Black Mesa Ranger District Conducts Prescribed Burns October 15 to November 30, 2019

Springerville, AZ – October 16, 2019 – The Black Mesa Ranger District on the Apache-Sitgreaves National Forests are conducting prescribed burns within the Rodeo-Chediski Prescribed Burn area from October 15, 2019 through November 30, 2019, as weather conditions allow.

Scott Ridge and Bryant blocks include Forest Roads 139, FR 132 and fall between Scott Ridge and Bryant Canyon. These burn blocks encompass approximately 3,270 acres.
Spring Canyon, Stinson Wash and Smith Ridge include Forest Roads 139, FR 46, and FR 9850E around the Ricochet Ranch area. These burn blocks will encompass approximately 1,800 acres. Smoke may be visible from Heber-Overgaard, Clay Springs, Pinedale, Snowflake-Taylor, Show Low, Ricochet Ranch communities and State Highway 260.

Prescribed burning provides many benefits and is essential to maintaining healthy forest ecosystems. This prescribed fire is a follow-up to previous mechanical treatments within parts of the units and within the old burn scar from Rodeo-Chediski Fire in 2002. It provides habitat diversity, recycles plant nutrients into the soil and encourages new growth for a variety of plants used by wildlife and livestock. Prescribed burning of forest ground fuels also reduces the threat of large scale wildfire impacts to private lands.

This project is in partnership with the Arizona Game and Fish Department and the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation and provides forest restoration and health to the Rocky Mountain Elk, mule deer, antelope and other species that frequent the area.
Once ignition occurs, crews will be on scene from ignition until there is no longer a threat of escape from the project boundaries.

Questions or concerns? Please contact the Black Mesa Ranger District at 928-535-7300 or visit the Apache-Sitgreaves National Forest’s website at: www.fs.usda.gov/asnf.

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