Category Archives: Arizona

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

Bald eagle breeding areas expand, number of nestlings dips in 2019

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PHOENIX — A record number of bald eagle breeding areas couldn’t guarantee another shattered record of eagle nestlings, which dipped to 71 during the 2019 breeding season from 87 hatched in 2018.

A juvenile bald eagle flies away after being released at Horeshoe Lake in June 2019.

During the Arizona Game and Fish Department annual bald eagle survey this summer, raptor biologists counted a minimum of 74 occupied breeding areas statewide, which was up from the 69 counted last year. Despite that, the number of eggs laid this year dipped slightly to 97 from the 102 counted last year. 
Additionally, the number of birds that made the important milestone of their first flight, known as fledging, dipped to 63 from the 70 recorded in 2018. 

“While we always hope for Arizona’s bald eagle population to increase, it’s not uncommon for productivity to slow occasionally,” said Kenneth Jacobson, AZGFD bald eagle management coordinator. “Similar comparatively lower productivity rates were seen in 2014 and 2010, so we were due for a slow year. Overall, our eagle population continues to be strong because we continue to see an increase in breeding areas statewide. Our ongoing efforts to help conserve and protect Arizona’s bald eagles appear to be working.” 

Arizona’s bald eagle population has flourished since 1978, when 11 pairs were counted within the state and the species was listed as endangered. Today there are an estimated 74 adult breeding pairs. 

Bald eagles nationwide were removed as a protected species under the federal Endangered Species Act in 2007, but protections under the act were reinstated in 2008 in Arizona and remained until 2011. The department’s conservation efforts contributed to the species recovery.

Nationally, the birds remain protected by the Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act.  The impressive recovery of the population is attributed to the continued efforts of the Southwestern Bald Eagle Management Committee – a coalition of AZGFD and 27 other government agencies, private organizations and Native American tribes – and its years of cooperative conservation efforts, including extensive monitoring by the nationally-awarded Bald Eagle Nestwatch Program.

The breeding season for bald eagles in Arizona runs from December through June, although eagle pairs at higher elevations nest later than those in the rest of the state.  Continued support from the committee, State Wildlife Grants, the Heritage Fund (Arizona Lottery ticket sales) and funding through the Pittman-Robertson Act, will help ensure that Arizona’s bald eagles continue to thrive.

For more information on bald eagles in Arizona, visit www.azgfd.gov (click on “wildlife”) or www.swbemc.org. 

Prescribed burns planned this week

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FLAGSTAFF – Coconino National Forest firefighters have planned and prepared to conduct several prescribed burns at locations across the Flagstaff Ranger District and Mogollon Rim Ranger District starting tomorrow, with some operations possibly being conducted simultaneously through early next week.

As always, each prescribed fire operation will be conducted when it has the most favorable conditions and are within its specific prescription. As such, these burns might not occur on the days listed below. Firing ignitions begin at approximately 9 a.m. each morning.

MOGOLLON RIM RANGER DISTRICT

1. Cragin Watershed Protection Project

  • When: Wednesday through Friday (Oct. 2 to 4).
  • Where: Approximately 4 miles south of the Mogollon Rim Ranger Station. GPS: 34.565258°, -111.169051°.
  • Size: 2,176 acres.
  • Duration: Several-day operation using helicopter-assisted aerial ignition.
  • Smoke Impacts: Ventilation is predicted to move smoke toward the northeast impacting state Route 87 and the Blue Ridge Communities possibly into the weekend. Cooling temperatures in the evenings may cause smoke to settle in the low-lying areas surrounding the burn. This prescribed burn will be visible to motorists on SR87 and Lake Mary Road. Motorists who see smoke along on the roadway should slow down and be cautious.
  • Closures/Restrictions: Forest Road 95 will be closed between the junction of FR 751B south to the FR 139 junction for public safety.

FLAGSTAFF RANGER DISTRICT

1. Experimental Forest

  • When: Oct. 8 (Tuesday).
  • Where: Six miles northwest of Flagstaff. GPS: 35.272710°, -111.691766°
  • Size: 707 acres.
  • Duration: This is a one-day operation.
  • Smoke Impacts: Ventilation is predicted to move smoke toward the northeast and may impact U.S. Highway 89 north of Flagstaff. Cooling temperatures in the evenings may cause smoke to settle in the low-lying areas of Flagstaff and Fort Valley.
  • Closures/Restrictions: None expected.

2. Kachina

  • When: Oct. 9 & 10 (Wednesday and Thursday).
  • Where: Nine miles south of Flagstaff. GPS: 35.072046°, -111.711435°
  • Size: 844 acres.
  • Duration: Two-day operation.
  • Smoke Impacts: Ventilation is predicted to move smoke toward the northeast. Cooling temperatures in the evenings may cause smoke to settle in the low-lying areas surrounding the burn, such as Kelly Canyon or possibly Oak Creek Canyon.
  • Closures/Restrictions: None expected.

These burns are part of a strategy to allow fire across the landscape in order to restore forests to healthier conditions 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.

Prescribed burns are always dependent upon weather and wind conditions, as well as approval from Arizona Department of Environmental Quality (ADEQ). The public can view approved prescribed burns on ADEQ’s website at smoke.azdeq.gov. Coconino National Forest burns begin with the Burn Number designation “COF.”

For more information about prescribed burns and the benefits of these fires across the landscape, please visit our Prescribed Burns and Smoke webpage. As well, if you are interested in how prescribed burns are planned and implemented, please see the document “Planning for and Implementing Prescribed Fire in Fire-Dependent Forests,” by Ecological Restoration Institute.

Steep Slope Treatments on Bill Williams Mountain Restoration Project Begin

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WILLIAMS — A collaborative partnership between The National Forest Foundation, Coconino County, and the Kaibab National Forest has produced successful results in the strategic planning and securing of necessary assets to begin the first stages of steep slope restoration treatments on Bill Williams Mountain on the Kaibab National Forest.

The National Forest Foundation (NFF) promotes and raises funds for the restoration and enjoyment of National Forests.

For the Bill Williams Restoration Project, the NFF has worked to bring 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.

“The implementation of this important project would not be possible without partners coming to the table to support the work because we all recognize the multiple benefits of preventing catastrophic fire and flooding.” Mary Mitsos, National Forest Foundation President.

NFF has awarded the contract for the first 300 acres that are scheduled for treatment to Markit! Forestry Management of Colorado Springs, Colorado.

Restoration efforts will include using helicopter logging methods on the steepest slopes of the north face on Bill Williams Mountain. Operations are expected to begin by the end of this month.

The purpose of this work is to protect critical watershed drainages that deliver vital water supply to the City of Williams. Removing heavy loads of woody material from inaccessible areas will ultimately reduce the risk of a potentially destructive wildfire that could have devastating effects not only to Williams, but long lasting impacts to other communities to the south that are also dependent on flows from this mountain.

“The passion and dedication of our employees and partners in finding innovative ways to treat Bill Williams Mountain have really been unparalleled,” said Debra Mollet, district ranger for the Williams and Tusayan Ranger Districts of the Kaibab National Forest. “Despite tremendous challenges, their focus hasn’t wavered. This steep-slope contract is evidence of the hard work and commitment of so many people to the long-term health and sustainability of the mountain itself and the Williams community.”

Coconino County has identified that fire, and post-wildfire flooding is the number one health and safety threat to the citizens of the County. The County Flood Control District is proud to be invested in this project to help ensure a properly maintained forest for the safety of its citizens and visitors and for the economic prosperity of the area.

“We’re extremely excited that a contractor is in place to start the much-needed restoration work on the steep slopes of Bill Williams Mountain,” said Coconino County District 3 Supervisor Matt Ryan. “We know, through studies, that a wildfire on the mountain, and the subsequent post-wildfire flooding, would be economically crippling to the city of Williams, the watershed and the entire region. I want to thank the many agency partners including the U.S. Forest Service and the National Forest Foundation for the hard work that went in to securing this first stage of the forest restoration process.”

A Forest Area Closure Order will be forthcoming in the areas around the mountain where steep slope treatments will be occurring. Helicopters accompanied by noise will be noticeable from the City of Williams and surrounding residential communities adjacent to this operation as work begins. There will also be an obvious increase in traffic within city limits as material removed from the slopes will be hauled out by trucks and chip vans.

More detailed information will be made available in the near future as this project moves forward.

Additional Information can be found at the Bill Williams Mountain Restoration Project web site.

Northern Arizona drivers should plan for extended closure of Transwestern Road at Bellemont (Exit 185)

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BELLEMONT — The Arizona Department of Transportation advises drivers on Interstate 40 west of Flagstaff to plan for an eight-day FULL closure of Transwestern Road at Bellemont (Exit 185) beginning Friday, October 4, at 6 p.m., while crews work on replacing the bridges.

During this closure, both directions of I-40 will be re-routed onto the ramps alongside I-40 through the construction zone during the following times:

  • From 6 p.m. to 6 a.m., beginning late Friday, October 4, through the morning of Monday, October 7
  • From 6 p.m. to 6 a.m., beginning late Monday, October 7, through the morning of Thursday, October 10

DETOUR: Bellemont traffic accessing I-40 ramps across the Transwestern Road closure will be detoured to the next exit to re-enter the interstate.

Motorists should follow signed detour routes and plan for travel delays.

Learn more on the project webpage.

Expect lane closures, up to 30-minute delays on State Route 89A in Oak Creek Canyon through fall

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SEDONA — Drivers who use State Route 89A through Oak Creek Canyon should plan for long delays and lane closures in both directions from just north of Sedona to the bottom of the switchbacks, this fall while crews complete hazard tree removal work and begin pavement preservation work.

Crews are currently removing hazard trees from both sides of SR 89A from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., Mondays through Thursdays, until late October. Hazard trees are generally identified as dead or dying; pose a danger of falling into the roadway because of high winds, unstable soil or other factors; or otherwise can cause harm to life or property.

Pavement-improvement work will occur from 7 p.m. to 7 a.m., Sunday nights through Thursday mornings, beginning in early October and continuing through mid-December.

After paving work is complete, crews will begin the replacement of over 30,000 feet of guardrail through the project. This work will continue through the spring.

The following traffic restrictions will be in place when crews are working:

  1. SR 89A will be narrowed to one lane only and drivers could experience delays up to 30 minutes.
  2. Flaggers and a pilot car will direct drivers through the work zone.
  3. Speeds will be reduced to 25 mph.

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

For more information, visit the project website.

Moisture moving in may bring flash floods

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WILLIAMS — A moist airmass over Arizona with the potential of heavy rain producing thunderstorm complexes caused the National Weather service to issue a flash flood watch in portions of east central and west central Arizona. The areas affected are northern Gila County, Oak Creek and Sycamore Canyons, Yavapai County Mountains, and Yavapai County Valleys and Basins. Rainfall rates can result in strong, rapidly rising water in area washes, which may create hazardous conditions at low water crossings. . Localized rainfall amounts could exceed 1 inch in less than an hour, with storm total rainfall possibly above 3 inches. The Flash Flood Watch runs from September 23 at 3:19AM MST until September 24 at 5:00AM MST.

NOAA warns against crossing flooded roads and low-laying areas. No matter how powerful your vehicle, it does not take much water flow to carry it downstream.

In Williams there is an 40% chance of thunderstorms raising to 80% tonight. Thunderstorms are likely through Sunday.

Flu Shots available at County Health and Human Services

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FLAGSTAFF – The seasonal influenza vaccine is available at the Coconino County Health and Human Services (CCHHS) Clinic in Flagstaff.

Flu shots are available beginning Monday, Sept. 23 at the CCHHS Clinic, 2625 N. King Street, Flagstaff. Appointments are available Monday – Friday from 8 a.m. – 5 p.m. Walk-ins are accepted as availability permits. Call the CCHHS Clinic at 928-679-7222 to make an appointment.

The cost for a flu vaccination at the CCHHS Clinic is $30. High-dose flu vaccinations are $50. As a courtesy, the CCHHS will bill people’s insurance company, but those seeking a flu shot should check with their insurance provider to determine whether they are covered and are also asked to bring their insurance card. No one will be denied services due to an inability to pay.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends a yearly flu vaccination as the first step in protecting against flu viruses. It is strongly recommended that everyone 6-months old and over get a flu shot each year.

Every year a new vaccine is manufactured to combat circulating influenza viruses during each flu season. While it is too early to determine the effectiveness of this season’s vaccine, immunization reduces the chance of influenza-related complications, such as hospitalization, chronic disease and/or death. The immune system will be better prepared to combat the flu the earlier people get their shot.

The following groups of people are encouraged to get a flu vaccination because they are at high – risk of having serious flu-related complications or because they live with or care for people at high risk for developing flu-related complications, including:

  • Pregnant women
  • Children younger than 5, but especially children younger than 2 years old
  • Children with special healthcare needs
  • People 50 years of age and older
  • People of any age with certain chronic medical conditions
  • People who live in nursing homes and other long-term care facilities
  • People who live with or care for those at high risk for complications from flu.
  • Health care workers
  • Household contacts of persons at high risk for complications from the flu
  • Household contacts and out of home caregivers of children less than 6 months of age (these children are too young to be vaccinated)

Flu symptoms include fever, chills, muscle aches, cough, congestion, runny nose, headaches and fatigue. Complications of flu can include bacterial pneumonia, ear infections, sinus infections, dehydration and worsening of chronic medical conditions, such as congestive heart failure, asthma, or diabetes. In the most severe cases, flu can lead to death.

Seeking Information on Hunting Incident in Tusayan Area

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TUSAYAN – On September 17, 2019 at approximately 8:30 PM deputies were called to the area of Forest Road 328 for a report of a conflict. Upon investigating it was found that a bowhunter was returning to his vehicle in this area when he was approached by a dark colored truck with three white males. The occupants of the truck confronted the bowhunter and asked what his problem was. The conversation escalated and the bowhunter walked away from the truck. The truck began to follow the bowhunter down a sideroad so the bowhunter ran away from the truck and hid down an embankment. The bowhunter then reported that he heard 6-8 gunshots come from the direction of the truck. After hearing the gunshots, the bowhunter continued to run from the area.

Upon arriving in the area, responding deputies were unable to locate the vehicle or the suspects. The vehicle description is as follows:

  • Black or dark colored full-sized truck (possibly a Chevrolet)
  • 4 door or extended cab
  • A matching in color camper shell with a rack on top of the shell
  • Diesel engine
  • An LED light bar on the cab of the truck
  • Possibly a fog light burnt out on the front of the truck
  • Occupied by three white males

The Coconino County Sheriff’s Office is requesting that any additional witnesses or anyone with information on the truck or its occupants contact the Coconino County Sheriff’s Office at 928-774-4523, option 1 or Coconino County Silent Witness at 928-774-6111.

Hikers, Runners and Riders Attempt to Complete Entire Arizona Trail in One Day

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Imagine hiking, biking or riding 800 miles in a single day. Sound impossible? It’s not – if you volunteer to cover one of nearly 100 separate sections of the Arizona National Scenic Trail (AZT), along with others who each choose to travel different sections of the route, which extends from the Mexico border to the Utah border.

Section 67, Snow Bowl Rd to FR 418 – Photo Arizona Trail Association


A Record Setting Endeavor

On Saturday, October 12, more than a thousand hikers, runners, mountain bikers and equestrians from around the world will be staged along the course to participate in AZT in a Day in celebration of the 25th anniversary of the Arizona Trail Association.

“We want to get people out to experience the entire length of the trail and set the record for participation in a single day to celebrate our first 25 years of existence,” said Matthew Nelson, executive director of the Arizona Trail Association. “This will be the first time a National Scenic Trail will be completed in this way,” he added.

Choosing Your Section

The 800-mile trail has been divided into sections ranging in length from 2.1 to 15.6 miles. Participants will have 24 hours to complete their portion of the trail. Registration is free and is open to anyone.

Participants can choose between desert, mountain, canyon, forest or urban segments of the path. The AZT passes through eight wilderness areas, four National Forests, two National Parks, one National Memorial, 1 State Park and passes near 33 gateway communities.

“We’re advising that all participants be well-prepared. Several access points require 4-wheel drive or high clearance vehicles,” said Karrie Kressler, Community Program Coordinator.

A few sections of the trail are remote and require extra planning. For these sections, participants familiar with back packing will be required to camp in particular areas at least a day before the actual event to be ready to complete their portion on October 12, according to Kressler.

“So far, we have hikers, bikers and equestrians booked for more than half of the sections, but there are still many sections that need to be covered,” Nelson said.

Fundraising Opportunities

Participants who want to help raise money to support the Arizona Trail Association can appeal to family, friends and others to pledge dollars to support their commitment on October 12. Information about fundraising can be found in the registration information online.

Another fundraising opportunity to support the Arizona Trail Association is provided by Phoenix-area children’s book author Rodo Sofranac. Proceeds from the sales of the award winning author’s most recent book, The Red Tail Tale on the Arizona Trail, will go to support the organization.

The colorful, illustrated book is the story of Rowen, a young red-headed explorer, and Rojo, a clever red-tailed hawk, who meet, bond and experience a wonderful adventure on the fascinating Arizona National Scenic Trail. A list of 22 retail outlets where the book can be purchased throughout Arizona can be found on the author’s website: rodowrites.com.

How to Get Involved

To sign up, get a trail map or for more information about AZT in a Day, visit aztrail.org/events/aztinaday-2019/, email karrie@aztrail.org or call (520) 261-8460.