Black Mesa Ranger District Plans Prescribed Burns: Nagel Forest Health Prescribed Burn Area

Springerville, AZ – November 6, 2019 – The Apache-Sitgreaves National Forests’ Black Mesa Ranger District plans to conduct burning operations within Burn Block 19 of the Nagel Forest Health Prescribed Burn Area, if weather conditions allow, from November 7 to November 16, 2019. Burn Blocks 13, 17, and 20 were completed in October. The prescribed burn area is in Burn Block 19, which is along Forest Road (FR) 169, west of FR 180 and FR 9401, east of FR 9412R, and south of FR 9403Q and FR 100. The burn will encompass approximately 1,040 acres.

Smoke may impact Holbrook, Joseph City, Winslow, Forest Lakes, Kohls Ranch, Payson, Christopher Creek, Young, and Colcord Ranch depending on wind direction and smoke dispersion. Smoke may also settle into nearby drainages and tributaries of Alder Canyon, West Chevlon Canyon, and Chevlon Canyon.

Once ignition occurs, crews will be on scene from ignition until there is no longer a threat of escape from the project boundaries. Units will also patrol the prescribed burn area until smoke is no longer visible.

Prescribed burning provides many benefits and is essential to maintaining healthy forest ecosystems. This prescribed burn is a follow up to previous mechanical treatments within parts of the units. 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.

Lingering smoke may be present for up to one week after ignitions are complete. Smoke-sensitive individuals and people with respiratory or heart disease are encouraged to take precautionary measures. Information on air quality and active prescribed burns can be found on Arizona Department of Environmental Quality’s webpage: https://azdeq.gov/.
For further information, please contact the Black Mesa Ranger District at 928-535-7300 or the Apache-Sitgreaves National Forests email at as_portal_comments@usda.gov.

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