SPRINGERVILLE, Ariz. – April 16, 2024 – The Lakeside Ranger District plans to conduct prescribed fire operations on the Lakeside Ranger District starting as early as April 22 and may continue through May 15, 2024 as weather and vegetation conditions allow for successful operations. Fire managers will be monitoring weather conditions leading up to, during, and after implementation to ensure conditions are favorable.
The Rodeo-Chediski Prescribed Fire project includes the Bear unit at 1,321 acres, and the Yellow Jacket unit at 1,186 acres. The Bear and Yellow Jacket Units are 3 miles to the south of Pinedale and to the east of Pinedale Estates along Forest Road (FR) 131, FR 300, FR 263, and FR 143.

A public meeting will be held at the Pinedale Work Center on Friday, April 19, 2024 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Forest Service Fire Managers and other fire officials will be in attendance to provide a briefing about the prescribed fire project, and will answer questions for those that may be impacted by smoke or are just interested in getting additional information.

Smoke may be visible from the City of Show Low, Pinetop-Lakeside, communities of Pinedale, Clay Springs, and Snowflake. Smoke could also travel across Highways 260, 77 and 60. Smoke could last for several days after initial ignitions take place but should be significantly less each day afterwards. Air quality information can be found at https://www.airnow.gov/.

The Arizona Game and Fish Department is a partner on this prescribed fire project which aims to improve wildlife habitat within hunting unit 3C. The burn treatment will improve range habitat for elk, mule deer, turkey, pronghorn, and bear. Prescribed fires support land management objectives by improving plant and wildlife habitat, reducing the threat of invasive species on the landscape, and help protect communities from extreme wildfires. This prescribed fire is within the Four Forest Restoration Initiative area (4FRI) and is part of the Forest Service’s Wildfire Crisis Strategy to reduce wildfire risk to nearby communities and natural resources.

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SPRINGERVILLE, Ariz. – January 31, 2024 – Fire managers on the Lakeside Ranger District plan to continue prescribed fire operations on the Cabin unit slash piles. The project area is approximately 40 acres and is expected to be completed either today or tomorrow. Piles are composed of timber slash created from thinning projects or wildfire suppression activities and are treated to reduce hazardous fuel accumulations. Prescribed fire operations are contingent on multiple factors, including favorable weather conditions, air quality, and resource availability.

The Cabin project area is located 2 miles northeast of Lakeside, AZ. The project boundary is the Osprey Connector Trail, Forest Road (FR) 9712C, and FR 45. Fire crews will patrol the burn area each day until there is no threat of fire movement.
The objective for these prescribed fires is to reduce hazardous fuel accumulations and minimize the risk of high-severity wildfires, aligning with the Forest Service’s Wildfire Crisis Strategy.

Smoke impacts are expected to be minimal and may be visible from Highways 60, 77, and 260. Travelers are advised to use extra caution when driving in the vicinity during project implementation.

Air quality information is available at https://www.airnow.gov/. Visit the A-S National Forests website and follow us on Facebook and X (Twitter).

SPRINGERVILLE, Ariz. – Nov. 27, 2023 – The Springerville Ranger District on the Apache-Sitgreaves National Forests plan to begin ignitions on the Whiting prescribed fire during the next available window of favorable weather conditions, potentially on Nov. 28, 2023. The prescribed fire unit is approximately 10 miles southeast of Vernon, near the Whiting homestead, and west of Forest Road 117.

The Whiting prescribed fire project will aide in cleaning up dry climate grasses, ponderosa pine and the mixed conifer understory. Fire managers will work to mitigate impacts to values at risk within the unit that include nearby communities, private property, heritage sites, rangelands, and wildlife. Recent precipitation, cooler temperatures, and relative humidity recoveries are in alignment to produce low intensity fire behavior.

Smoke may impact the communities of Vernon and Springerville-Eagar, nearby private properties, and Highway 60. Drivers are cautioned that visibility may be reduced, especially in the overnight hours when smoke tends to form an inversion layer as it settles near the ground.

Firefighters are also planning to conduct ignitions at the Greer green waste burn pit, weather permitting, to clean up and eliminate slash that has accumulated over the summer and fall. Smoke may be visible and could impact the communities of Greer, Springerville-Eagar, and Highway 260. Smoke impacts to Highway 60 may reduce visibility, and drivers are cautioned to remain aware of the potential for slower traffic in the vicinity. Information on air quality is available at https://www.airnow.gov/.

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