Flagstaff AZ (January 9, 2012) – Fire managers are planning to conduct three pile burn projects on the Coconino National Forest Tuesday, pending favorable conditions and approval from the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality (ADEQ).
Mormon Lake Basin Project: 326 acres of large piles located approximately 35 miles south of Flagstaff, south of the Village of Mormon Lake, and west of Forest Highway 3 (Lake Mary Road). Smoke will disperse to the northeast, and will settle in low-lying areas overnight. Smoke will be noticeable in Mormon Lake Village and Lake Mary Road.
Eastside Project: 50 acres of piles located south of Flagstaff and the Little America Hotel, off Herold Ranch Road. During the day, smoke will rise and disperse to the north and east with the forecast winds, and will likely settle near Forestdale and other low lying areas overnight.
Mogollon Rim Miscellaneous Piles: 10 acres of piles located off Highway 87 approximately 2 miles north of Clint’s Well. Smoke will disperse to the east.
All prescribed fire activity is dependent on personnel availability, weather – including winds and ventilation, and approval from the ADEQ (www.azdeq.gov).
Fire managers make every effort to minimize smoke impacts to the communities while continuing to address the critical need to reduce the risk of severe wildfires around those communities. Tactics to keep smoke impacts as minimal as possible include cancelling burns when conditions aren’t favorable, finding alternative uses for the debris in slash piles, timing ignitions to allow the majority of smoke time to disperse prior to settling overnight, and burning larger sections at a time when conditions are favorable to reduce the overall number of days smoke is in the area.
In addition, the Coconino National Forest coordinates prescribed fire plans with the partners of the Ponderosa Fire Advisory Council (which includes state and local fire departments), as well as neighboring forests, to reduce the impact of smoke on the communities.
The public can obtain additional prescribed fire information via the following:
- Prescribed Fire Hotline: 928-226-4607
- Coconino National Forest Website: www.fs.usda.gov/coconino
- Click on “Prescribed Fire” on the right of the page
- Sign-up for regular email notifications of planned burns: http://www.fs.fed.us/news/subscription
- Choose “Southwestern Region”
- Follow us on Twitter: www.twitter.com/CoconinoNF
- Local Ranger Stations: Flagstaff Ranger District, 928-526-0866; Red Rock Ranger District (Sedona) 928-203-2900; Mogollon Rim Ranger District (Blue Ridge) 928-477-2255
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