Flagstaff AZ (January 10, 2012) – Pending favorable conditions, fire managers on the Flagstaff District of the Coconino National Forest are planning two prescribed pile burn projects tomorrow, Wednesday January 11.
Woody Ridge Project: 50 acres of piles located approximately 2 miles northwest of the Oak Creek Canyon Vista and 5 miles southwest of Kachina Village, west of Highway 89A off Forest Road 535. Some smoke will drift southerly toward Oak Creek Canyon overnight.
Eastside Project: 50 acres of piles located south of Flagstaff, north of Lake Mary Road (Forest Highway 3) behind the Heckethorn neighborhood. Smoke will be noticeable from Heckethorn and Lake Mary Road.
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