Flagstaff AZ (December 16, 2011) – Fire managers on the Coconino National Forest are tentatively planning various pile burns the week of December 19, pending favorable conditions.
For Monday, December 19.
Woody Ridge Project: 100 acres located southwest of Flagstaff, northeast of the Oak Creek Canyon Vista and west of Highway 89A off Forest Road 535. Smoke will rise disperse to the northeast with the forecast winds. Smoke will be noticeable on Hwy 89A.
For the remainder of the week, fire managers plan to continue pile burning efforts throughout the Flagstaff and Sedona areas including approximately 65 acres at the southern end of Oak Creek Canyon near the confluence of Munds Canyon and Oak Creek.
All prescribed fire activity is dependent on personnel availability, weather – including winds and ventilation, and approval from the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality (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 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 the Prescribed Fire icon to 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