Category Archives: National Government

Tentative plans for prescribed burns next week

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FLAGSTAFF, Ariz., Oct. 25, 2019 — As the weather continually changes this time of year, Coconino National Forest firefighters make plans to conduct prescribed burns and also alternate plans to focus on burns at locations where weather changes may help mitigate smoke impacts.
These burns are among the prescribed burn projects planned for the Flagstaff Ranger District and the Mogollon Rim Ranger District this fall and are part of a strategy to allow fire across the landscape in order to restore forests to healthier conditions, protect watersheds and improve the safety of the communities around them.
Frequent, low-intensity fire removes accumulated smaller fuels and recycles nutrients in the soils to promote healthy vegetation and wildlife habitat. A healthier forest is a safer forest for firefighters and residents when wildfires inevitably occur.
The prescribed burn projects listed below are in chronological order and may occur on days other than noted, depending on favorable weather conditions. Firing ignitions for each of these projects begin at approximately 10 a.m. on the mornings indicated.
Sawmill
  • When: Likely Monday (Oct, 28).
  • Where: Mogollon Rim Ranger District. Six miles south of Mormon Lake Village. North of Stoneman Lake Road on the immediate east side of Lake Mary Road. GPS: 34.8177200, -111.4269700
  • Size: 800 acres.
  • Duration: This is a one-day operation.
  • Method/Type of Burn: Broadcast maintenance burn using drip torches. The burn is being conducted to reduce the chance of catastrophic wildfire, improve forest health, and to protect private property.
  • Smoke Impacts: Daytime winds are predicted to be out of the southwest, so smoke will disperse to the northeast of the project area. Cooling temperatures in the evenings will cause smoke to settle in the low-lying areas near Hutch Mountain.
  • Closures/Restrictions: None expected. If smoke is on Lake Mary Road, traffic control may be used.
Slate 4
  • When: Possibly Tuesday (Oct. 29).
  • Where: Flagstaff Ranger District. 16 miles north of Flagstaff. GPS: 35.446216, -111.703208.
  • Size: 2,528 acres.
  • Duration: One-day operation.
  • Method/Type of Burn: Broadcast initial-entry burn conducted by drip torch and helicopter. This burn is located in a strategic area to protect Kendrick Park, White Horse Park and Snowbowl Estates by removing dense forest fuels that could endanger the communities if a severe wildfire started in the area.
  • Smoke Impacts: Ventilation is predicted to move smoke toward the north and then switch southerly later in the day. Cooling temperatures in the evenings will cause smoke to settle in the low-lying areas surrounding the burn and White Horse Canyon. This will likely impact U.S. Highways 180, 89, Kendrick Park, White Horse Park and Snowbowl Estates. Since this is an initial-entry burn, smoke will be thicker than normal.
  • Closures/Restrictions: None expected.
Victorine
  • When: Planned for Tuesday and Wednesday (Oct. 29 & 30).
  • Where: Mogollon Rim Ranger District. Five miles east of C.C. Cragin Reservoir along Leonard canyon GPS: 34.540840, -111.104972
  • Size: 600+ acres per day (3,000 acres total).
  • Duration: Four to five days (unlikely to be in the same week).
  • Method/Type of Burn: Maintenance burn conducted by drip torch and helicopter to protect private lands and wildlife habitat.
  • Smoke Impacts: Ventilation is predicted to move smoke toward the south. Cooling temperatures in the evenings will cause smoke to settle in the low-lying areas surrounding the burn. Smoke could impact the local community and Payson.
Upper Lake Mary 3
  • When: Wednesday (Oct. 30).
  • Where: Flagstaff Ranger District. Approximately 15 miles southeast of Flagstaff. GPS: 35.014971, -111.463811
  • Size: 919 acres.
  • Duration: This is a one-day operation.
  • Method/Type of Burn: This is a initial-entry burn conducted by drip torch and helicopter. This burn’s specific objectives are to protect Pine Grove Campground and Lake Mary Road corridor from any southwesterly fire threats and to help lessen any potential wildland fires that may start near Pinegrove Campground. Since this is an initial-entry burn, smoke will be thicker and more noticeable than a maintenance burn due to the amount of forest fuels in the burn area.
  • Smoke Impacts: Ventilation is predicted to move smoke toward the southwest, which may impact Lake Mary Road in the area, Interstate 17, Mormon Lake Village, and Munds Park.
  • Closures/Restrictions: None expected.
89A – Block 25
  • When: Wednesday (Oct. 30).
  • Where: Flagstaff Ranger District. Four miles southwest of Flagstaff adjacent to Fort Tuthill county park. GPS: 35.131526, -111.697872
  • Size: 421 acres.
  • Duration: One day operation.
  • Method/Type of burn:This is an initial-entry broadcast burn using drip torches and conducted jointly with Flagstaff Fire Department. The burn is being conducted to reduce the chance of catastrophic wildfire, improve forest health, protect private property and helping the health of the forest.
  • Smoke Impacts:Ventilation is predicted to move smoke toward the southwest away from I-17. Cooling temperatures in the evenings will cause smoke to settle in the low-lying areas surrounding the burn, Pumphouse Wash and Kelly Canyon.
  • Closures/Restrictions: None expected.
Experimental Forest
  • When: Friday (Nov 1).
  • Where: Flagstaff Ranger District. Six miles northwest of Flagstaff. GPS: 35.272710, -111.691766.
  • Size: 302 acres.
  • Duration: This is a one-day operation.
  • Method/Type of Burn: Broadcast maintenance burn conducted by drip torch. This burn is being conducted for fire research purposes and in partnership with NAU, RMRS, and Ecological Restoration Institute in order to measure things such as pine regeneration, tree mortality, and other factors associated with wildfire in this fire-dependent ecosystem. Note: the heavy fuels will be seen burning from U.S. Highway 180 for a week or longer. They look similar to a small campfires in the middle of the forest.
  • Smoke Impacts: Ventilation is predicted to move smoke toward the northeast and may impact U.S. Highways 180 and 89 north of Flagstaff. Cooling temperatures in the evenings may cause smoke to settle in the low-lying areas of Ft. Valley Ranch, Cheshire, and possibly Baderville.
  • Closures/Restrictions: None expected. However, Arizona Department of Transportation (ADOT) will likely reduce the speed limit on Hwy 180 and impose lane restrictions where needed.
Notifications of upcoming prescribed burns are provided regularly by news releases throughout the season. Timely updates about ignitions and whether or not a project is cancelled can be found on the Forest’s social media sites:

Elk / Lee Prescribed Fire Project Completed on Williams Ranger District

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WILLIAMS — Fire crews have successfully treated 8152 acres of forested landscape over the past 4 days bringing the Elk / Lee Prescribed Fire Project to full completion.

Located 10 miles south of Williams on the northwest side of Sycamore Canyon, this project was identified by local fire managers as a high priority area in need of fuels reduction on the Williams Ranger District.

“Critical watersheds that supply water to several of the communities to the south in the Verde Valley will now be better protected from the threat of a destructive wildfire” said Fuels Program Manager Mike Uebel. “This type of burning not only helps protect these resources but also restores these landscapes to a more sustainable healthier condition”.

Officials recognize the inconvenience that smoke has caused for many residents who experienced impacts from this burn. Smoke is an unfortunate and unavoidable byproduct of this work. One of the goals is to limit the number of days that smoke is in the air as opposed to an uncontrolled wildfire where smoke can be much denser and linger for prolonged periods of time.
Kaibab National Forest officials are grateful for the patience and support of all members of the public from the surrounding communities who were affected by this project. To learn more about smoke and public health, visit bit.ly/SmokeHealthAwareness

All prescribed burning on the Kaibab National Forest is subject to approval by the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality. (ADEQ) To view approved prescribed burns for any given day on the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality’s website go to:

Notifications of upcoming prescribed fire projects are provided regularly by news releases throughout the year and through the following sources:

Officials to lift Ikes Fire closure on the North Kaibab Ranger District

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FREDONIA — Effective Sunday October 27, the Kaibab National Forest will lift the area closure around the Ikes Fire, including the popular Rainbow Rim Trail, that has been in place since the lightning caused wildfire started in late July.

The public will be able to access Kaibab National Forest lands in and around the fire area, which had been closed to ensure public and firefighter safety during ongoing fire operations. Areas affected by the fire in Grand Canyon National Park will continue to remain closed to protect the public as well as natural and cultural resources. For information on closures within Grand Canyon National Park please visit www.nps.gov/grca/learn/management/firemanagement.htm

“We want to thank the public for their compliance while the closure has been in effect,” said North Kaibab District Ranger Randall Walker. “That area of the forest is extremely popular, and we appreciate their patience and cooperation while we completed operations restoring fire to the ecosystem, which will improve overall forest health and greatly reduce the risk of future catastrophic wildfire.”

Due to the lack of significant moisture over the fire area, isolated pockets of heat and smoke may still be found within the fire area. The public is advised to have heightened awareness about potential safety hazards and exercise increased caution regarding personal safety while in the area.

“We urge visitors to understand the potential hazards and to prepare accordingly,” said Peter Goetzinger North Zone Fire Management Officer for the Kaibab National Forest. “We want them to enjoy the forest but we also want them to do it safely, recognizing that any area recently impacted by wildfire will likely have some greater risk than other areas.”

Potential risks in any area recently burned by wildfire include the following:

· Burned out stump holes that could cause injury if stepped in;
· Unstable terrain with potential for rolling debris (boulders, logs, rocks, etc.);
· Fire weakened trees and snags that could fall or drop large limbs;
· Blowing dust and ash on roads and hillsides.

Prescribe burn north of Mormon Lake this morning

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FLAGSTAFF — Fire managers are planning to conduct a prescribed burn on the Flagstaff Ranger District just north of Mormon Lake starting this morning. The Upper Lake Mary 3 project is slated for 919 acres, to be completed in one day.

The area is approximately 15 miles southeast of Flagstaff. GPS: 35.014971, -111.463811

This is an initial-entry burn conducted by drip torch and helicopter. This burn’s specific objectives are to protect Pine Grove Campground and Lake Mary Road corridor from any southwesterly fire threats and to help lessen any potential wildland fires that may start near Pinegrove Campground. Since this is an initial-entry burn, smoke will be thicker and more noticeable than a maintenance burn due to the amount of forest fuels in the burn area.

Ventilation is predicted to move smoke toward the southwest, which may impact Lake Mary Road in the area, Interstate 17, Mormon Lake Village, and Munds Park. No area closures are expected.

For more information on how prescribed burns are planned and why they are used in this ecosystem, please see “Planning for and Implementing Prescribed Fire in Fire-Dependent Forests.”

Helicopter Logging Begins on Bill Williams Mountain Restoration Project

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WILLIAMS — The first stage of the 300 acre steep slope fuels reduction efforts on the Bill Williams Mountain Restoration Project is underway on the Williams Ranger District of the Kaibab National Forest. A helicopter will begin the technical work of hauling material off the mountain from the elevated areas that are inaccessible by ground or other conventional methods.Sawyers from Markit! Forestry Management have been on the mountainside cutting and bundling woody material in preparation for the removal of hazardous fuels from the most difficult terrain on the highest slopes of the mountain. A long cable suspended below the helicopter is attached to the bundled material which is then flown to a lower site where processing and loading will take place before the material is eventually transported off the mountain by trucks. There will be a noticeable increase in traffic within city limits as hauling vehicles begin transporting material out of Williams.

Helicopters will be noticeable to residents and businesses in and around the City of Williams both audibly and visually. Aerial logging will be occurring seven days a week during daylight hours providing weather conditions are conducive for safe operations.

Due to the hazardous nature of the technical work involving aircraft, a Temporary Area Closure Order (http://bit.ly/BillWmMtn-TempClosure) has been put in effect on a portion of Bill Williams Mountain. Forest users and members of the public are asked to avoid travelling through or entering into the closure area until the order is rescinded. Specific information about trails, roads and areas within the closure can be found by going to the link above.

Project managers are hopeful to complete this first stage of fuels removal by late December of this year. There are approximately 900 additional acres on the steep slopes that will be targeted for treatment as the next phases of this project move forward.

Officials from the National Forest Foundation (NFF), Coconino County, and the Kaibab National Forest have been working together to implement the restoration project. The NFF brought together funds from multiple contributors that include $1,800,000 from the Kaibab National Forest, $800,000 from Coconino County, private funds from the Sperling Foundation, and a state grant from the Arizona Department of Water Resources to provide better protection and long term sustainability of critical resources that are vital to the City of Williams.

Williams Ranger District Begins Elk / Lee Prescribed Fire Project

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WILLIAMS — A new prescribed fire project is set to begin next week on the Williams Ranger District and will likely progress into the months ahead as opportunities arise to use fire for beneficial restoration treatments on this piece of the Kaibab National Forest. The Elk Lee Prescribed Fire project is located about 10 miles southeast of the City of Williams and is 8166 acres in size.

The project will be broken up into smaller units for daily operations to minimize heavy smoke impacts and allow ventilation to move smoke out of the vicinity more rapidly. The specific units to be ignited will be chosen based on fuel moistures and weather conditions that are within prescriptive levels that meet fuels reduction objectives. A Helicopter will be utilized to conduct aerial Ignitions which will accelerate the overall length of time the project will last, and will also reduce the number of days smoke may linger in the atmosphere.Officials understand that impacts to air quality may be unpleasant at times, however they can significantly reduce the amount and limit the duration of smoke more effectively using prescribed methods as opposed to an uncontrolled wildfire situation. To learn more about smoke and public health, visit bit.ly/SmokeHealthAwareness.

The Kaibab National Forest is part of a fire-dependent ecosystem. Fire on the landscape is critical to overall ecosystem functioning and the sustainability of local communities, watersheds and wildlife habitat. Managers use prescribed fire as a practical means to reduce risks associated with uncharacteristic wildfires that can pose significant threats to public health and safety.

During operations, fire personnel and vehicles will be visible to the public. Motorists are reminded to slow down and drive with heightened caution when passing through active project areas. Hunters and campers are encouraged to seek alternative campsites away from the active fire vicinity while operations are occurring.

All prescribed burning on the Kaibab National Forest is subject to approval by the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality. (ADEQ) To view approved prescribed burns for any given day on the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality’s website go to: smoke.azdeq.gov/

Notifications of upcoming prescribed fire projects are provided regularly by news releases throughout the year and through the following sources:

• InciWeb: inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/5922/
• Kaibab National Forest Website: www.fs.usda.gov/kaibab
• Twitter: www.twitter.com/KaibabNF
• Facebook: www.facebook.com/KaibabNF
• Fire Information Recorded Hotline: (928) 635-8311

Outfitters, guides invited to apply for commercial services on Flagstaff Ranger District

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FLAGSTAFF — The Flagstaff Ranger District of the Coconino National Forest is soliciting proposals from prospective outfitter and guide companies interested in providing commercial services to the public from October to December 6.

Opportunities to provide commercial services include mountain biking, day hiking, trail running, rock climbing and more. The various services are limited and are only available in the Mount Elden and Dry Lakes Area as described in the prospectus.

Proposals for additional use on existing special-use permits, as well as a limited number of new permits, will be considered. A Forest Service panel will select applicants through a competitive process based on written applications.

Applicants are advised to read the prospectus and appendices carefully. All items listed under Application Package Requirements must be complete and included for submission.

Applications submitted in response to this prospectus are subject to Cost Recovery pursuant to 36 CFR 251.58(c)(3)(iii) and will be collected through an application fee.

Applications must be received by close of business (4:30 p.m.) Dec. 6. The final decision on issuance of a special use permit will be contingent on compliance with any needed environmental analysis as determined by the National Environmental Policy Act.

The prospectus and supporting documents are available on the Coconino National Forest website. Paper copies will be made available upon request.

For questions related to this potential business opportunity, please contact Kevin Lehto at kevin.lehto@usda.gov or 928-527-8287.

Museum Fire closure area to be reduced today

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FLAGSTAFF — The Coconino National Forest is reducing the size of the area closure for the Museum Fire on today to allow for increased access and recreation on parts of Mt. Elden.

The Burned Area Emergency Response team has completed treatments to the land, including mulching with a helicopter in effort to stabilize the watershed and encourage recovery. Now that this important work is complete, the public will be allowed in additional areas of the burned area.

Although additional areas are open, the public is urged to use caution, as hazards still exist such as ash pits, rolling rocks, weakened trees, falling trees and possible floodwaters.

Some areas will remain closed that pose a continued and increased risk to visitors. These areas will be re-evaluated after the winter season to see what risks can be mitigated before opening to the public.

Portions of Forest Road 789 and FR 6353 marking the restricted-area boundary are OPEN to non-motorized use only. Elden Lookout Road (FR 557) is closed to all traffic where it intersects with the Arizona National Scenic Trail. Please see the official closure order and map for details.

The following trails will be OPEN:

  • Arizona National Scenic Trail (ANST)
  • Heart Trail
  • Little Bear Trail
  • Little Gnarly
  • Lower Oldham Trail from Buffalo Park to the ANST junction
  • Rocky Ridge Trail from ANST to Schultz Creek Trail
  • Schultz Loop Trail
  • Sunset Trail from the intersection of Schultz Tank to Little Bear Trail

The following trails will remain CLOSED:

  • Brookbank Trail (entire trail)
  • Lower Oldham, from ANST to Brookbank Trail
  • Rocky Ridge Trail, from ANST to Brookbank Trail
  • Sunset Trail, from Little Bear Trail to Elden Lookout Trail
  • Upper Oldham Trail (entire trail)

For more information about the Mt. Elden area, please call the Flagstaff Ranger District at 928-526-0866.

Fire crews make progress on completion of Ikes Fire control lines

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GRAND CANYON – Since the wind event that occurred last weekend, fire managers have been implementing a plan to stop the growth of the 11,000-acre Ikes Fire, which is located on the North Rim of Grand Canyon National Park and the North Kaibab Ranger District of the Kaibab National Forest.

Fire crews have been completing burnout operations over the last week along Forest Road 271 from the Grand Canyon rim to the junction of Forest Road 206. On Monday, crews began extending these operations along forest roads 206 and 4008, which connected the burnout preparation work to a point on the main portion of the Ikes Fire that burned earlier in the summer. This additional work involved about 2 miles of fire line burnout, which crews successfully completed yesterday.

In addition to the work along forest roads, the Flaming Gorge Fire Use Module began treating the area along the rim of the Grand Canyon with a burnout process that will prevent any further movement of the wildfire from the plateau area into the canyon. It will also make the area on the plateau resistant to any fire movement up and out of the canyon. Firing operations may continue into the weekend, which could result in smoke impacts similar to those that have occurred over the last two days. Smoke impacts will moderate as soon as burnout operations are completed.

The Ikes Fire remains at about 11,000 acres in size. Acreage totals may increase as burnout operations are completed over the next few days. In addition to hand ignitions, fire managers may use a helicopter to conduct aerial ignitions.

An expanded area closure is in effect on the North Kaibab Ranger District of the Kaibab National Forest in order to ensure public and firefighter safety during ongoing fire operations. The closure includes the Rainbow Rim Trail area and the viewpoints from Parissawampitts Point to Stina Point. Crazy Jug Point north of Parissawampitts is open. The Kaibab National Forest will reopen the area as soon as conditions are safe for public entry.

For hikers and mountain bikers, the Arizona National Scenic Trail is an alternative recreational opportunity while the Rainbow Rim Trail is closed. The Arizona National Scenic Trail is accessible from many points along Highway 67 and offers a variety of scenery, including views into the Grand Canyon.

Highway 67 and the North Rim Village, North Rim Lodge and businesses are open. However, some road and trail closures are in effect for the Ikes Fire area within Grand Canyon National Park. The following roads and trails are closed on the North Rim:

  • Powell Plateau Trail
  • North Bass Trail
  • Fire Point
  • Swamp Point
  • W4 road north of the intersection of the W4 and W1 roads

Smoke from the Ikes Fire has been more visible over the last few days due to the burnout operations. Visitors traveling to the area should be aware of possible smoke along Highway 67. Visitors are asked to drive carefully and turn headlights on for safety. For local air quality and related information, please visit the following websites: www.airnow.gov or the Smoke Management Division of the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality at https://azdeq.gov/SmokeManagemet.

More information can be found on InciWeb at https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/6475/. Visit www.nps.gov/grca/learn/management/firemanagement.htm for additional information about wildland fire at Grand Canyon National Park.

For information about the Kaibab National Forest, visit www.fs.usda.gov/kaibab or @KaibabNF on Facebook and Twitter.

Three Sisters Prescribed Fire Project Near Williams to Begin This Week

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WILLIAMS — Kaibab National Forest fire managers will begin implementing prescribed fire treatments on the first units of the Three Sisters Prescribed Fire Project near Williams beginning Friday of this week. The project is expected to take multiple days to complete, however ignitions will only occur on days that will be most effect for meeting objectives and minimizing smoke impacts to the adjacent rural areas.The 7400 acre prescribed burn area is located just north of the City of Williams and Interstate 40, east of Forest Road 124, and west of Airport Road and Highway 64. Goals of the prescribed fire treatment include decreasing the threat of unnatural severe wildfire by reducing accumulated fuels, improving forest health, and reintroducing fire to the landscape that aligns with the desired historical condition.

The project will be broken into smaller units that will be scheduled to be burned on days that will help to allow smoke to disperse away from developed areas and ventilate quicker reducing the impacts to local communities.

Area residents can expect to see and hear a helicopter in the area, as aerial ignitions will occur on portions of the burn. Smoke will be highly visible from the City of Williams and from roadways and recreation areas in the general vicinity of this project. Specific areas from which smoke is likely to be noticeable include H.A. Clark Memorial Field airport, Kaibab Lake, portions of State Route 64, Valle, the City of Williams, and Interstate 40.

Smoke is expected to lift during the day and travel northeast toward Red Lake Valley. However, cooler overnight temperatures may cause smoke to settle into low-lying areas surrounding the burn location.

Fire managers are aware that community members may be sensitive to the smoke produced, and they make every effort to limit the amount and duration of production. Prescribed fires with short-term impacts to air quality can help prevent future severe unplanned wildfires under unpredictable conditions with smoke that may pose significant risks to public health and safety.

To learn more about smoke and public health, visit bit.ly/SmokeHealthAwareness.

No road or trail closures are planned as part of the Three Sisters prescribed fire project. However, during operations, fire personnel and vehicles will be visible to the public. Motorists are reminded to slow down and drive with heightened awareness when passing through active project areas.

The Kaibab National Forest is part of a fire-dependent ecosystem. Fire on the landscape is critical to overall ecosystem functioning and the sustainability of local communities, watersheds and wildlife habitat.

Prescribed burns are always dependent on weather and wind conditions, as well as approval from the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality. Members of the public may view approved prescribed burns for any given day on the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality’s website at smoke.azdeq.gov/

Notifications of upcoming prescribed fire projects are provided regularly by news releases throughout the year and through the following sources:

• InciWeb: inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/5922/
• Kaibab National Forest Website: www.fs.usda.gov/kaibab
• Twitter: www.twitter.com/KaibabNF
• Facebook: www.facebook.com/KaibabNF
• Fire Information Recorded Hotline: (928) 635-8311