WILLIAMS — The rise in the water level at Santa Fe dam seems to have ceased. That’s the bad news. The good news is the wildlife is starting to return. If they start stocking the dam with trout, visitors may be treated by a visit by the bald eagles.
Williams received a little rain last night and could receive a dousing tonight. The rain is expected to clear up by tomorrow night. Next week it should be sunny with some cloudiness and temperatures in the 60s.
2014, the Tusayan Ranger District of the Kaibab National Forest achieved a longtime goal of zero human-caused wildfires. According to forest wildfire records, the last time the district had zero human fires was in 1965, exactly 50 years ago.
“Over the last three years, we have had a specific, written goal of reducing human-caused wildfires on the district to zero for the entire calendar year,” said Quentin Johnson, fire management officer for the Tusayan Ranger District. “Given that the district receives millions of visitors each year because it is located immediately adjacent to Grand Canyon National Park, we knew this would be an incredible challenge.”
Johnson added that while the district had been averaging about seven human-caused wildfires per year over the last 20 years, there were actually many summers during which 200 or more abandoned campfires had been found and extinguished by district fire personnel before they were declared wildfires.
The district’s success in 2014 was due largely to focused fire prevention efforts beginning almost 15 years ago that have chipped away at the leading cause of human fires on the district – abandoned campfires. Specifically, district fire prevention specialist Bob Blasi worked to gain compliance in dispersed camping areas and issued citations when necessary. With increased early-morning patrols, an extensive signing program, visits to local schools, Smokey Bear presence at local events, and a consistent prevention message for more than a decade, Blasi was able to systematically reduce the number of abandoned campfires and, therefore, the overall number of human-caused wildfires.
“This goal seemed almost impossible,” Blasi said. “Only one careless action by a single person can have a devastating outcome, as we see every year across this country somewhere in the wildlands of America. There were a couple years in the past decade when we only had two or three human-caused fires. It was then I realized that with a little extra effort focused on specific targets with increased fire prevention patrols, it might just be obtainable.”
Besides traditional fire prevention techniques such as patrols and signing, the Tusayan Ranger District has also been a leader in putting fire back on the landscape as frequently and broadly as conditions have allowed. Over the past 12 years, nearly 40 percent of the 327,250-acre Tusayan district has been treated with thinning and fire, which has contributed enormously to reducing human-caused wildfire.
“Because most of the popular camping areas have already been treated with fire at appropriate times of the year, these areas are less likely to catch on fire during the hottest, driest months,” Johnson said. “To truly prevent wildfire, you have to use all of the fire prevention tools available in combination.”
During the 2014 monsoon season alone, the Tusayan Ranger District managed more than 17,000 acres of fire across the landscape in order to improve forest health and reduce the likelihood of future high-severity fires resulting from sources such as abandoned campfires.
“Because of the support of fire managers, Kaibab National Forest leadership, the community and public, we have been able to go beyond just re-introducing fire into the ecosystem, to take it to the next level and demonstrate how when fire is managed responsibly, it becomes an integral part of obtaining desired forest health,” Blasi said. “This is the proof in the pudding. The more fire treatments we are able to successfully implement, the better chance we have of reducing and ultimately eliminating unwanted human-caused fire in our part of the forest.”
While focused fire prevention efforts have decreased the number of abandoned campfires in the Tusayan area, the challenge of eliminating all human-caused fires will continue. Each fire season brings a unique set of challenges including millions of new visitors to a popular tourist destination.
“If I were to designate one goal for the future, it would be that this record never last 50 years again,” Blasi said. “Eliminating human-caused fires is attainable through education, prevention and good stewardship.”
Utility work is scheduled to begin on Monday, March 23 on southbound State Route 89A in Jerome (milepost 345) as crews replace an existing waterline. The southbound lane will be closed for the next three weeks, through April 10.
Drivers in both directions will be guided through the work zone with flaggers. Work hours are Monday through Friday between 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. Road will be fully open on the weekends. Minimal delays expected.
The work zone will be clearly marked by temporary barricades and signage.
Utility work is scheduled tomorrow on State Route 260 approximately five miles east of Camp Verde (milepost 225) between 7 a.m. and 4 p.m.
SR 260 will be restricted to one lane during work hours and drivers will be guided through the work zone with flaggers. Minimal delays expected.
The work zone will be clearly marked by temporary barricades and signage.
WILLIAMS — Bison Lake at the Bearizona Wildlife Park seems to have filled up due to snow melt.
Actually it is not really a lake. The plain area where the Bison usually love to lay in the snow has filled with water creating a marsh which is difficult, at best, to drive through.
Not to worry, however. The Bison are still hanging around the road for viewing.
Next week visitors will be treated to viewing the newest residents to the park. Three bear cubs were born this spring and will be placed into the walk-through area.
NOTE: We noted a lot of bridge work happening between Williams and Flagstaff on I-40. Please remember that ARS provides for double-fines for speeding through a highway construction zone.
The Arizona Department of Transportation will begin a project on Monday, March 23 to make improvements to the Leroux Wash Bridges on Interstate 40 just west of Holbrook.
The $1.2 million dollar project will include removing and replacing both bridges approach slabs and repairing both bridge decks. The project is anticipated to be completed this fall.
Work hours will be 7 a.m.to 5 p.m. Monday through Thursday. Work crews will be working on both the eastbound and westbound bridges at the same time. One of the two lanes in each direction will be closed leaving one lane open for traffic. The speed limit will be reduced through the construction zone and there will be width restrictions.
Drivers are asked to use caution and be alert for construction equipment and personnel.
NORTHFIELD, Ill. — Kraft Foods Group is voluntarily recalling approximately 242,000 cases of select code dates and manufacturing codes of the Original flavor of Kraft Macaroni & Cheese Dinner – due to the possibility that some boxes may contain small pieces of metal. The recalled product is limited to the 7.25-oz. size of the Original flavor of boxed dinner with the “Best When Used By” dates of September 18, 2015 through October 11, 2015, with the code “C2” directly below the date on each individual box. The “C2” refers to a specific production line on which the affected product was made.
Some of these products have also been packed in multi-pack units that have a range of different code dates and manufacturing codes on the external packaging (box or shrink-wrap), depending on the package configuration (see table below).
Recalled product was shipped to customers in the U.S. and several other countries, excluding Canada. The affected dates of this product were sold in only these four configurations:
The following is being recalled:
| Product Size | Name of Product | Sell Unit Best When Used By Code Date & Mfr. Code | Individual Box Best When Used By Code Date & Mfr. Code | Individual Box UPC | Multi-Pack Unit UPC |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 7.25 oz. each | Kraft Macaroni & Cheese Boxed Dinner Original Flavor |
NA | 18 SEP 2015 C2 through 11 OCT 2015 C2 |
0 21000 65883 1 | NA |
| 3-Pack Box (Three 7.25 oz. Boxes) Net Wt. 21.75 oz. |
3-Pack Kraft Macaroni & Cheese Boxed Dinner Original Flavor |
09 SEP 2015 XDG 27 SEP 2015 XDG 01 OCT 2015 XDG 02 OCT 2015 XDG 03 OCT 2015 XDG 20 NOV 2015 XDG |
18 SEP 2015 C2 through 11 OCT 2015 C2 |
0 21000 65883 1 | 0 21000 05076 5 |
| 4-Pack Shrink–wrap (Four 7.25 oz. Boxes) Net Wt. 29 oz. |
4-Pack Kraft Macaroni & Cheese Boxed Dinner Original Flavor |
18 SEP 2015 C2 19 SEP 2015 C2 08 OCT 2015 C2 |
18 SEP 2015 C2 through 11 OCT 2015 C2 |
0 21000 65883 1 | 0 21000 72540 3 |
| 5-Pack Shrink-wrap (Five 7.25 oz. Boxes) Net Wt. 36.25 oz. |
5-Pack Kraft Macaroni & Cheese Boxed Dinner Original Flavor |
18 SEP 2015 through 11 OCT 2015 XAR or C2 |
18 SEP 2015 C2 through 11 OCT 2015 C2 |
0 21000 65883 1 | 0 21000 77436 4 |
No other sizes, varieties or pasta shapes and no other packaging configurations are included in this recall. And no products with manufacturing codes other than “C2” below the code date on the individual box are included in this recall.
Kraft has received eight consumer contacts about this product from the impacted line within this range of code dates and no injuries have been reported. We deeply regret this situation and apologize to any consumers we have disappointed.
The recalled product was shipped by Kraft to customers nationwide in the U.S. The product was also distributed to Puerto Rico and some Caribbean and South American countries — but not to Canada.
Consumers who purchased this product should not eat it. They should return it to the store where purchased for an exchange or full refund. Consumers also can contact Kraft Foods Consumer Relations at 1-800-816-9432 between 9 am and 6 pm (Eastern) for a full refund.
After upgrading five eastbound bridge approaches on State Route 260 last fall, the Arizona Department of Transportation is returning this month to replace and repave the approaches to three westbound bridges between mileposts 272-277, approximately 20 miles east of Payson.
Motorists traveling along SR 260 should allow extra travel time and be aware that westbound traffic will be shifted to the eastbound lanes, which will become a two-way roadway through the five-mile work zone, beginning on Tuesday, March 24. A 10-foot width restriction will be in place throughout construction and drivers should be aware of heavy traffic during peak travel times.
The $2.9 million improvement project, which is expected to be completed in August, includes the removal of the existing bridge approaches and departure slabs, repaving the roadway at the bridge approaches, guardrail reconstruction and the replacement of existing pavement markings.
Across the National Park System, there is an estimated half-a-billion-dollars of obligations owed concessionaires who run lodges, restaurants, and even some activities, for the National Park Service.
It’s a sum that, while Park Service officials say is manageable, has seemingly stifled concessions competition in some parks and led the agency to divert tens of millions of dollars from some parks to others to reduce the debts.
At Grand Teton National Park in Wyoming, the outstanding amount is more than $57 million. At Glacier National Park in Montana, it’s $22 million. At Grand Canyon National Park in Arizona, it’s nearly $100 million. At Yellowstone National Park, the sum is $21.5 million.
Read more at National Parks Traveler
WILLIAMS — the annual Saint Patrick’s day corned beef and cabbage dinner at the United Community Methodist church of Williams seem to be a big success last night. The church is led by pastor Billy Martin.
Church volunteers cook and serve food straight from the kitchen.
The united Methodist church conducts this event each year in addition to their other community service. The church holds normal Sunday Services as well as Bible studies on Wednesdays. They also have a weekly dinner prior to the Bible study on Wednesday.