WILLIAMS — Fire managers with the Kaibab National Forest plan to conduct a series of prescribed burns over the weekend and continuing through next week in three locations on the Williams Ranger District in order to reduce hazardous fuels and increase ecosystem health and forest resiliency.

• Dutch Kid Prescribed Fire: Over the weekend and continuing through Monday, fire managers will use aerial ignition to treat up to 4,115 acres in the Dutch Kid project area, which is located on and surrounding Dutch Kid Knoll about 7 miles south southwest of the City of Williams. Due to prevailing winds, smoke will likely be visible in Williams, the vicinity of Bill Williams Mountain, the Woods Subdivision, Interstate 40 and Parks.
• McCracken Prescribed Fire: Weather conditions predicted for early next week may provide a window of opportunity to treat up to 2,531 acres using a combination of hand and aerial ignition techniques in the McCracken project area, which is located between Barney and Kunde knolls about 7 miles south southeast of the City of Williams. Smoke will likely be visible from County Road 71 and Williams and may also drift into Sycamore Canyon during overnight hours.
• Kendrick Prescribed Fire: Fire managers had hoped to begin treating the Kendrick project area yesterday but had to postpone due to high winds. If weather conditions are appropriate next week, about 2,700 acres could be treated using a combination of hand and aerial ignitions techniques. The area is located west of the Kendrick Mountain Wilderness boundary about 11 miles north of the Parks community. The area has been treated with fire in the recent past, so the scheduled prescribed fire is considered a maintenance burn, which should result in less smoke production than a first-entry burn due to lesser accumulations of forest fuels. Prevailing winds should push smoke north and east across Kendrick Mountain. Smoke is expected to dissipate quickly but could be present in the vicinity of Pumpkin Center. It may also be visible from Highway 180 and from Interstate 40 near Parks.

All prescribed burning on the Kaibab National Forest is subject to approval by the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality and appropriate weather conditions. For additional information on the Smoke Management Division of the ADEQ and to view prescribed burns authorized on any given day, please visit http://www.azdeq.gov/environ/air/smoke/index.html. Kaibab National Forest fire information is also available through the following resources: InciWeb http://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/4112/; Kaibab National Forest Fire Information Phone Line (928) 635-8311; Text Message – text ‘follow kaibabnf’ to 40404.

WILLIAMS — The Kaibab National Forest recently released for public review the final environmental impact statement and draft record of decision for the Bill Williams Mountain Restoration Project, which will treat approximately 15,200 acres on and surrounding the mountain near Williams, Ariz., in order to reduce wildfire risk and improve forest health and watershed conditions.

The documents, background information, maps and other associated materials are available on the forest website at http://www.fs.usda.gov/project/?project=34690. People who previously submitted comments on the project can file objections through Oct. 30.

The draft record of decision selects an alternative that includes the following:

• Commercial and non-commercial treatments on approximately 15,200 acres, with follow-up post-mechanical treatments on activity slash. In response to comments, cable logging is no longer included as a harvesting method option. Further, in response to comments, the inclusion of steep-slope ground-based logging equipment as a harvesting method option allows for a more economically viable project.
• Rehabilitation of areas impacted by treatments, including aspen protection.
• Strategic fuel treatments designed to enhance fire control lines.
• Prescribed fire application to approximately 15,200 acres using a combination of ground-based and aerial firing techniques. This includes maintenance burning over the next 40 years.
• Transportation system improvements, including 15 miles of new and 16 miles of temporary road construction, and obliteration of 23 miles of poorly-located existing roads. In response to comments, new forest system road construction was reduced by approximately 8 miles.
• Improvements to the non-motorized Bixler Trail and construction of a new trailhead parking area.

After the objection period, which goes through Oct. 30, a final record of decision will be issued. Implementation of the project is expected to begin in 2016.

“Treating Bill Williams Mountain is a high priority for me and for the other managers of Kaibab National Forest,” said Williams District Ranger Danelle D. Harrison. “We are anxious to begin this important work that will provide protection to the Williams community and its watershed.”