FLAGSTAFF, Ariz., Oct. 18, 2019 — With the weather staying temperate and dry, Coconino National Forest firefighters are planning to conduct prescribed burns next week near the Fort Valley area and Clints Well area if weather conditions and staffing remain favorable.

These burns are among the prescribed burn projects planned for the Flagstaff Ranger District and the Mogollon Rim Ranger District this fall and are part of a strategy to allow fire across the landscape in order to restore forests to healthier conditions, protect watersheds and improve the safety of the communities around them.

Frequent, low-intensity fire removes accumulated smaller fuels and recycles nutrients in the soils to promote healthy vegetation and wildlife habitat. A healthier forest is a safer forest for firefighters and residents when wildfires inevitably occur.

The prescribed burn projects listed below are in chronological order. Firing ignitions for each of these projects begin at approximately 10 a.m. on the mornings indicated.

Cragin Watershed Protection Project

•             When: Monday (Oct. 21), determined by conditions and staffing.

•             Where: 1.5 miles south of Blue Ridge Ranger Station. GPS: 34.582733,-111.174404

•             Size: 300 acres

•             Duration: This is a one-day operation.

•             Method/Type of Burn: Broadcast maintenance burn conducted by drip torch. This burn will
              reduce the chance of catastrophic wildfire, improve forest health, and protect the local
              watershed. Since this is an initial-entry burn, smoke will be thicker and more noticeable than a
              maintenance burn due to the amount of forest fuels in the burn area.

•             Smoke Impacts: Ventilation is predicted to move smoke toward the northeast. Smoke impacts
              are expected for Blue Ridge communities, Winslow, Holbrook and state Route 87. Cooling
              temperatures in the evenings will cause smoke to settle in the low-lying areas surrounding Blue
              Ridge and the Moqui Draw. 

•             Closures/Restrictions: None expected.

Experimental Forest

•             When: Tuesday (Oct. 22).

•             Where: Six miles northwest of Flagstaff. GPS: 35.272710, -111.691766.

•             Size: 525 acres.

•             Duration: This is a one-day operation.

•             Method/Type of Burn: Broadcast maintenance burn conducted by drip torch. This burn is being
               conducted for fire research purposes and in partnership with NAU and Ecological Restoration
               Institute in order to measure things such as pine regeneration,
               tree mortality, and other factors associated with wildfire in this fire-dependent ecosystem.

•             Smoke Impacts: Ventilation is predicted to move smoke toward the northeast and may impact
              U.S. Highways 180 and 89 north of Flagstaff. Cooling temperatures in the evenings may cause
              smoke to settle in the low-lying areas of Ft. Valley Ranch, Cheshire, and possibly Baderville.

•             Closures/Restrictions: None expected. However, Arizona Department of Transportation (ADOT)
              will likely reduce the speed limit on Hwy 180 and impose lane restrictions where needed.

Slate 4

•             When: Wednesday (Oct. 23).

•             Where: 16 miles north of Flagstaff. GPS: 35.446216, -111.703208.

•             Size: 2,528 acres.

•             Duration: One-day operation.

•             Method/Type of Burn: Broadcast initial-entry burn conducted by drip torch and helicopter. This
              burn is located in a strategic area to protect Kendrick Park, White Horse Park and Snowbowl
              Estates by removing dense forest fuels that could endanger the communities if a severe wildfire
              started in the area.

•             Smoke Impacts: Ventilation is predicted to move smoke toward the northeast. Cooling
               temperatures in the evenings will cause smoke to settle in the low-lying areas surrounding the
               burn and White Horse Canyon. This will likely impact U.S. Highways 180, 89, Kendrick Park,
               White Horse Park and Snowbowl Estates. Since this is an initial-entry burn, smoke will be thicker
               than normal.

•             Closures/Restrictions: None expected.

Sawmill Project

•             When: Wednesday (Oct, 23) or Thursday (Oct. 24).

•             Where: Six miles south of Mormon Lake Village. North of Stoneman Lake Road on the
               immediate east side of Lake Mary Road. GPS: 34.8177200, -111.4269700

•             Size: 800 acres

•             Duration: This is a one-day operation.

•             Method/Type of Burn: Broadcast maintenance burn using drip torches. The burn is being
              conducted to reduce the chance of catastrophic wildfire, improve forest health, and to protect
              the private property and help the health of the forest.

•             Smoke Impacts: Daytime winds are predicted to be out of the southwest, so smoke will disperse
              to the northeast of the project area. Cooling temperatures in the evenings will cause smoke to
              settle in the low-lying areas near Hutch Mountain.

•             Closures/Restrictions: None expected. If smoke is on Lake Mary Road, traffic control may be
              used.

Maxwell Springs 1 & 2

•             When: Thursday (Oct. 24).

•             Where: Five miles northwest of Flagstaff.
               GPS: 35.250812, -111.824213 & 35.263236, -111.806195

•             Size: 833 acres total in two burn blocks.

•             Duration: One-day operation.

•             Method/Type of Burn: Broadcast maintenance burn conducted by drip torch. These burns are
               located south of Wing Mountain and north of Bellemont.

•             Smoke Impacts: Ventilation is predicted to move smoke toward the northeast. Cooling
              temperatures in the evenings will cause smoke to settle in the low-lying areas surrounding the
              burn, Interstate 40 and the west side of Flagstaff. This will likely impact Fort Valley, Snowbowl
              Ski Resort area and possibly U.S. Highway 180.

•             Closures/Restrictions: None expected.

Notifications of upcoming prescribed burns are provided regularly by news releases throughout the season. Timely updates about ignitions and whether or not a project is cancelled can be found on the Forest's social media sites:

•             CoconinoNF’s Twitter account

•             CoconinoNF’s Facebook page

FLAGSTAFF, Ariz., Oct. 14, 2019 — Coconino National Forest firefighters are planning to conduct a prescribed burn tomorrow north of Flagstaff in the Fort Valley area and will continue other burn projects near Flagstaff and Clints Well during the week if weather conditions and staffing remain favorable.  

These burns are among the prescribed burn projects planned for the Flagstaff Ranger District and the Mogollon Rim Ranger District this fall and are part of a strategy to allow fire across the landscape in order to restore forests to healthier conditions, protect watersheds and improve the safety of the communities around them.  

Frequent, low-intensity fire removes accumulated smaller fuels and recycles nutrients in the soils to promote healthy vegetation and wildlife habitat. A healthier forest is a safer forest for firefighters and residents when wildfires inevitably occur. 

The prescribed burn projects listed below are in chronological order. Firing ignitions for each of these projects begin at approximately 10 a.m. on the mornings indicated.

 Experimental Forest

• When: Tuesday (Oct. 15).
• Where: Six miles northwest of Flagstaff. GPS: 35.272710, -111.691766.
• Size: 525 acres.
• Duration: This is a one-day operation.
• Method/Type of Burn: Broadcast maintenance burn conducted by drip torch. This burn is being conducted for fire research purposes and in partnership with NAU and Ecological Restoration Institute in order to measure things such as pine regeneration, tree mortality, and other factors associated with wildfire in this fire-dependent ecosystem.
• Smoke Impacts: Ventilation is predicted to move smoke toward the northeast and may impact U.S. Highways 180 and 89 north of Flagstaff. Cooling temperatures in the evenings may cause smoke to settle in the low-lying areas of Ft. Valley Ranch, Cheshire, and possibly Baderville.
• Closures/Restrictions: None expected. However, Arizona Department of Transportation (ADOT) will likely reduce the speed limit on Hwy 180 and impose lane restrictions where needed.

       Cragin Watershed Protection Project (Moqui Lookout block)

• When: Tuesday or Wednesday (Oct. 15 or 16), determined by conditions and staffing.
• Where: 1.5 miles south of Blue Ridge Ranger Station. GPS: 34.570083, -111.168889.
• Size: 1,500 acres
• Duration: This is a one-day operation.
• Method/Type of Burn: Broadcast initial-entry burn conducted by drip torch. This burn will reduce the chance of catastrophic wildfire, improve forest health, and protect the local watershed. Since this is an initial-entry burn, smoke will be thicker and more noticeable than a maintenance burn due to the amount of forest fuels in the burn area.
• Smoke Impacts: Ventilation is predicted to move smoke toward the northeast. Cooling temperatures in the evenings will cause smoke to settle in the low-lying areas surrounding the burn, Moqui Draw, and possibly moderate to heavy smoke impacts expected for Blue Ridge communities and state Route 87. ADOT will assist with traffic along SR 87 if smoke impacts the roadway.
• Closures/Restrictions: None expected.

 Frog Tank

• When: Wednesday (Oct. 16).
• Where: Immediately north of Munds Park. GPS: 34.957259, -111.645870.
• Size: 920 acres.
• Duration: One-day operation.
• Method/Type of Burn: Broadcast initial-entry burn conducted by drip torch and helicopter. This burn is located in a strategic area north of the Munds Park community to remove dense forest fuels that could endanger Munds Park and Flagstaff communities if a severe wildfire started north of Munds Park.
• Smoke Impacts: Ventilation is predicted to move smoke toward the northeast. Cooling temperatures in the evenings will cause smoke to settle in the low-lying areas surrounding the burn. This will likely impact the community of Munds Park and possibly reduce visibility on Interstate 17 during the morning hours following the burn and disperse by the afternoon. Since this is an initial-entry burn, smoke will be thicker than normal.
• Closures/Restrictions: None expected.

       Kachina - Block 2

• When: Thursday (Oct. 17).
• Where: Nine miles south of Flagstaff. GPS: 35.072046°, -111.711435°.
• Size: 291 acres.
• Duration: One-day operation.
• Method/Type of Burn: Broadcast maintenance burn conducted by drip torch. This burn is located in strategic areas near the communities of Kachina Village and Forest Highlands in order to keep fuels from accumulating, which could present dangerous conditions if a severe wildfire approached the area. This is the second and final block of the Kachina Project.
• Smoke Impacts: Ventilation is predicted to move smoke toward the northeast. Cooling temperatures in the evenings may cause smoke to settle in the low-lying areas surrounding the burn. However, because this is a maintenance burn, there will be thinner forest fuels in the area, and this burn should only produce light smoke.
• Closures/Restrictions: None expected.

       Cragin Watershed Protection Project (Jumbo block)

• When: Thursday (Oct. 17).
• Where: North side of C.C. Cragin (Blue Ridge) Reservoir. GPS: 34.564833, -111.224333
• Size: 3,000 acres
• Duration: This is a one-day operation.
• Method/Type of Burn: Broadcast maintenance burn using drip torches and helicopter aerial ignitions. The burn is being conducted to reduce the chance of catastrophic wildfire, improve forest health, and to protect the East Clear Creek Water Shed.
• Smoke Impacts: Daytime winds are predicted to be out of the southwest, so smoke will disperse to the northeast of the project area. Nighttime patrols will be implemented along SR 87 to monitor overnight conditions.
• Closures/Restrictions: A portion of the Arizona Trail will be rerouted during the burn operation. 

Notifications of upcoming prescribed burns are provided regularly by news releases throughout the season. Timely updates about ignitions and whether or not a project is cancelled can be found on the Forest's social media sites:

• Coconino NF’s Twitter account
• Coconino NF’s Facebook page

Prescribed burn planned for tomorrow

Additional burns to occur next week

FLAGSTAFF, Ariz., Oct. 9, 2019 — Coconino National Forest firefighters are planning to conduct a prescribed burn tomorrow south of Kachina Village and will continue other burn projects next week if weather conditions remain favorable.

These burns are among the prescribed burn projects planned for the Flagstaff Ranger District this fall and are part of a strategy to allow fire across the landscape in order to restore forests to healthier conditions and improve the safety of the communities around them.

Frequent, low-intensity fire removes accumulated smaller fuels and recycles nutrients in the soils to promote healthy vegetation and wildlife habitat. A healthier forest is a safer forest for firefighters and residents when wildfires inevitably occur.

The prescribed burn projects listed below are in chronological order. Firing ignitions for each of these projects begin at approximately 10 a.m. on the mornings indicated.

Kachina - Block 1

• When: Thursday  (Oct. 10).

• Where: Nine miles south of Flagstaff. GPS: 35.072046°, -111.711435°.

• Size: 553 acres.

• Duration: One-day operation.

• Method/Type of Burn: Broadcast maintenance burn conducted by drip torch. This burn is located in strategic areas near the communities of Kachina Village and Forest Highlands in order to keep fuels from accumulating, which could present dangerous conditions if a severe wildfire approached the area. There are two blocks to the Kachina Project. Block 2 is planned for the following week.

• Smoke Impacts: Ventilation is predicted to move smoke toward the northeast. Cooling temperatures in the evenings may cause smoke to settle in the low-lying areas surrounding the burn. However, because this is a maintenance burn, there will be thinner forest fuels in the area, and this burn should only produce light smoke.

• Closures/Restrictions: None expected.

   

  Experimental Forest

• When: Tuesday (Oct. 15).

• Where: Six miles northwest of Flagstaff. GPS: 35.272710, -111.691766.

• Size: 525 acres.

• Duration: This is a one-day operation.

• Method/Type of Burn: Broadcast maintenance burn conducted by drip torch. This burn is being conducted for fire research purposes and in partnership with NAU and Ecological Restoration Institute in order to measure things such as pine regeneration, tree mortality, and other factors associated with wildfire in this fire-dependent ecosystem.

• Smoke Impacts: Ventilation is predicted to move smoke toward the northeast and may impact U.S. Highways 180 and 89 north of Flagstaff. Cooling temperatures in the evenings may cause smoke to settle in the low-lying areas of Ft. Valley Ranch, Cheshire, and possibly Baderville.

• Closures/Restrictions: None expected. However, Arizona Department of Transportation will likely reduce the speed limit on Hwy 180 and impose lane restrictions where needed.

   

  Frog Tank

• When: Oct. 16 (Wednesday).

• Where: Immediately north of Munds Park. GPS: 34.957259, -111.645870.

• Size: 920 acres.

• Duration: One-day operation.

• Method/Type of Burn: Broadcast initial-entry burn conducted by drip torch and helicopter. This burn is located in a strategic area north of the Munds Park community to remove dense forest fuels that could endanger Munds Park and Flagstaff communities if a wildfire started north of Munds Park.

• Smoke Impacts: Ventilation is predicted to move smoke toward the northeast. Cooling temperatures in the evenings will cause smoke to settle in the low-lying areas surrounding the burn. This will likely impact the community of Munds Park and possibly reduce visibility on Interstate 17 during the morning hours following the burn and disperse by the afternoon. Since this is an initial-entry burn, smoke will be thicker than normal.

• Closures/Restrictions: None expected.

   

  Kachina - Block 2

• When: Oct. 17 (Thursday).

• Where: Nine miles south of Flagstaff. GPS: 35.072046°, -111.711435°.

• Size: 291 acres.

• Duration: One-day operation.

• Method/Type of Burn: Broadcast maintenance burn conducted by drip torch. This burn is located in strategic areas near the communities of Kachina Village and Forest Highlands in order to keep fuels from accumulating, which could present dangerous conditions if a severe wildfire approached the area. This is the second and final block of the Kachina Project.

• Smoke Impacts: Ventilation is predicted to move smoke toward the northeast. Cooling temperatures in the evenings may cause smoke to settle in the low-lying areas surrounding the burn. However, because this is a maintenance burn, there will be thinner forest fuels in the area, and this burn should only produce light smoke.

• Closures/Restrictions: None expected.

   

  Notifications of upcoming prescribed burns are provided regularly by news releases throughout the season. Timely updates about ignitions and whether or not a project is cancelled can be found on the Forest's social media sites:

• Coconino NF’s Twitter account

• Coconino NF’s Facebook page

VALLEJO, Calif.—March 20, 2020. USDA Forest Service Pacific Southwest Region announced today that all new ignitions for prescribed fire have been postponed until further notice.

Potential smoke impacts to the public are considered in all prescribed fire and wildfire management. As always, we will work in coordination with local and state health organizations and make any necessary changes should the need arise. This decision to temporarily postpone ignitions will prevent any effects from smoke that might further worsen conditions for those who are at risk in our communities, while reducing exposure for employees who might not otherwise need to travel, and creating social distancing for resources working on the fire.

# # #

USDA is an equal opportunity provider, employer and lender.

Fire managers plan to prescribe burn about 35 acres in the Browns project area north of Weaverville/Hwy 3 tomorrow. Please see map of the project area, below, and more info on Inciweb https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/6603/

REDDING, Calif. — The Shasta-Trinity National Recreation Area is planning to conduct a prescribed fire project to remove understory fuels on National Forest System lands in the area of Green Mountain near Jones Valley on the eastern side of Shasta Lake March 5-6, 2020. The project unit is located on the southeastern slope of the Green Mountain peninsula located between the Pit River and Squaw Creek Arms of Shasta Lake.  Multiple units may be burned as conditions allow up to 3500 acres.

The Green Mountain project began in 2003 and has seen several prescribed fire treatments this year and in past years.  By continuing to apply prescribed fire to the area, a more fire resilient ecosystem is being created.  These fire resilient ecosystems are beneficial for a variety of species such as wild turkey, deer and elk.  Additionally, firefighters are creating areas where we can more effectively engage and suppress wildfires with the intent of protecting communities.

The project initiation date is dependent upon several factors, including, but not limited to favorable weather and site conditions.  Fire managers will be working with Air Quality Management Districts to ensure compliance with air quality regulations and health and safety conditions.

The prescribed fire will create smoke that will be visible from many areas in the eastern portion of Shasta Lake, along Interstate 5 near Bridge Bay, Highway 299 towards Round Mountain and the Silverthorn and Jones Valley areas. Implementation is planned to take approximately 1-3 days and smoke may continue to be visible for several days.

The project will involve a combination of hand and aerial ignitions with helicopters. Due to the aircraft involved and to prevent interference with ground operations, the public is reminded to refrain from operating any drones in the area for the duration of the prescribed burn. For more information on proper use of unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) please visit http://knowbeforeyoufly.org.

Pre-ignition public notifications will be provided to local media outlets and will also be posted on https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/6603, the Forest’s Facebook www.facebook.com/ShastaTrinityNF and Twitter www.twitter.com/ShastaTrinityNF pages. For more information, please call the Shasta Lake District Office at (530) 275-1587 8:00 a.m. - 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday.

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USDA is an equal opportunity provider, employer and lender.

REDDING, Calif. — The Shasta-Trinity National Recreation Area is planning to conduct a prescribed fire project to remove understory fuels on National Forest System lands in the area of Green Mountain near Jones Valley on the eastern side of Shasta Lake this Friday and Saturday February 28-29, 2020. The project unit is located on the southeastern slope of the Green Mountain peninsula. 

The Green Mountain project began in 2003 and has seen several prescribed fire treatments in the past.  By continuing to apply prescribed fire to the area, a more fire resilient ecosystem is being created.   These fire resilient ecosystems are beneficial for a variety of species such as wild turkey, deer and elk. 

Multiple units may be burned as conditions allow up to 2200 acres. The project will involve a combination of hand and aerial ignitions with helicopters.

The project initiation date is dependent upon several factors, including, but not limited to favorable weather and site conditions.  Fire managers will be working with Air Quality Management Districts to ensure compliance with air quality regulations and health and safety conditions.

The prescribed fire will create smoke that will be visible from many areas in the eastern portion of Shasta Lake, along Interstate 5 near Bridge Bay, Highway 299 towards Round Mountain and the Silverthorn and Jones Valley areas. Implementation is planned to take approximately 1-3 days and smoke may continue to be visible for several days.

Due to the aircraft involved and to prevent interference with ground operations, the public is reminded to refrain from operating any drones in the area for the duration of the prescribed burn. For more information on proper use of unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) please visit http://knowbeforeyoufly.org.

Pre-ignition public notifications will be provided to local media outlets and will also be posted on https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/6603, the Forest’s Facebook www.facebook.com/ShastaTrinityNF and Twitter www.twitter.com/ShastaTrinityNF pages. For more information, please call the Shasta Lake District Office at (530) 275-1587 8:00 a.m. - 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday.

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USDA is an equal opportunity provider, employer and lender.

The Shasta-Trinity National Forest is planning to conduct a prescribed fire project next week as part of the effort to continue fuels reduction activities in the Lakehead Vegetation Management project on the Shasta Lake National Recreation Area. 

Fuels reduction projects in Lakehead have been ongoing over the past ten years and they have consisted of prescribed burning, hand thinning (including pile burning) and masticating fuels with machinery. This current project entry will occur near the Doney Creek inlet of Shasta Lake, on the south side of Doney Creek, and is anticipated to take place during the latter half of the week of February 17, 2020.  The planned prescribed fire project is 400-450 acres, and is a portion of a larger project area of roughly 3,000 acres. 

The main goal of this project is to reduce the continuity of vegetation using prescribed fire near the community of Lakehead. This treatment will improve forest health and wildlife habitat through creating a mosaic of vegetation conditions which should also decrease the severity of future wildfires and provide support to the community of Lakehead in their efforts to create defensible space in the wildland urban interface.

Project managers will be working with the Shasta County Air Quality Management Board to ensure compliance with air quality regulations and health and safety conditions. Smoke will be visible from many areas around Shasta Lake, especially west of Interstate 5 near Lakehead. 

Project initiation dates are dependent upon several factors, including, but not limited to favorable weather and site conditions. Should it become necessary, the project ignition start date may be delayed until later in the year for more favorable conditions.

Pre-ignition public notifications will be provided to local media outlets and will also be posted on https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/6603, the Forest’s Facebook www.facebook.com/ShastaTrinityNF and Twitter www.twitter.com/ShastaTrinityNF pages. For more information or updates about burn progress, please contact Andrew Spain at the Shasta Lake Ranger Station (530) 242-5548.

During the month of February, the Shasta-Trinity National Forest, Trinity River Management Unit is planning to conduct a prescribed fire project to reduce fuel concentrations on National Forest System lands in the area of Musser Hill north and west of Highway 3 near Weaverville, California (see map at https://go.usa.gov/xdXps).

Project initiation dates are dependent upon several factors, including, but not limited to favorable weather and site conditions. Should it become necessary, the project ignition start date may be delayed until later in the year for more favorable conditions. Fire managers will be working with Air Quality Management Districts to ensure compliance with air quality regulations and health and safety conditions.

Unit 3 may be burned as conditions allow up to 96 acres and will involve hand ignition of surface fuels. The prescribed fire will create smoke that will be visible from many areas in Weaverville, East Weaver road, and Musser Heights road. Implementation is planned to take approximately 1-2 days and smoke may continue to be visible through the following few days. 

The objective of these projects is to return fire into the ecosystem to help restore health to the forest.  Additionally, firefighters are creating areas where we can more effectively engage and suppress wildfires with the intent of protecting communities and public. 

Pre-ignition public notifications will be provided to local media outlets and will also be posted on https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/6603, the Forest’s Facebook www.facebook.com/ShastaTrinityNF and Twitter www.twitter.com/ShastaTrinityNF pages. For more information, please call the Weaverville District Office at (530) 623-2121 between the hours of 8:00 a.m. and 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday (closed on federal holidays.)