Tag Archives: Kaibab National Forest

North Kaibab and Tusayan Ranger District fuelwood permits to be available in Bodaway/Gap and Cameron chapters

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WILLIAMS — The Kaibab National Forest will issue free-use, paid personal-use and ceremonial fuelwood permits for the North Kaibab Ranger District at the Bodaway/Gap Chapter House on Sept. 24 from 1 to 3 p.m. DST.

The Kaibab National Forest will also issue free-use, paid personal-use and ceremonial fuelwood permits for the Tusayan Ranger District at the Huskie Arena during the Cameron Community Celebration on Oct. 14 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. MST.

Besides the Sept. 24 and Oct. 14 chapter opportunities, fuelwood permits are also regularly available at the following Kaibab National Forest locations:

  • Williams Ranger District, 742 S. Clover Road, Williams; Monday through Friday 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.; (928) 635-5600
  • Tusayan Ranger District, 176 Lincoln Log Loop, Grand Canyon; Mondays and Fridays 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.; Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.; (928) 638-2443
  • North Kaibab Ranger District, 430 S. Main St., Fredonia; Monday through Friday 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.; (928) 643-7395

A permit must be acquired by anyone harvesting any fuelwood on the Kaibab National Forest, except for the rather small amounts used in a campfire and gathered at the campfire site. The 2016 firewood cutting season runs from April 15 to Dec. 31 for the Williams and Tusayan districts and from May 2 to Nov. 30 for the North Kaibab district.

The minimum cost for a personal use fuelwood permit is $20, which is good for four cords of wood. Free-use permits are available for specific areas on the forest. Individuals seeking free-use permits should check with the appropriate ranger district office for availability, locations and other information. The Kaibab National Forest also has a collection policy for providing free forest products to Native Americans for traditional and cultural uses.

All permits issued will include a map and detailed cutting regulations as well as load tags, which must be physically attached to each ¼ cord of firewood and visible from the rear of the vehicle. The goal of this load tagging system is to ensure accountability for the amount of wood removed from the forest.

The removal of fuelwood is permitted only from National Forest lands on the district for which the permit is issued. Fuelwood cutters are reminded to take note of property boundaries and cut only on National Forest lands.

Fuelwood cutters should be aware that chainsaws can throw sparks and ignite grasses and brush. Always carry a shovel and a fire extinguisher or water in case of a fire start. Additionally, all chainsaws must be equipped with a stainless steel spark arrestor screen.

Prescribed burn on North Kaibab Ranger District to cause detour on Arizona Trail

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FREDONIA — Pending favorable conditions, North Zone fire managers on the North Kaibab Ranger District of the Kaibab National Forest plan to conduct several hazardous fuels reduction treatments over the next few weeks. Planned operations are outlined below in order of priority; however, changes in weather conditions could change prioritization.

The Jacob Ryan North prescribed burn will impact travelers along Arizona Trail (AZT) Passage #42, located approximately two miles northeast of Jacob Lake. Once ignitions begin, fire managers expect the prescribed fire treatment to last approximately three to four days.

To aid trail users traveling through the impacted portion of the AZT, fire managers will post firefighters at checkpoints on the northern and southern ends of the unit where the trail and the prescribed burn area intersect. Trailguards will also be available to escort individuals as necessary, and reroute maps and signage will be posted.

The AZT reroute will begin tomorrow and remain in effect through the completion of prescribed fire operations on this unit. From the south, the reroute will  direct travelers north along Forest Road (FR) 247 for approximately three miles, then east along FR 249C for approximately a half mile where it will intersect with the AZT, at the fire’s northern checkpoint.

In the interest of safety, AZT travelers are asked to obey all signs and follow the reroutes posted.

Additional information for these prescribed fires are provided below in order of priority
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Kaibab National Forest to host National Public Lands Day event Sept. 24

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WILLIAMS — Members of the public are invited to a National Public Lands Day event Sept. 24 from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Cataract Lake Day Use Area in Williams hosted by the Kaibab National Forest.

The event will include several outdoor clinics, environmental education opportunities, fishing, interpretive presentations, and service projects to clean up the lakeshore and picnic area.

“We are excited to offer an opportunity for the community of Williams to come together to enjoy Cataract Lake, participate in some fun events, and make the area even nicer in recognition of National Public Lands Day,” said Lisa Jones, recreation program manager for the Williams Ranger District. “We hope members of the public will bring their families and friends and make this a day to celebrate the outstanding outdoor recreation opportunities we have right here in our backyards.”

Community members planning to attend should meet on the Kaibab National Forest side of Cataract Lake at N. Cooper Ranch Road in Williams. Participants are advised to wear clothing and shoes appropriate for outdoor fun and adventure and to bring their own water and snacks.

For additional information on the event, contact Lisa Jones at lljones@fs.fed.us or (928) 635-5619 or Dutch Maatman at jmaatman@fs.fed.us or (928) 635-5661.

This year is the 23rd annual National Public Lands Day, which is the nation’s largest, single-day volunteer effort for public lands. The goals of National Public Lands Day are to connect people to public lands in their community, inspire environmental stewardship, and encourage use of public lands for education, recreation, and general health.

National Public Lands Day events will be taking place across the country at thousands of sites on public lands. To learn more or to find events, visit https://www.neefusa.org/public-lands-day.

“Please join us on Sept. 24 as your work will help ensure our public lands continue to be beautiful places for all to enjoy,” Jones said. “We invite you to take this day to enjoy the great outdoors and celebrate the lands that give us so much.”

Closure order for Saddle Mountain Wilderness area reduced

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FREDONIA — Effective immediately, the closure order for the Saddle Mountain Wilderness area associated with the Fuller Fire on the North Kaibab Ranger District has been modified to reflect a smaller closure area due to increased moisture and decreased fire danger.

The boundary of this area closure starts east of Highway 67 at the South Canyon Trailhead off Forest Road 610, heading northeast along South Canyon Trail #6 to the junction with FR 211, then continuing northeast along FR 211 to the junction with FR 8910, then just south of the FR 8910 heading east, then along the Saddle Mountain Wilderness boundary, and back to the South Canyon Trailhead off FR 610. Closed roads include FR 211 and the portion of FR 8910 that runs north and south in the closure area.

Trails closed include those within Saddle Mountain Wilderness: South Canyon Trail #6, Nankoweap Trail #57 and Saddle Mountain Trail #31.

For more recreational information, visitors may call the Kaibab Plateau Visitor Center at (928) 643-7298 or the North Kaibab District Office at (928) 643-7395.

Kaibab National Forest employee receives top award in wildfire prevention

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bob-blasi003WILLIAMS — After achieving the objective of zero human-caused wildfires for two years in a row on the Tusayan Ranger District of the Kaibab National Forest, fire prevention specialist Bob Blasi was recently honored with a prestigious award for his outstanding work and significant program impact in wildfire prevention.

Blasi was selected to receive a 2016 National Smokey Bear Award, which is the highest honor one can receive for accomplishments in preventing wildfires.

“These awards remind us of the hard work our employees and cooperators do to reduce the threat of human-caused wildfires,” wrote James E. Hubbard, deputy chief for state and private forestry, U.S. Forest Service, in a letter announcing award recipients.

There are three levels of awards given each year – gold, silver, and bronze. All three of the award categories are the highest level of recognition possible, with the only difference being the geographical sphere of the nominated work – national, regional, and statewide. Blasi received a bronze award because of the statewide impacts of his efforts.

“We could not be more proud of Bob and the incredible work he has done over the years,” said Heather Provencio, supervisor of the Kaibab National Forest. “This is an enormous achievement and one that will hopefully draw attention to the critical role our fire prevention specialists play in keeping our forests and communities safe and healthy.”

Blasi’s selection for the Smokey Bear award was due, at least in part, to the fact that in both 2014 and 2015 he led the Tusayan Ranger District of the Kaibab National Forest to achieve his longtime vision of zero human-caused wildfires, which according to forest records hadn’t happened since 1965, some 50 years earlier.

“Bob successfully reduced human-caused wildfires to zero for two years running,” said Quentin Johnson, fire management officer for the Tusayan Ranger District. “Given that the district receives millions of visitors each year because it is located immediately adjacent to Grand Canyon National Park, this was an incredible challenge if not an almost impossible task.”

Johnson added that while the district had been averaging about seven human-caused wildfires per year over the last 20 years, there were actually many summers during which Blasi documented 200 or more abandoned campfires and extinguished them before they were declared wildfires. It quickly became clear to Blasi that he needed to focus his fire prevention efforts on chipping away at these abandoned campfires, which had become the leading source of human-caused wildfires in the Tusayan area.

Over time, Blasi worked to gain compliance in dispersed camping areas and issued citations when necessary. With increased early-morning patrols, an extensive signing program, visits to local schools, Smokey Bear presence at local events, and a consistent prevention message for 16 years, Blasi was able to systematically reduce the number of abandoned campfires and, therefore, the overall number of human-caused wildfires.

“Passionate and dedicated fire prevention specialists like Bob Blasi are preventing wildfires all season long. When they are not in the woods talking to forest visitors or extinguishing unwanted fires, they are in classrooms, chamber of commerce meetings, city council meetings, and other community meetings sharing why fire prevention is important and educating youth and adults on what they can do to prevent fires,” said Bill VanBruggen, director of fire, fuels and aviation for the U.S. Forest Service’s Southwestern Region. “Wildfire prevention is an important component in keeping destructive and unwanted fires from damaging our forests. Some of Arizona’s largest and most destructive fires have been caused by careless acts like abandoned campfires.”

Besides implementing more traditional fire prevention techniques such as patrols and signing, Blasi has also played an active role in the Kaibab National Forest’s overall commitment to restoring fire-adapted ecosystems. Blasi has been instrumental in helping manage lightning-caused wildfire that has been allowed to spread across thousands of acres of the forest and in supporting thinning projects and prescribed fires.

“Nearly 45 percent of the Tusayan Ranger District has been treated with thinning and fire over the last 13 years, and this is a huge part of reducing human-caused wildfire,” Johnson said. “Because most of the popular camping areas have already been treated with fire at appropriate times of the year, these areas are less likely to accidentally catch fire during the hottest, driest months.”

It was Blasi’s recognition that all of these fire prevention tools must be used in combination, and the fact that he consistently put energy into all of them, that he was able to be successful in attaining the goal of zero human-caused wildfires.

“We have a very proactive fire management program here in Tusayan that has been successful for over 20 years. I have been fortunate to be a part of this and several of the remarkable records that have been accomplished here,” Blasi said. “Our community has come to learn the importance of living in a fire-adapted ecosystem and understands the critical work we do to ensure long-term, sustainable forest health. That simply takes time. Eliminating unwanted, human-caused wildfire is just one of many beneficial consequences of this work being done by all the dedicated employees of the Kaibab National Forest.”

The National Smokey Bear Awards Program is sponsored by the U.S. Forest Service, the National Association of State Foresters, and the Advertising Council. These merit awards have been bestowed on well deserving groups and individuals annually since 1957.

Kaibab National Forest and Alamo Band of Navajo Nation expand forest health and tribal employment partnership into 2020

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Navajo-image006WILLIAMS — After several successful years of partnering together to conduct forest restoration work and provide employment opportunities to tribal members, the Kaibab National Forest and Alamo Band of the Navajo Nation have expanded their relationship by committing to tackling mutually beneficial projects through the year 2020.

The Kaibab National Forest signed a supplemental agreement with Alamo Navajo School Board Inc., the primary employer for the Native American reservation headquartered in Socorro County, New Mexico, to work together to reduce the risk of high-severity wildland fire and improve ecosystem health around the communities of Williams and Tusayan through forest restoration efforts such as removing trees from overly dense stands and treating the remaining slash.

“We are very excited to see this partnership continue to grow and develop because it is accomplishing great restoration work on the forest while providing an economic benefit to the Alamo Navajo community and on-the-job training to Alamo community members,” said Heather Provencio, supervisor of the Kaibab National Forest. “It really is a win-win for everyone, and we are pleased to build upon the successes of recent years.”

Over the next four years, Alamo Navajo crew members will mark and cut at least 800 acres of ponderosa pine, juniper and pinyon on priority forest restoration projects for the purposes of fuels reduction, forest health and wildlife habitat improvement under the supplemental agreement. They will also be responsible for treating the activity slash – the felled trees that result from the thinning work – by piling, scattering or producing firewood for use by tribal communities.
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“These crew members love to come out to the forest and do this work,” said Steve Guerro, ANSBI president. “They want to keep coming out and doing more. This program provides work training and a great educational experience for our young people.”

According to Bill Ferranti, natural resource specialist for the Alamo Natural Resources Department, Alamo is one of three noncontiguous Navajo communities and is therefore largely isolated from the larger Navajo Nation. “Alamo has a current 73 percent unemployment rate in the 18- to 34-year-old age group, and 55 percent of its members have never been in the workforce,” Ferranti said.

“We established ANSBI as a 638 (Indian Self-Determination and Education Assistance Act) program because we were asking ourselves, ‘How are we going to grow and develop our own people and make our community self-sufficient?’ We have a high rate of unemployment back home,” said Earl Apachito, ANSBI board member.

As part of the overarching ANSBI program, an Alamo community natural resources management workforce was established and trained in order to provide Alamo members with marketable skills and employment opportunities while simultaneously fulfilling a need to restore forested lands across the Southwest.

“This project provides training and shows the crew members that they can do anything,” Apachito said. “These guys are hard workers, and this partnership with the Kaibab National Forest shows our capabilities.”

It was in 2012 that the Kaibab National Forest first teamed with ANSBI, which administers close to 50 different programs for the 2,000-member Alamo community including health services, education, technology, roads and forest restoration through grants and contracts with federal, state and tribal agencies. At that time, ANSBI hired, trained and managed a crew of Alamo members to complete a fuels reduction and habitat improvement project on the forest’s Tusayan Ranger District. The project involved the marking and cutting of 208 acres of ponderosa pine forest over several weeks for the purposes of ecosystem restoration, fuels reduction, and wildlife habitat improvement. Kaibab National Forest managers specifically sought out the Alamo crew because of their previous success in restoring forested lands on the Cibola National Forest in New Mexico.

The Kaibab National Forest secured funding for that original project on the Tusayan Ranger District through the Coconino County Resource Advisory Committee, a local community group that provides recommendations on funding for projects that benefit resources on federal lands. Over the years, additional work was able to be completed because the partnership competed well for grant and other funding due to the multiple benefits it provided including forest health improvement, employment opportunities, workforce training, and fuelwood for nearby Native American communities.

To date through the partnership, 930 acres have been thinned, 38 acres have been piled, and 280 cords of fuelwood have been provided to local communities of the Navajo Nation. That work can now continue through 2020 thanks to the Kaibab National Forest and ANSBI executing the supplemental agreement to extend the partnership.

“This partnership is so important for so many reasons,” said Mike Lyndon, tribal liaison for the Kaibab National Forest. “Not only does important forest restoration work get done and Alamo members have opportunities for training and employment, but also we are able to provide firewood to tribal communities free of charge for their home heating, cooking and other needs.”

There is typically a high demand for firewood within rural communities, including many tribal communities bordering the forest. Elderly tribal members and those with health conditions often have difficulty gathering sufficient firewood in a season. Within rural Navajo communities, many people rely on fuelwood as their primary heat source, so it is a valuable byproduct of important fuels reduction work.

Instead of hauling off or burning the remnants of their forest restoration efforts, the Alamo Navajo crew members use a firewood processor purchased by ANSBI in 2014 to cut precisely-sized firewood pieces as they go, creating a stockpile that is intended to help meet the needs of nearby tribal communities.

“We continue to look for ways to add value to this partnership for all of those involved,” Lyndon said. “It’s not only the work being accomplished but also the relationships being forged that we see as important. I hope this effort sparks new ideas and approaches to managing public lands together with our tribal partners.”

Kaibab National Forest seeks comments on grassland restoration project

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WILLIAMS — Managers are seeking public comment on a proposed project to use mechanical treatments and prescribed fire to restore grasslands across a 550,000-acre project area on the Williams and Tusayan districts of the Kaibab National Forest.

Known as the South Zone Grassland Restoration Project, the effort would implement thinning, prescribed burning and other activities to restore the structure and function of grassland and pinyon-juniper grassland, also referred to as savanna, ecosystems in an effort to improve their resilience to disturbance and changing climate regimes.

The Environmental Assessment analyzing the potential effects to forest resources of implementing the proposed project and all other associated documentation are available on the Kaibab National Forest website at http://www.fs.usda.gov/project/?project=44132. In addition to potential environmental effects, the Environmental Assessment describes the project’s background, outlines the purpose of and need for the project, describes the components of the alternatives under analysis, and summarizes consultation and coordination that has been completed throughout the life of the project.

The South Zone Grassland Restoration Project area encompasses about 269,000 acres of the Williams Ranger District and 281,000 acres of the Tusayan Ranger District. The project area consists of the portions of the South Zone located outside the Four Forest Restoration Initiative project boundary.

The Southwestern landscape, including the South Zone of the Kaibab National Forest, has been greatly altered over the past century by the encroachment of woody plants, particularly juniper, pinyon, and ponderosa pine, into areas that were formerly grasslands and open pinyon-juniper grasslands. These factors have eliminated the vegetation necessary to carry low intensity surface fires across the landscape, thereby altering the natural fire regimes and allowing uncharacteristic forest succession to take place. Encroachment can alter water and nutrient cycling, impact soil integrity, and negatively impact wildlife habitat.

Comments concerning this project must be in writing and may be delivered electronically or by mail, facsimile, or hand. Comments will be accepted for 30 calendar days following the publication of a legal notice in the Arizona Daily Sun, which is expected to occur today. For additional information on the project or to provide comments, visit the Kaibab National Forest website at http://www.fs.usda.gov/project/?project=44132.

Lightning-caused Coco Fire increases to 731

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TUSAYAN — The lightning-caused Coco Fire on the Tusayan Ranger District of the Kaibab National Forest has grown to 731 acres in size achieving resource objectives by reducing hazardous fuel accumulations and restoring overall forest health.

Fire crews worked late the previous shift completing management ignitions along Forest Road 2719 in order to keep the fire within planning area boundaries and protect fire sensitive archaeological sites. Smoke from the management ignitions was transported west along Coconino Wash into the town of Tusayan resulting in moderate impacts in the early morning but will disperse throughout the day.

“We are very pleased with the fire progression and allowing fire to resume its role in the ecosystem. The natural mosaic of fire effects resulting from the fire growth enhances the heterogeneity and resilience of the forest” stated Incident Commander Dan Pearson.

The Arizona Trail remains open to hikers. As this lightning-caused fire continues to grow naturally, it is likely that smoke will remain visible from Highway 64, Grand Canyon National Park’s Desert View Drive, and other populated areas. The current forecast predicts light and variable winds over the Coco Fire for the next several days which may result in more variable smoke dispersion until moisture moves into Northern Arizona this weekend.

Williams Ranger District announces plans to begin fall prescribed burning

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WILLIAMS — Fire managers on the Williams Ranger District of the Kaibab National Forest have completed plans for the 2016 fall and 2017 spring prescribed fire burning seasons and are planning to begin working as early as mid-August on several projects. 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.

The flowing project areas are planned for treatments:

Green Base Dry Lake Project: Ten burn units northeast of Williams, approximately 9,040 acres.
Green Base Parks West Project: Four burn units east of Williams, approximately 5,141 acres.
McCracken East Project: Two burn units south of Williams, approximately 839 acres.
McCracken West Prescribed Fire: Four burn units south of Williams, approximately 1,693 acres.
Kendrick Prescribed Fire: Six burn units northeast of Williams approximately 2,497 acres.
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Fire plays a beneficial role in maintaining the ecological stability of many landscapes including the Kaibab National Forest. 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.

Officials recognize 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 than in an uncontrolled wildfire situation. Furthermore, fire managers will remain cognizant of wind direction and ventilation with the intent to minimize smoke impacts to businesses and residences.

During operations, fire personnel and vehicles working in these vicinities will be visible to the public. Motorists are reminded to slow down and drive with heightened caution when passing through active project areas.

Changing weather influences growth patterns on Sunflower and Ike fires

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WILLIAMS — The two fires being allowed to spread in a natural setting on the Williams Ranger District of the Kaibab National Forest are growing slowly but steadily as weather conditions and precipitation levels fluctuate daily.

“The varying weather trends we are experiencing at this time on the Sunflower and Ike fires are influencing a combination of fire severity and intensities which result in a wide range of natural effects to forest vegetation” said Williams District Ranger Danelle D. Harrison. “Although the rate of fire spread is presently low, an increase in fire behavior can occur quickly within a day or two as weather dries out. This will create a desired mosaic pattern which will largely improve forest health meeting our objectives.”

Fire managers expect that both fires will continue growing following this current trend and will likely burn for an extended period of time with weather being the predominant factor influencing duration.

Crews are actively taking actions to protect structures, private inholdings, sensitive archeological sites, range fences, power lines, and wildlife habitats before the fire approaches these values at risk. Tasks include removing burnable material away from these locations and constructing fire break control lines to secure sensitive features within the planning area.

A Forest Area Closure Order [#07-16-09-F (PDF)] remains in effect in the vicinity of the fire that includes the following areas: North of Forest Roads (FR) 110 and 109, East of FR 747 and Big Spring Wash, then South of FR 139 and West of FR 109.

Smoke will be noticeable at times and may periodically impact nearby communities that include Williams, Parks, Bellemont, Sherwood Forest, Pittman Valley, Chino Valley, Paulden, Prescott, Camp Verde, Flagstaff and Sedona. Monitoring smoke production will remain a top priority for fire managers who will adjust actions to alleviate impacts to effected communities.