Williams, Ariz., Oct 01, 2018—For Immediate Release. With moisture imminent in the immediate weather forecast, prescribed fire operations will temporarily cease on the Williams Ranger District of the Kaibab National Forest.

Over the past week, 6193 acres were successfully treated on the Sunflower project located 8 miles southeast of Williams. Although the smoke was very noticeable and large in volume at times, crews had no control problems throughout the operation. All containment lines held and fuels reduction objectives were accomplished. 5710 acres remain to complete the Sunflower Rx project which fire managers are confident will be finished prior to the 2019 fire season.

Fire crews will also begin working on the Green Base Prescribed Fire project just north of Williams in an area known as Three Sisters. 7500 acres are scheduled for treatment on this project however weather and fuel moistures will determine when this project will begin. In the interim crews may burn slash piles during the rainy days as piles are easier to consume in the wet environment.

Officials understand public concern when smoke is effecting many of the surrounding communities. The strategy is to burn larger parcels which ultimately will reduce the number of days smoke will be present in the atmosphere. Burning smaller units would require more burn days which can prolong the duration of lingering smoke.

Kaibab National Forest officials would also like to thank the public for understanding the complexities of this critical work being done that is vital for long term sustainability of national forests across the state.

All prescribed burning on the Kaibab National Forest is subject to approval by the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality. For additional information on the Smoke Management Division of the ADEQ and to view prescribed burns authorizations, please visit www.azdeq.gov/environ/air/smoke/index.html. Information about prescribed fire projects on the Kaibab National Forest can be obtained through the following sources: InciWeb inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/5922/
Twitter: www.twitter.com/KaibabNF Facebook: www.facebook.com/KaibabNF
Kaibab National Forest Website; www.fs.usda.gov/kaibab
Kaibab National Forest Fire Information Phone Line (928) 635-8311.
For information about air quality and health awareness visit bit.ly/SmokeHealthAwareness

Williams, Ariz., Sept 28, 2018—For Immediate Release. Fire managers on the south zone of the Kaibab National Forest will continue ignitions on the Sunflower Prescribed Fire Project through the weekend ahead as forest conditions remain favorable. Over the past three days, 3731 acres have been treated with an additional 2100 acre unit scheduled to be ignited on Saturday, and a 1000 acre block on Sunday.
During the remaining firing operations this week campers and hunters are asked to avoid establishing campsites near the fire activity and seek alternative sites away from the burn area.

Outflowing moisture remnants from Hurricane Rosa are expected to arrive into the local area early next week which will likely curtail prescribed fire activities for several days. Crews may move into burning slash piles in the interim as forest conditions become wetter.

Smoke will be visible and impacts may occur in the communities of Parks, Sherwood Forest Estates, Garland Prairie, Bellemont and outlying areas throughout Verde Valle. Smoke production should noticeably decrease by Sunday as operations cease on the Sunflower project.

Officials understand that smoke impacts to air quality may be unpleasant at times, however they can significantly reduce the amount and limit the duration more effectively using prescribed methods as opposed to an uncontrolled wildfire situation with long term effects.

During operations, fire personnel and vehicles working in these vicinities will be visible to the public. Motorists are reminded to slow down and drive with heightened caution when passing through active project areas.

All prescribed burning on the Kaibab National Forest is subject to approval by the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality. For additional information on the Smoke Management Division of the ADEQ and to view prescribed burns authorizations, please visit www.azdeq.gov/environ/air/smoke/index.html. Information about prescribed fire projects on the Kaibab National Forest can be obtained through the following sources: InciWeb inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/5922/
Kaibab National Forest Website; www.fs.usda.gov/kaibab
Kaibab National Forest Fire Information Phone Line (928) 635-8311.
For information about air quality and health awareness visit bit.ly/SmokeHealthAwareness

Williams, Ariz., Sept 21, 2018—For Immediate Release. Fire managers on the Kaibab National Forest have completed plans for the 2018 fall prescribed fire burning season and will begin working on a range of projects this month. The specific units to be ignited will be chosen based on fuel moistures and weather conditions that are within prescriptive levels that meet fuels reduction objectives.

The following project areas are planned for treatments on both the Tusayan and Williams Ranger Districts:

Sunflower Rx Project: Southeast of Williams, approximately 12,000 acres.

Green Base Rx Project: North of Williams near Three Sisters, approximately 7500 acres.

Reed Rx Project South and northeast of Tusayan, approximately 3200 acres

Russell Rx Project Southeast of Tusayan, approximately 4000 acres

Fire plays a beneficial role in maintaining the ecological stability of many landscapes including the Kaibab National Forest. Managers use prescribed fire as a practical means to reduce risks associated with uncharacteristic wildfires that can pose significant threats to public health and safety.

Officials recognize that impacts to air quality may be unpleasant at times, however they can significantly reduce the amount and limit the duration of smoke more effectively using prescribed methods than in an uncontrolled wildfire situation. Furthermore, fire managers will actively monitor atmospheric conditions daily and use strategies to minimize smoke impacts to rural developed areas.

During operations, fire personnel and vehicles working in these vicinities will be visible to the public. Motorists are reminded to slow down and drive with heightened caution when passing through active project areas.

All prescribed burning on the Kaibab National Forest is subject to approval by the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality. For additional information on the Smoke Management Division of the ADEQ and to view prescribed burns authorizations, please visit www.azdeq.gov/environ/air/smoke/index.html. Information about prescribed fire projects on the Kaibab National Forest can be obtained through the following sources: InciWeb inciweb.nwcg.gov/
Kaibab National Forest Website; www.fs.usda.gov/kaibab
Kaibab National Forest Fire Information Phone Line (928) 635-8311.
For information about air quality and health awareness visit bit.ly/SmokeHealthAwareness

Williams, Ariz., July 12, 2018—For Immediate Release. Fire managers on the Williams Ranger District will take advantage of the recent widespread rain that has delivered adequate moisture to the area and will burn two small areas of slash piles on Friday of this week.

A 20 acre unit of hand piles approximately 8 miles south of Williams near county road 73 and forest road 139, and a single pile at the green waste disposal site located at the old dump site off forest road 900 north of Pittman Valley are scheduled for ignition on Friday morning.

This operation is projected to be complete in one day and is not expected to have any long term smoke impacts to roadways or developed areas. Smoke may be visible near both locations throughout the day however will be short in duration. No overnight impacts are expected.

Visitors are always reminded to use caution when traveling in the vicinity of prescribed fires, as firefighters, fire-related traffic and smoke may all be present.

All prescribed fires are subject to approval by the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality. For additional information on the Smoke Management Division and to view prescribed burn authorizations for any given day, visit www.azdeq.gov/SmokeManagemet

Notifications of upcoming prescribed fires are provided regularly throughout the year. This information can be found at the following sources:

• Fire Information Recorded Hotline: 928-635-8311

• Twitter: www.twitter.com/KaibabNF

• Kaibab Facebook: www.facebook.com/KaibabNF

• Kaibab website “Recent News”: www.fs.usda.gov/kaibab

• Kaibab South Zone Rx Fire: inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/5922/

PENDLETON, Ore. - Fire management officials on the Umatilla National Forest are preparing to implement the Forest’s fall prescribed burn plan, which could impact camping and hunting opportunities in several hunting units across the Forest.  Any associated road and trail closures will go into effect prior to and during burn operations, which typically take 2-5 days to complete. Hunters are advised to plan ahead and avoid camping in the designated prescribed burn areas during the 2021 hunting season.

Frequent, low-intensity fire is essential for healthy forests and reducing the risk of uncharacteristic wildfire caused by excessive fuel buildup. Prescribed burning is an effective tool for removing excessive amounts of brush, shrubs, and trees, while also encouraging the growth of native vegetation.

Prescribed burning is also highly dependent on weather conditions, which must be within a narrow criteria window in order to use prescribed fire. Factors such as wind speed and direction, temperatures, relative humidity, and fuel moistures are all taken into consideration prior to implementing a prescribed burn operation.  With the current rains and moderate temperatures across the Forest, many areas are conducive to successful prescribed fire implementation in the near term.

“From a restoration objective standpoint, late summer and fall provide the best opportunities for the timing of prescribed fires,” said Andrew Stinchfield, Deputy Fire Staff Officer.  “Fire behavior during fall weather conditions is more likely to align with how the native vegetation has adapted to fire.”

The Forest Service recognizes that hunting season coincides with prescribed burning season and can impact hunters, but controlled burns are necessary to reintroduce fire to the landscape and encourage healthy vegetation that will ultimately improve landscapes and forage for big game.

Hunters should be cautious when entering a recently burned area and be aware of increased hazards, particularly snags. Dead or dying trees that remain standing after a fire are unstable, especially in high winds. 

Each prescribed burn represents many years of planning and preparation to ensure burn operations meet prescriptive conditions that allow for successful burns that provide multiple benefits to resources. The forest works closely with the Oregon Department of Forestry and Washington Department of Natural Resources in accordance with the State’s Smoke Management Plans to determine when, where, and how much is burned on a daily basis.  Potential smoke impacts, looking at volume of smoke, direction of spread, and mixing heights, are determined prior to each burn.  All burns will be monitored until a season ending rain or snow occurs. 

The Umatilla National Forest has developed a prescribed fire interactive map displaying planned burning activities. The interactive map allows the user to zoom in on certain areas and click on a burn unit for more information (such as acreage, status, etc). When burning operations begin the interactive map will be updated to display which burn units are actively burning. Maps of the proposed prescribed burns are also located on InciWeb at http://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/5808/.

Additional information on prescribed burning is available on the Umatilla National Forest website at www.fs.usda.gov/umatilla/, on the Forest Facebook page at www.facebook.com/UmatillaNF, or at any forest office. 

For more information about the Umatilla National Forest’s Prescribed Burn program, please contact one of the following Forest Service personnel:

• Tara Mackleit, Pomeroy Ranger District - (509) 843-4676

• Joby Sciarrino, Walla Walla Ranger District - (509) 522-6283

• Kevin Bomberger, North Fork John Day Ranger District - (541) 427-5399

• Kristen Marshall, Heppner Ranger District - (541) 676-2130

Additional information about the Umatilla National Forest is available at: http://www.fs.usda.gov/umatilla.

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Crews continue to mop up the burned area today and tomorrow. Mopping up includes searching for pockets of heat, digging out the heat source, and cooling with water. Personnel plan to patrol the burned area through the weekend.

Crews on the Pomeroy Ranger District completed ignitions on the Little George Prescribed Fire yesterday.  Smoke may still be seen in the area as firefighters mop-up and cool the perimeter of the burn.  No further ignitions are planned for the day. #GoodFire
 

Fire management officials on the Pomeroy Ranger District are implementing a 22-acre prescribed burn within the Little George project area, located approximately 31 miles south of Asotin, Washington. 

The Little George prescribed burn is anticipated to take 1 day to complete and primarily consists of slash from recent timber sale activities. The objective of the burn is to reduce wildfire risk through reductions in existing fuel loading. Forest visitors are encouraged to plan ahead and avoid the area during prescribed burning activities.

Additional information about this prescribed burn is available by visiting the Umatilla National Forest’s prescribed fire interactive map. This map displays burning activities and is available at https://usfs.maps.arcgis.com/apps/webappviewer/index.html?id=ea40c8491fea4805b328ac74cd41429e. The interactive map allows the user to zoom in on certain areas and click on a burn unit for more information (such as acreage, status, etc). When burning operations begin the interactive map will be updated to display which burn units are actively burning.

Maps of the proposed prescribed burns are also located on InciWeb at http://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/5808/.


 

Learn about the benefits of prescribed burning and follow our progress online this spring on our interactive map

JOHN DAY, PENDLETON and BAKER CITY, Ore. (April 7, 2021) – Fire management officials on the Malheur, Umatilla and Wallowa-Whitman National Forests are preparing to implement spring prescribed burning activities. Prescribed fire is an important way to maintain and improve forest conditions with “good fire” as we reduce the risk of severe wildfire in the future.

Prescribed fire information for the Malheur, Umatilla, and Wallowa-Whitman National Forests is available to the public on our tri-forest online map. The map is labeled and color-coded to show each burn unit’s status: planned, active, or completed. For convenience, forest users can display current and past-year burn units along with National Forest boundaries and State wildlife management boundaries.

Fire history studies have shown that fire has long been a dominant natural process in the Blue Mountains — maintaining open, park-like conditions in low- to mid-elevation forests of ponderosa pine, Douglas fir, and larch. Prescribed fire has a wide variety of benefits, including reducing dead and down fuels, thinning understory trees, stimulating natural fire-tolerant plants, enhancing forage, reducing the risk of stand- replacement fires, and creating strategic fuel breaks near urban-interface areas. Forest Service prescribed fire programs allows fire to play its natural role on the landscape under controlled conditions.

Fire managers have been working with County, State, and Regional partners to limit smoke in our communities. This is accomplished by coordinating with smoke forecasters at the Oregon Department of Forestry, so burning occurs under conditions that limit smoke entering local communities. Some smoke is likely to be visible from burn units, although prescribed fire managers minimize smoke in communities by selecting smaller burn units near communities, reducing the amount of smoke produced in a single day. Completing burning early in the afternoon also limits smoke settling overnight. Further, burn units are planned to alternate over time to reduce the likelihood of repeated smoke in a single area.

Please note that where and when burning occurs, and how many acres are treated within a prescribed fire unit, will vary due to weather, fuel conditions, smoke dispersion, and other variables. All areas may not be within prescription this spring, and implementation will likely not occur on every acre as planned. Additionally, some project areas may have acres within prescription that are not detailed in the prescribed fire map.

To learn more about current and planned prescribed fires in the area, please visit:

• Online prescribed fire map for the Malheur, Umatilla, and Wallowa-Whitman National Forests
• Blue Mountain Prescribed Fire Council Blog
• Blue Mountain Interagency Dispatch Center
• John Day Interagency Dispatch Center and Burns Interagency Communication Center

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