Category Archives: Arizona

Lower Sycamore Creek, Parsons Trail to close Saturday due to flash flooding risk

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SEDONA – A portion of the Coconino National Forest surrounding Sycamore Creek will temporarily close at 6 a.m. Saturday due to an increased risk of flash flooding.

The closure area includes Parsons Trailhead, Parsons Trail north (including Parson’s Spring), and the confluence of Sycamore Creek and the Verde River.

The purpose of the temporary area closure is to protect the public from increased risk of flash flood events during the monsoon season due to the post-fire debris that has accumulated in Sycamore Creek due to the Rafael Fire.

The Rafael Fire burned through the Sycamore Creek drainage in June 2021, leaving large amounts of debris within lower Sycamore Creek. Monsoonal rains occurring locally or within the border watershed may cause flash flooding due to steep canyons located around the creek. Due to the span of the creek’s watershed, storms that can create flash floods in the Sycamore Creek area can occur miles away and may not be easily visible.

The Coconino NF will coordinate with the National Weather Service in determining when to lift this temporary closure. The closure will remain in place until monsoonal precipitation decreases enough that the area can be safely reopened.

The Coconino NF will continue monitoring the status of debris in the closure area and will determine when and whether to close the area again due to risk of flash flooding.

Plan for overnight lane restrictions on State Route 89A (Milton Road) in Flagstaff July 10-15

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The Arizona Department of Transportation is advising motorists to plan for overnight lane restrictions on State Route 89A (known locally as Milton Road) in Flagstaff during the final stages of work on a pavement rehabilitation project.

Drivers should slow down, proceed through the work zones with caution and watch for construction personnel and equipment while the following restrictions are in place daily from 7 p.m. to 7 a.m. starting Sunday night, July 10, and ending Friday morning, July 15:

  • Portions of north- and southbound SR 89A will be narrowed intermittently to one lane in each direction between Forest Meadows Street and Phoenix Avenue.
  • A vehicle width limit of 16 feet will be in place.
  • The speed limit will be reduced to 25 mph.

The restrictions are needed as crews continue working on sidewalks, driveways and curb ramps. Crews have completed the most significant work on the project, which was to remove the existing pavement and replace it with new asphalt. For more information, visit the project web page.

Virtual public meeting slated for ADOT Electric Vehicle Plan

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PHOENIX – The Arizona Department of Transportation has scheduled a virtual public meeting on Thursday, July 14, to provide information and gather input about the ADOT Electric Vehicle (EV) Plan currently being prepared. The event is scheduled from 6 to 7:30 p.m. and can be accessed online or by phone.

The EV plan is being developed in response to funding made available through the recently-approved federal Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) to deploy publicly accessible electric vehicle (EV) chargers along alternative fuel corridors. In Arizona, those routes are currently identified as the state’s interstate highways and, if approved, $76 million would be available to begin implementing this project.

To participate:

  • 6 to 7:30 p.m. Thursday, July 14.
  • Online: https://us06web.zoom.us/j/85853613254
  • By phone: +1 669 900 6833
  • Webinar ID: 858 5361 3254
  • For those unable to attend, the meeting will be recorded and posted to the ADOT Electric Vehicle Plan website.
  • There is also a survey to help guide the development of the statewide plan.

English: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/AZEVPlan

Spanish: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/AZEVPlanEspanol

For more information: azdot.gov/evplan

In-Custody Inmate Death-Apparent Suicide

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FLAGSTAFF – On Monday July 4th at approximately 7:51 AM, while conducting a security and welfare check, a Sergeant discovered an inmate hanging by a bed sheet which was tied around the neck and tied to the ladder attached to the bunk in the cell. The Sergeant immediately called for additional staff for assistance and began Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) and other lifesaving measures. Additionally, they requested a response of Emergency Medical Services. CPR was conducted by staff until personnel from Guardian Medical Transport and the Flagstaff Fire Department arrived and took over lifesaving efforts. Emergency medical personnel performed CPR until 8:26 AM, at which time, the individual was declared deceased.

The individual has been identified as Clayton James Thornburg, 36, of Phoenix, Arizona. Mr. Thornburg was housed in a cell by himself. Mr. Thornburg was not on suicide watch at the time. At this time no foul play is suspected and it appears that Mr. Thornburg died by apparent suicide.

Mr. Thornburg had been arrested on June 25, 2022 by the Williams Police Department and currently being held on a Felony charge of Aggravated Assault with a Deadly Weapon/Dangerous Instrument with a $15,000 bond. He also was being held on three Felony Warrants out of Maricopa County.

The death is currently under investigation by the Sheriff’s Office Criminal Investigations Division and pending autopsy and review by the Coconino County Medical Examiner.

Plan for lane restrictions on Interstate 40 at the West Flagstaff Bridge July 8

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FLAGSTAFF – Plan for lane restrictions on Interstate 40 at the West Flagstaff Bridge July 8
Drivers should use caution and allow extra travel time

Drivers in northern Arizona should plan for lane restrictions and travel delays on Interstate 40 while construction on the West Flagstaff Bridge replacement project (Exit 191) nears completion.

The following restrictions will occur from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m. Friday, July 8:

  • East- and westbound I-40 will be reduced to one lane in each direction.
  • The speed limit will be reduced to 55 mph.
  • A 16-foot vehicle width restriction will be in place.

The restrictions are needed for crews to install rumble strips on the recently paved asphalt on the West Flagstaff Bridge Replacement project over Business 40, which connects the interstate to Historic Route 66 in west Flagstaff.

The project, which is about 3 miles west of the junction with Interstate 17, is anticipated to be completed by fall 2022. Learn more on the project web page: azdot.gov/I40WestFlagstaffBridge

Eastern Arizona Counties Organization contributes $25,000 to Range Rider Program

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PINETOP – The Eastern Arizona Counties Organization (ECO) has made a contribution of $25,000 to support the Arizona Game and Fish Department’s Range Rider Program that is directed by the Mexican Wolf Interagency Field Team.

Created in 1993, ECO includes Apache, Cochise, Gila, Graham, Greenlee and Navajo counties. The ECO counties have developed a leading role in natural resources and public lands management issues in eastern Arizona, including forest and watershed restoration, travel management and public land access, threatened and endangered species management, rural economic development, and recreation issues.

“The Arizona Game and Fish Department and its conservation partners are grateful to the ECO for their support of the Range Rider Program,” said Jim deVos, AZGFD Mexican wolf coordinator. “One of the key activities the department is engaged in is reducing depredations on livestock in the wolf recovery area. Based on the number of documented depredations since 2019 when the program was initiated, we have seen a decline in depredations which is attributed to the Range Rider Program.”

A range rider is a person who spends time in areas where wolves and cattle are in proximity and chases wolves from the area. It is a way of proactively deterring conflict between wolves and livestock. The range rider will work in much of eastern Arizona and will be directed to areas where high levels of depredations are occurring.

“ECO is pleased to provide this funding to AZGFD,” said Jason Whiting, ECO chair. “Depredations peaked in 2019 when the Range Rider Program was initiated by the department and other cooperators. It is important to note that funding for the Range Rider Program comes from modest county budgets, but the ECO believes that putting what we can into on-the-ground wolf-depredation avoidance is vital to reaching a balance between the ESA goal of recovery and the costs to Arizona ranchers.”

Richard Lunt, ECO vice chair, has been actively involved in wolf depredation prevention management. “Even with an increasing Mexican wolf population since 2019, documented depredations have declined by nearly 40 head of livestock. This represents money well spent by ECO to help promote balance between livestock production and wolf recovery,” he said.

Clay Crowder, the department’s assistant director for wildlife management added, “As the wolf population continues to grow, reducing conflict over depredations is essential and something that the IFT works on daily. This financial assistance from ECO will be put directly on the ground.”

2022 fall hunt draw results available

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PHOENIX — The Arizona Game and Fish Department (AZGFD) has released the draw results for 2022 fall hunts.

Customers must have an AZGFD portal account to view draw results and bonus points. Draw results no longer are made available through an automated phone system.

A free AZGFD portal account (dependent account features are available) can be created by visiting accounts.azgfd.com/Account/Register. A portal account allows customers to create a secure account where they can view and manage their contact information, as well as their licenses, draw results history and bonus points in their personal “My AZGFD Dashboard” section.

For questions about creating a portal account, call the department at 602-942-3000 and press “7.”

By the numbers:

  • 45,666: The total number of hunt permit-tags issued.
  • 191,074: The total number of those who applied for hunts or bonus points.
  • 150,813: The total number of applications submitted.

All hunt permit-tags are expected to be mailed by Aug. 5.

READY, SET, GO Status Changes for Elden Lookout Rd, Doney Park South, and Alpine Ranchos East

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FLAGSTAFF — After meeting with the Great Basin Type 1 team managing the Pipeline and Haywire Fires, it has been determined that it is safe to downgrade some areas on evacuation status.

The following changes will be effective immediately:

– The neighborhoods that were put in “SET” along Mt. Elden Lookout Road will be downgraded to “READY” status.

– The south portion of Doney Park (south of Silver Saddle Road to Townsend Winona Road) that are in “SET” will be downgraded to “READY” status. The north portion of Doney Park (north of Silver Saddle Road) will remain in “SET” status.

– The eastern portion of Alpine Ranchos that is currently in “GO” status will be downgraded to “SET” status. That are is open to re-entry immediately. The western portion of Alpine Ranchos/Crater Estates, to include the private properties around Moon Crater will remain in “GO” status. This is due to the Haywire Fires continual active status.

For details on the boundary between the east and west Alpine Ranchos visit the Coconino County Situational Awareness Viewer at http://ow.ly/2Nll50JvzE5. Due to the rural nature of this area, it is difficult to establish and describe a clear boundary.

The area north of Wupatki Trails along Hwy 89 north to Sacred Mountain Trading Post will remain in “GO” status. The Pipeline Fire is still very active in this area and is in close proximity to private land and the Medicine Valley residences.

If you require assistance or have questions, contact the Fire Call Center at 928-679-8525 between the hours of 7:00 AM and
7:00 PM.

We want to remind the citizens in the “SET” areas that they are still required to be ready to evacuate at a moments notice.
The best way to receive updates on evacuation status is to sign up for emergency notifications through Coconino County Emergency Management. To sign up for Emergency Notifications visit www.Coconino.az.gov/ready.

To follow the current evacuation status for the Pipeline and Haywire Fire, please visit http://ow.ly/2Nll50JvzE5.

Plan for alternating east- and westbound Interstate 40 ramp closures at A-1 Mountain Road (Exit 190) in Flagstaff June 20 – 21

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The Arizona Department of Transportation advises drivers to plan for the following alternating east- and westbound Interstate 40 intermittent ramp closures at the A-1 Mountain Road interchange (exit 190) from 6 a.m. through 5 p.m. on Monday, June 20, and Tuesday, June 21, while crews complete final striping work:

Eastbound I-40 on- and off-ramps closure at A-1 Mountain Road (exit 190):

Detour to A-1 Mountain Road: Eastbound I-40 traffic accessing A-1 Mountain Road will be detoured to Exit 191 to turn around and travel west to access A-1 Mountain Road.
Detour from A-1 Mountain Road: Drivers on A-1 Mountain Road who want to travel eastbound on I-40 will first travel west on I-40 to Hughes Avenue (Exit 185- Bellemont) to turn around and proceed eastbound on I-40.

Westbound I-40 on- and off-ramps at A-1 Mountain Road (exit 190):

Detour to A-1 Mountain Road: Westbound I-40 drivers accessing A-1 Mountain Road will be detoured to Hughes Avenue (Exit 185-Bellemont) to turn around and travel east on I-40 to access A-1 Mountain Road.
Detour from A-1 Mountain Road: Drivers on A-1 Mountain Road who want to travel westbound on I-40 will first travel east on I-40 and then take Route 66-Exit 191 to turn around and proceed westbound on I-40.

Drivers should proceed through the work zone with caution, slow down and watch for construction personnel and equipment.

The bridge replacement project is approximately 5 miles west of the junction with Interstate 17 in Flagstaff. For more information, visit https://azdot.gov/i40-A1-Mountain

Areas of Coconino and Kaibab national forests to close this weekend

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FLAGSTAFF – Coconino and Kaibab national forests will temporarily close certain areas to public access beginning Friday and Saturday due to fire danger and for public safety, while all other parts of the national forests outside of the closure areas remain in Stage 2 fire restrictions.

On the Kaibab National Forest, the area of Bill Williams Mountain will be closed beginning Friday, June 17 at 8 a.m. Specifically, public access will be prohibited on all National Forest System lands, roads, and trails within the closure area, generally located between County Road (CR) 73, Old Route 66 in the City of Williams, Forest Road (FR) 122, FR 108, and I-40. This includes Benham Trail, Bixler Saddle Trail, Bill Williams Mountain Trail, Bill Williams Connector Trail, Buckskinner Trail, City of Williams Link Trail, Devil Dog Loop Trail, and Clover Spring Loop Trail. Forest Road 122 will also be closed. FR 108 will remain drivable; however, motorists cannot park off the road.

On the Coconino National Forest, the areas of Pumphouse Wash/Kelly Canyon and Fisher Point/Walnut Canyon will be closed beginning Saturday, June 18 at 8 a.m. This includes Pumphouse Wash Dispersed Camping Area, Forest Road (FR) 237 and other roads within the Pumphouse Wash closure area. In the Fisher Point/Walnut Canyon closure area, all forest roads and recreation sites within the area will be closed. This includes Fisher Point, Marshal Lake, portions of the Arizona National Scenic Trail, Canyon Vista Campground, Sandys Canyon Trail No. 137, and more.

These area closures are in addition to the already-implemented emergency closure of most of the Coconino National Forest north of Interstate 40. For the official Closure Order and a map of this area, please see the official Closure Order.

With regards to both national forests, those with private inholdings will be allowed to access their property via a Forest Service Road but are prohibited from entering the surrounding National Forest lands. Exemptions will be issued for critical activities such as road work and surveys that are vital to continuing restoration operations, time-sensitive utilities and communications site work, and emergency response.

Forest managers consider several factors before implementing restrictions or closures, including current fire danger and fire activity, local, regional and national fire preparedness levels, expected weather conditions, availability of firefighting resources, and the economic impacts to businesses and communities. All northern Arizona national forests coordinate fire restrictions and forest closures with federal, state, tribal and local partners.

Closures are generally the last resort for land managers, who take many other steps to reduce the potential for human-caused fires and often consider closing only the most critical areas before a full forest closure. As such, additional area closures or even full forest closures could be forthcoming if conditions warrant.

Closures and restrictions will be in effect until hot, dry conditions are no longer forecast to continue and the forests receives enough widespread precipitation to lower fire danger.

For details and maps of these specific closure areas and their boundaries, visit the following pages online:

Forest Service personnel will make every effort to notify anyone in these areas to vacate before the closure is implemented.

Violating closures and fire restrictions carries a mandatory appearance in federal court, punishable as a Class B misdemeanor with a fine of up to $5,000 for an individual or $10,000 for an organization, or up to six months in prison, or both.

For information on all Arizona state and federal fire restrictions, including an interactive map, visit wildlandfire.az.gov/fire-restrictions. Additional information about the stages of fire restrictions, Forest Orders, and general forest conditions can be found at fs.usda.gov/kaibab and fs.usda.gov/coconino.