Category Archives: Kaibab National Forest

Bert fire in Valle increases in size

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VALLE — The Bert Fire on the Williams Ranger District of the Kaibab National Forest is showing a substantial increase in activity and is expected to grow considerably while warmer weather continues over northern Arizona. The lightning-caused Bert fire was discovered May 28 and it was decided to manage the fire to burn fuels and return the land to grass land.

The fire is approximately 3850-acres and burning ten-miles southeast of Valle on highway 180 near Ebert Mountain.

With the steady increase in temperatures and lower relative humidity over the area, fire officials are anticipating an increase in fire activity over the next few days. The current weather pattern is expected to be short term, however, with a chance of moisture predicted to return by the middle of next week. Fire behavior and smoke impacts will likely diminish as cooler weather arrives.

An increase in smoke production is expected and will be noticeable from interstate 40, Highways 180 and 64 and from several adjacent communities including Valle, Tusayan, Williams, Flagstaff, Parks, Spring Valley and Cameron. Smoke may impact these communities periodically depending on shifting wind direction and changing weather patterns. Predominant southwest winds are expected to transport smoke away from adjacent residential areas however some smoke may occasionally drift over the Coconino rim to the northeast.

Wildcat fire grows considerably

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FREDONIA — The lightning-caused Wildcat Fire discovered Monday became more active this afternoon and rapidly grew to an estimated 2,000-acres on the North Kaibab Ranger District of the Kaibab National Forest. Yesterday it was at 72-acres and 50% contained.

The fire is located South of Highway 89A and southwest of the Forest Road 8910 and 211 junction within the vicinity of the South Canyon trailhead in Saddle Mountain Wilderness. The fire is currently burning in a northeast direction from the House Rock Buffalo Ranch.

The fire is currently burning in a wilderness area and there are no reports of danger to structures or evacuations.

Firefighters respond to Wildcat Fire in Saddle Mountain Wilderness

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FREDONIA — North Zone firefighters on the North Kaibab Ranger District of the Kaibab National Forest are currently responding to a new fire start called the Wildcat Fire, which was discovered earlier today. They intend to suppress the fire which is about 20-acres.

The fire is south of Highway 89A and southwest of the Forest Road 8910 and 211 junction within the vicinity of the South Canyon trailhead in Saddle Mountain Wilderness. Visitors can expect to see smoke as the wildfire is highly visible from Highway 89A.

The Wildcat Fire is primarily wind driven and currently moving north-northeast. The cause of the fire is currently unknown.

Fire restrictions to begin Wednesday on four National Forests

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FLAGSTAFF/WILLIAMS/PRESCOTT — Campfire and smoking restrictions will begin 8 a.m. Wednesday (June 15) on the Coconino, Kaibab, Prescott and Apache-Sitgreaves National Forests in order to protect public health and reduce preventable human-caused fires.

Under the restrictions, fires, campfires, charcoal, coal and wood stoves are allowed in developed campgrounds only, which are managed by concessionaires or have campground hosts. The restrictions also limit smoking to within enclosed vehicles or buildings or in developed campgrounds. 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 clear of flammable materials. Fireworks are always prohibited on all National Forest lands. On the Prescott National Forest, Stage I restrictions will not allow shooting firearms due to the drier conditions. However, this activity will be allowed on the other National Forests.

The forests use fire restrictions to help prevent unwanted, human-caused fires and to limit the exposure of users during periods of 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, fire activity levels and available firefighting resources. Additional restrictions may be applied as conditions warrant. In-depth details and criteria for implementing fire restrictions can be found online at http://tinyurl.com/firerestrictionscriteria. Additionally, an explanation of the different stages of fire restrictions and what is typically prohibited during those stages can be found online at http://tinyurl.com/firestagesexplained.

Fire restrictions typically remain in effect until the forests receive significant precipitation, at which time they will be rescinded.

Forest officials would also like to remind forest users that building and maintaining a campfire on the National Forest while under fire restrictions is a violation that carries a mandatory appearance in federal court. Visitors should use extra caution when recreating on all public lands during fire season.

Know Before You Go!  The public can obtain additional fire information via the following:

Bert fire continues to restore forest

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Kaibab Forest Service photo

Kaibab Forest Service photo

VALLE — The Bert Fire on the Williams Ranger District of the Kaibab National Forest continues to increase in size daily and is expected to follow this pattern until annual monsoon precipitation arrives. The lightning-caused fire started May 28, 2016.

The fire, located ten-miles southeast of Valle near Ebert Mountain, has grown to almost 3400 acres. Smoke will continue to be visible from Highways 180 and 64 and from the community of Valle. Volume will fluctuate from day to day depending on weather and fire activity. Predominant winds are pushing most of the smoke away from Valle, but some will continue to drift into Valle and Flagstaff.

The Bert Fire is moving through pinyon juniper woodlands and is reducing tree stand density meeting the desired objectives to restore historic grasslands.

Kaibab National Forest photo

Kaibab National Forest photo

Thief compromises Bert Fire operations and public safety

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image013VALLE — On Tuesday morning a firefighter assigned to the Bert Fire on the Kaibab National Forest discovered the theft of essential emergency safety equipment taken from the scene of the Bert Fire southeast of Valle, Arizona.

Sometime during the night hours of Monday June 6, an electronic safety message sign that was placed on highway 180 was vandalized and multiple power batteries were stolen from inside of the unit. The sign board which displayed illuminated safety messages for travelers was rendered inoperable. The messages were designed to alert drivers of approaching hazardous conditions including smoke and fire personnel working in the area.

Officials would like to remind the public of the importance of safety when conduction fire operations that are near or within rural areas and adjacent to busy highway corridors. These types of careless actions can elevate danger and reduce the ability to provide for public safety of both firefighters and motorists. U.S. Forest Service law enforcement is currently working with the Coconino County Sheriff’s office and would encourage anyone with information related to this crime to contact the sheriff’s office at 928-774-4523 or USFS Law Enforcement at 928-635-5642.

Bert Fire remains active reaching 1531 acres in size

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WILLIAMS — The lightning caused Bert fire has grown to 1531 acres in size and continues to benefit the landscape while effectively meeting objectives. Yesterday crews successfully completed a burn out operation that was designed to protect resource values that included the Highway 180 corridor and the Arizona Public Service power line.

“As with all fires we manage in the forest, protecting life, public safety, and property is our first priority” said Danelle Harrison, district ranger on the Williams Ranger District of the Kaibab National Forest. “Although we recognize the amount of smoke increased yesterday, the benefits of securing these values at risk was essential for us and will likely reduce the number of days smoke will linger in the long term.”

Winds are predicted to remain out of the northeast throughout today and then reverse direction. Smoke is expected to disperse to the southwest on Saturday and then move off to the northeast on Sunday.  Fire managers are preparing for the changes in weather patterns and will adjust operational plans accordingly. Minimizing smoke impacts remains a top priority.

To view recent spherical panoramas and photos of the Bert Fire and the area in which it is burning, visit http://bit.ly/BertFire2016.

Bert Fire continues steady growth while improving forest health

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WILLIAMS — The lightning caused Bert Fire continues to be active and is being allowed to burn naturally to improve forest health on the Williams Ranger District of the Kaibab National Forest. At more than 213 acres in size, the fire is growing steadily while providing significant resource benefits, and fire managers anticipate that trend will continue given the drier weather pattern in place.

“The Bert Fire is doing exactly what we hoped it would,” said Quentin Johnson, incident commander for the Bert Fire. “It is backing through forest that needs to burn within the historic fire return interval. This frequency of fire on the landscape helps maintain a healthy environment, and we are seeing the kinds of effects we want. The fire is cleaning up accumulated fuels and improving the overall condition of the forest.”

Today, crews will continue with preparation work that will include securing Highway 180. A burn out operation will likely occur south of the highway over the next two days and will be visible from the corridor. A burn out operation is used to create a safe “blackline” which is effective in stopping the advance of an approaching fire and keeping it within a designated area. Motorists are asked to use additional caution when driving through the fire area and reduce speeds when appropriate.

As the Bert Fire continues its steady growth, smoke will be more obvious from surrounding areas. While smoke has largely been pushed toward the southeast away from developed areas, it is likely that increasing fire activity will lead to a more noticeable column over the coming days.

Warmer conditions allow Bert Fire to grow while meeting objectives

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bert-fire-1VALLE — With warmer and drier conditions, the Bert Fire on the Williams Ranger District of the Kaibab National Forest has increased to 130 acres in size and is expected to grow larger over the next several days. Fire officials have identified a planning area within which to allow the fire to move safely to the south and west of Ebert Mountain near the point of origin in order to reduce hazardous fuels and improve grassland conditions.

Today, crews will continue preparation work which will include securing roadways, archaeological sites, range fences, power lines and any other potentially fire-sensitive resources within the established boundaries for the fire. Some techniques used will involve removing burnable materials away from these features as well as conducting burn out operations along roadways to stop fire as it approaches. Among several objectives identified, managers have recognized a predefined planning area for grassland restoration within the fire area.

“This is a unique opportunity for us to enhance this grassland restoration project area using fire as an effective tool,” said Deirdre McLaughlin, lands and minerals staff officer for the Williams Ranger District.

Smoke from the Bert Fire may become prominent as it increases in activity and continues to grow, and will be visible from the surrounding communities and highways. Winds are expected to be northwest moving smoke away from developed residential neighborhoods and be pushed toward the southeast with good ventilation. The public is urged to use caution while driving along Highway 64 and Highway 180 during the cooler early morning hours when smoke may be lower due to inversion. No closures are currently anticipated in the area of the fire.

The Bert Fire, discovered May 29th was caused by lightning and has grown to approximately 130 acres. It is located near the junction of forest road 144 and highway 180 approximately 10 miles southeast of the community of Valle.

Additional fire information for the Kaibab National Forest can be obtained through the following sources: InciWeb http://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/4751/; Kaibab National Forest Fire Information Phone Line (928) 635-8311; Text Message – text ‘follow kaibabnf’ to 40404.

Campfire Safety Urged This Memorial Day Weekend

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WILLIAMS — aibab National Forest managers would like to remind visitors and the public to use extreme caution with campfires and any recreational activity that could potentially cause a wildfire as the holiday weekend approaches.

Although there are currently no fire restrictions in effect on the forest, fire danger will move to a rating of “High” on Friday May 27th on both the Tusayan and Williams Ranger Districts. Warmer temperatures, gusty winds, coupled with fuel moisture levels that change dynamically in the late spring and early summer months can significantly influence the potential for an unwanted wildfire in the forest.

We welcome people to visit and enjoy a wide variety of unique recreational opportunities the forest has to offer, but emphasize the message that there is always a need to be responsible with campfires.

Additional fire personnel will be out patrolling the forest this weekend to inform visitors about weather and potential fire conditions, but we offer the following suggestions to help ensure a safe visit to the Kaibab National Forest:

• Never abandon or leave a campfire unattended.
• Have a shovel and plenty of water on hand to put it out.
• Ensure the area surrounding your campfire is free of any burnable materials.
• Use existing campfire rings to minimize impact to the surrounding soil.
• Remember fireworks are prohibited on all National Forest Lands
• Dispose of all trash and debris in appropriate receptacles.

As weather conditions become warmer and drier, fire managers will continue to assess the need to implement fire restrictions. Forest visitors may call the Kaibab National Forest fire information phone line at (928) 635-8311 for current conditions and the status of fire restrictions. To find out if fire restrictions are in effect anywhere in Arizona, visit www.firerestrictions.us/az.