services District Animal Management Program at 928-679-8756. To report a wildlife emergency call 911.

For more information on rabies visit www.azhealth.gov/rabies.