Category Archives: National Government

Oak Hill Snow Play area closed this season to facilitate theft of Arizona resources.

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WILLIAMS – The Oak Hill area on the Kaibab National Forest will be closed for the 2022-2023 winter season to protect public safety during logging operations. The Parks West forest restoration project is expected to begin December 1, 2022. Forest restoration projects are conducted to return the forest to more natural, fire-adapted conditions by removing overcrowded trees from the forest to reduce the likelihood and severity of wildfires.

The Oak Hill Snow Play Area is located in the center of the closure area, and will be closed. Heavy equipment will be working in and around the snow play area. The snow play area will also have a large amount of woody debris and ground disturbance following the restoration work that will make conditions unsafe for snow play.

Plan ahead for winter snow play. Though the Oak Hill Snow Play Area will not be available for use, the general forest is open for snow play and there are other privately operated snow play facilities in the Williams and Flagstaff area. Many of the roads are not maintained in the winter and travelers may become stuck while trying to access areas. Please ensure that you plan for winter driving conditions, have a 4×4 vehicle with tire chains, and have appropriate clothing, food, and water for cold and wet conditions.

Please reference temporary area closure order: #03-07-01-22-12 for more information.
Oak Hill Closure Map: bit.ly/3OJ2nFq

Fossil Creek reopened to public yesterday

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FLAGSTAFF — The Fossil Creek recreation area — closed since June 2021 due to impacts from the Backbone Fire — will reopen to the public beginning November 3.

All Fossil Creek sites, including Childs Dispersed Camping Area, will reopen November 3 except the Dixon Lewis Trail (formerly known as the Waterfall Trail). This trail is expected to reopen later this month when repairs are complete.

“This area is special to a great many people and we appreciate the public’s patience while it recovers,” said Deputy District Ranger Alex Schlueter. “That recovery continues for both Fossil Creek and Sycamore Canyon, but we are excited to welcome visitors back.”

The 16-month closure was necessary to allow the landscape to recover from both fire and monsoonal damage. Road and infrastructure repair was conducted during the closure period to ensure visitor safety.

The area’s continued recovery also means that a future closure is likely during the 2023 monsoon season (June through October) for public safety. Because vegetation in the area has not fully grown back since the fire, there is a greater risk for flash flooding and debris dams, especially during heavy precipitation.

Additionally, Fossil Creek will likely close temporarily in early 2023 to complete resurfacing of Forest Road 708.

Permits are not currently required to visit the Fossil Creek area, but permits will be required beginning April 1, 2023. Permits will be available for purchase beginning March 1, 2023 via Recreation.gov.

Recreationists interested in purchasing permits for the 2023 season can subscribe to emails from the Coconino National Forest or visit the Coconino NF website to remain up-to-date on permit information and check for unexpected changes in conditions or closures.

Recreationists seeking to explore Fossil Creek are reminded to pack out all trash, stick to developed recreation areas, and abide by all posted signage indicating restrictions or closures. It is also important to note that camping is only allowed downstream of Fossil Creek Bridge and upstream of the historic dam site in the backcountry. Camping is not allowed within the permit area during the permit season.

Winter Pile Burns Begin on Kaibab National Forest at Various Locations for Remainder of 2022

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WILLIAMS — Prescribed fire pile burning will commence across the Williams and Tusayan districts of the Kaibab National Forest for the remainder of the fall season.

Winter weather with forecasted snow present excellent opportunities nearly every year for fire crews to burn and consume piled slash and woody debris left over from previous forest restoration projects. For the months of November and December, up to 8,000 acres of piles near Tusayan, Williams, and Parks are planned for prescribed burning operations.

Operations will begin near the City of Williams on Friday, November 4th. About 300 acres of piles will be ignited on the south side of Bill Williams Mountain. These hand piles are relatively small in size and will consume quickly with little to no smoke impacts expected.

Smoke may be visible during the day as ignitions are occurring and may periodically impact Coconino County Road 73 and the City of Williams, but is predicted to be light in volume and short in duration. Smoke production is generally minimal after the first few hours with rapid dispersion as piles consume. Some smoke has potential to settle overnight into the lower elevations due to fluctuating atmospheric temperatures that produce nighttime inversions.

Forest visitors are asked to avoid active hot areas and are reminded to use caution and drive with heightened awareness when passing through any prescribed fire project vicinity.

All prescribed burning on the Kaibab National Forest is subject to approval by the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality.
For additional information about the Smoke Management Division of the ADEQ and to view prescribed burn authorizations, please visit: legacy.azdeq.gov/environ/air/smoke/index.html

Winter Weather Advisory issued for northern Arizona

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The National Weather Service in Bellmont issued a winter weather advisory for areas abover 6500-feet. The advisory started at 2:52 this afternoon and is in effect until Thursday, November 3 at 11 p.m.

Plan on slippery road conditions. Patchy blowing snow could significantly reduce visibility. The hazardous conditions could impact the morning or evening commute.

Possible Snow forecast from 11 PM Wednesday to 11 PM Thursday are Doney Park 2 to 4-inches, Flagstaff 4 to 8-inches, Forest Lakes 4 to 6-inches, Heber-Overgaard 1 to 3-inches, Shonto 1 to 3-inches and Williams 4 to 8-inches.

Temperatures are expected to be freezing during the advisory raising to 54-degrees Saturday. The temperatures should remain in the mid-50s during the day through Tuesday and below freezing during the night.

Christmas Tree Sales to Begin October 13

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Williams, AZ, October 6, 2022 – Christmas tree permits for the Kaibab National Forest will be available to purchase online through Recreation.gov beginning Thursday, October 13th and permit holders may begin cutting their trees on Tuesday, November 1st.

Permits will be available for purchase through the Kaibab NF on Recreation.gov for trees, which also lists details about designated cutting areas, maps, dates, and sizes of trees that may be cut. Information can also be found on the Kaibab NF Christmas tree webpage.

When purchasing an online permit, it is important to carefully read the overview and need-to-know information prior to purchasing. Visitors will also need to set up a login account to Recreation.gov to complete the transaction. Permits are limited to one recreation.gov online account and will be issued on a first-come, first-served basis until sold out. Up to 5 trees may be purchased on a single permit at $15 per tree. A small processing fee will be applied to the transaction.

Fourth-grade students can get a free Christmas tree pass through the Every Kid Outdoors program by entering their pass ID they acquire on that website then enter it on Kaibab NF Recreation.gov when going through the acquiring process.

The tree cutting areas are in general areas and the trees are not individually marked. It is up to the permit holder to select the tree that is harvested. It is helpful to use the species map to predetermine what type of tree you would like and in what area they are growing before you start your adventure. The trees that are for this sale grow in the wild and are not cultivated to be a fully filled-in tree like the ones that are bought from your local store or a private Christmas tree farm. However, it is the experience of finding and cutting a tree and having an adventure with the memories being priceless.

Permits are valid to cut trees between November 1st through December 31st, 2022.

Stay informed of all Kaibab National Forest information by our KNF website and follow us on our social media through KNF Flickr photos, KNF Twitter and KNF Facebook.

Watershed protection work continues north of Flagstaff

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FLAGSTAFF — A phase II of the Flagstaff Watershed Protection project resumed operations recently in an area north of Flagstaff and will benefit forest and watershed health by thinning overgrown stands of dense pine and mixed conifer.

The Dry Lake Hills project area is located east of Forest Road (FR) 420 and north of FR 551 in the Dry Lake Hills area and will help reduce the risk of catastrophic wildfire and subsequent flooding to the city of Flagstaff.

Vehicular traffic is currently prohibited in the project area, but other means of entry such as hiking, biking, etc., are still permissible.

Operations will involve heavy machinery and log truck traffic along portions of Forest Road 6353, 420, and 556, and the project is expected to be ongoing through fall of 2023 with a temporary cease in all operations each year from March 1 through August 30 due to seasonal restrictions. The public should be aware of heavy machinery and falling timber in the area—a majority of which will be on or in close proximity to hiking and biking trails.

This project is being implemented by Markit! Forestry and Apache Homelands in coordination with the Coconino National Forest.

Free firewood available on Coconino NF, northwest of Flagstaff

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FLAGSTAFF — Free firewood is available to permitted individuals on two new areas of the Coconino National Forest’s Flagstaff Ranger District.

The A-1 area is located off Interstate 40 west. It can be accessed by taking the A-1 mountain exit. Follow the road for half a mile, turn left onto Forest Road 518, and take a slight right onto FR 519. FR 9012J, FR 519 and FR 9022K can all be used to access the collection area. There is plenty of parking in the A-1 area off the road surface.

To access the 9007S area, head northwest on Highway 180. Turn right onto FR 151, located roughly 18 miles northwest of Flagstaff. Follow FR 151 for 1.5 miles, turn left onto FR 9218 and follow it for half a mile. Make a right onto FR 9007S, and logs will be located along both sides of the road. Only a handful of trucks and trailers can fit in the 9007S area at one time; so permit holders are asked to be patient with other vehicle drivers at the collection site.

There are about 20 truck loads of wood located at the 9007S area and there are roughly 15 large slash piles located at the A-1 collection area. While the wood in the 9007S area will likely not last long, it’s expected that wood will remain available in the A-1 collection area through November.

Only dead and down Ponderosa pine may be collected from the free use areas, which include slash piles from a recent timber sale contract.

Collection areas are clearly marked. Free use permits are needed to collect wood, and can be obtained by calling or visiting the Coconino National Forest’s Flagstaff Ranger District or Supervisor’s Office during business hours.

Free use permits are separate from personal use paid permits. Free use permits are valid only for collection within the designated area. Free use permits allow the cutting of up to five cords of dead and down wood in specified areas, and a maximum of five cords per household per year is allowed under free use.

Permit-holders are asked to keep safety in mind and be considerate of other forest visitors. Please leave unused wood stacked in slash piles. Drivers should remain wary of tight turns on roads and in collection areas and watch for uneven surfaces both on forest roads and in collection areas.

Road Work Occurring on Forest Roads 74 and 141 on the Williams Ranger District

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WILLIAMS – As more people are getting into the woods for the start of hunting season, the Kaibab National Forest would like to remind visitors to be on the lookout for heavy truck traffic and changed road conditions associated with construction activities on forest roads. One project to be aware of is occurring on Forest Road 74 north of Pittman Valley and portions of Forest Road 141 northwest of Sitgreaves Mountain on the Williams Ranger District.

This road project involves improving surfacing and side drainage to ensure long-term sustainability of the road and support forest restoration and fire risk reduction activities planned for the near future in the area. Work on these roads is ongoing and is expected to be completed by the end of September. While this project is underway, visitors may want to seek alternate access to avoid truck traffic and construction activities.

Free, downloadable maps of open forest roads to assist with route planning can be accessed from the Kaibab National Forest’s Motor Vehicle Use Maps & Motorized Travel Aids webpage.

Crews managing Murray 2 wildfire on North Kaibab Ranger District

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FREDONIA — Fire crews on the North Kaibab Ranger District plan to manage a new natural-caused wildfire discovered on September 11th. The Murray 2 Fire is estimated at 300 acres and is seven miles south of the Jacob Lake Inn along Arizona Route 67.

The fire is burning within the 2006 Warm Fire area. The fire suppression for this incident is to confine and contain it to a predetermined area. Due to hazardous trees and limited access and to provide for firefighter safety, crews will implement varying types and intensities of operational actions to delay and direct fire spread. They will utilize existing roads, trails and natural barriers to help limit fire spread within Forest Roads 224, 220, 3140, and 205/AZ 67. This fire is burning with a creeping, low rate of spread and at low intensity through grasses and dead-and-downed Ponderosa pine and aspen.

The current and forecast weather conditions are favorable to low fire behavior and high vegetation fuel moisture which will allow crews to manage the Murray 2 Flat fire to reduce hazardous fuel accumulations and restore forest health. The overall strategy will be to contain the fire within a road system and various control features surrounding an area of about 3,200 acres.

Smoke may be visible along AZ 67 south of Jacob Lake and Arizona Route 89A in the House Rock Valley area east of the North Kaibab Ranger District. No smoke impacts are anticipated to reach developed areas in the surrounding communities. A one-mile section of the Arizona Trail has been temporarily re-routed along a section of AZ 67 and will re-open once it is determined safe for use.

The Kaibab National Forest is a fire-adapted ecosystem. It is dependent on fire to play a natural role in maintaining vibrant forest health. Lack of fire in the forest has caused an abundance of fuels to build up, which can make the forest vulnerable and susceptible to more dangerous uncontrollable fire incidents. Managing this wildfire in this the ecosystem is a very effective tool to reduce fuel loads and restore the landscape back to a healthier state that is more aligned with historical conditions.

During operations, fire personnel and vehicles will be visible to the public. Motorists and visitors are asked to avoid active hot areas and are reminded to use caution and drive with heightened awareness when passing through the fire vicinity.

Additional fire information for Kaibab National Forest can be obtained through the following sources:
Twitter: www.twitter.com/KaibabNF
Kaibab Facebook: www.facebook.com/KaibabNF
Kaibab website “Recent News”: www.fs.usda.gov/kaibab

Bill Williams Mountain and Sitgreaves Fire

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WILLIAMS – As of yesterday, the Bill Fire, located on the northeast side of Bill Williams Mountain is currently 3/10th acre in size. Crews hiked back to the fire today, improved the fireline perimeter and are now mopping up. The fire is 100% contained as of today. Smoke may still be visible as interior fuel and downed logs continue to burn.

The Mountain Fire, located on the southwest side of Sitgreaves Mountain, is 4 acres in size. Smoke is visible from Interstate 40, Highway 64, and the communities surrounding Sitgreaves. The Mountain fire is in mixed conifer with many dead, standing trees and steep slopes that pose a significant risk to firefighter safety. We are currently monitoring the fire and implementing a full suppression strategy. Firefighter and public safety is our highest priority.

Warm weather with 20% precipitation and the chance of isolated to scattered showers and thunderstorms are expected to continue across the area through Saturday, which will allow continued spread and production of smoke. A 70-90% chance of precipitation and monsoon moisture is expected to return Sunday and into next week bringing cooler temperatures and more rain, likely reducing fire spread and smoke.