Daily Archives: July 17, 2015

Sixty-Two-Year-Old Man Falls to his Death

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coco-sheriff-300pxFLAGSTAFF — On Thursday, July 16, 2015 at approximately 2:27 pm Sheriff/Police Emergency Dispatchers received the report of a man and his dog who had fallen off of a cliff. The location of the accident was off of the north end of Forest Service road 237 in the area of Chevelon Canyon located north of Forest Lakes.

Coconino Sheriff’s Deputies, the Coconino County Sheriff’s Search and Rescue unit, Navajo County Sheriff’s Office, United States Forest Service personnel, Forest Lakes Fire Department and the Arizona Department of Public Safety Air Rescue Crews based in Flagstaff and Phoenix assisted with this call.

Emergency First Responders met with the reporting party on Forest Service road 237 to obtain more information regarding the accident. According, to the reporting party, the victim and his blind dog were walking along the top of the rim when they both fell off of a cliff that was about 500 to 600 feet above the canyon floor. The AZ DPS Air Rescue crew from Flagstaff flew the area and spotted the victim about 300 feet below the cliff he fell from. Due to the extremely rough terrain on the canyon floor the helicopter was not able to safely land at the location where the victim came to rest. A crew member described the victim as not moving and unresponsive. A second AZ DPS Air Rescue crew responded from Phoenix and was able to lower a DPS Technical Rescue Officer to the deceased victim’s location. The technician prepared the body for transport and they were flown out of the area utilizing the short haul method. The dog was found deceased approximately 10 feet from the victim’s location.

The victim has been identified as 62 year old Glen Dickinson of Tucson, Arizona.

I-40 bridge overpass at Twin Arrow Road (exit 219) reduced to one lane at times beginning Monday morning (Jul. 20)

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PHOENIX — Geotechnical work on the Interstate 40 overpass at the Twin Arrow Road traffic-interchange will begin on Monday (Jul. 20) and continue daily until Wednesday (Jul. 22). Please use caution while the following restrictions are in place:

  • I-40 bridge overpass at Twin Arrows Road (exit 219), toward the Twin Arrows Casino, reduced to one lane at times daily from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Wednesday (Jul.20-22). Flaggers will be present during restrictions to guide traffic through the work zone.

Please allow extra travel time and to be prepared to merge safely when approaching the work zone.

A geotechnical investigation is designed to provide engineers with data on conditions below the surface, helping to refine construction plans and processes. The Twin Arrows TI project is scheduled to begin in 2016.

Tusayan Ranger District announces office hours for remainder of July

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TUSAYAN — Due to recent changes in staffing, the Tusayan Ranger District of the Kaibab National Forest will be offering reduced office hours for the remainder of July. The office is located at 176 Lincoln Log Loop in Tusayan, just south of the South Rim entrance to Grand Canyon National Park.

“I apologize for any inconvenience these reduced hours might have on visitors to our office,” said Tusayan District Ranger James Simino. “We are working to remedy this situation as soon as possible, but we ask for the public’s patience with us in the interim.

The Tusayan Ranger District office, (928) 638-2443, will only be open from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. on the following days for the remainder of July:

Friday, July 17
Monday, July 20
Tuesday, July 21
Wednesday, July 22
Thursday, July 23
Tuesday, July 28
Wednesday, July 29
Thursday, July 30

For passes, maps, permits, information, or any other needs on days when the Tusayan Ranger District office is closed, please call or visit one of the other Kaibab National Forest offices.

Kaibab Supervisor’s Office
Williams Ranger District
800 S. 6th St.
Williams, AZ 86046
(928) 635-8200

Williams Ranger District
742 S. Clover Rd.
Williams, AZ 86046
(928) 635-5600

Cameron Field Office
S. of Cameron Chapter House
Cameron, AZ 86020
(928) 679-2037

Seriously Injured Victim of Off Road Motorcycle Accident Rescued by Multi Agency Response

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640-PhotobFLAGSTAFF — On July 15, 2015 at approximately 1:30 pm the Coconino County Sheriff’s Office, the Coconino County Sheriff’s Search and Rescue Unit, Summit Fire District, Guardian Medical Transport, and AZ DPS Air Rescue responded to a motorcycle accident with serious injuries on Hundred Dollar Hill located within the Cinder Hills Off Road Recreation Area. Due to the terrain conventional emergency vehicles could not make access to the scene. The DPS helicopter could not land at the accident site either. A Search and Rescue UTV equipped for patient transport was driven into the crater.

Once the patient was stabilized efforts to remove the patient were initiated. The rescue of the accident victim took approximately 3.5 hours and the use of a CCSO UTV specially equipped with a patient litter basket. The patient was eventually flown to Flagstaff Medical Center by AZ DPS Ranger where he was treated for serious injuries he sustained as the result of this accident.

Burnt Complex update

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2015_07_09-13.20.30.042-CDT

Kaibab National Forest Service photo

FREDONIA — As smoke from the Burnt Complex started to become visible from the communities of Kanab and Fredonia at about 4 p.m. yesterday, firefighters continued to receive positive results on this managed fire, which is located approximately 34 miles south of Fredonia and 5 miles southwest of Big Springs.

The Burnt Complex is located within the southern portion of the 28,060 acre Burnt Corral Vegetation Management Project area and has increased in size at steady pace since its discovery on July 5. The complex continues to be managed under Incident Commander Dave Veater in order to reduce accumulated fuels on the forest floor, recycle nutrients into the soil, and protect the greater area from future high-intensity wildland fires.

Fire Name/Date Started: Burnt Complex; the Burnt Fire was discovered on July 5, and the Corral Fire on July 9.

Location: Both the Burnt Fire and the Corral Fire are being managed as the Burnt Complex within the previously established 3,915-acre Burnt Fire planning area. The complex is bound by Forest Service Road (FSR) 228 on the north, FSR 274 on the south and west, and FSR 22 on the east.

Cause/Fire Behavior: Lightning/Moderate.

Size: Approximately 441 acres.

Fuel Types: Pine, down woody debris and duff (material on the forest floor consisting of decomposing needles and other natural materials).

Closures: Currently no road or trail closures are in effect or anticipated; however, hazard signs are posted, and motorists should exercise caution.
Resources Committed: 2 Type II Wildland Fire Modules, 1 Type-3 engine, 2 Type-4 engines, 1 Type-6 engine, 1 dozer, 1 Type-2 Initial Attack Crew, 1 Water Tender, 24 overhead; 62 personnel total.