10/24/16 – The Apache-Sitgreaves National Forests’ Alpine Ranger District will be conducting a 3,212 acre prescribed burn within the Nutrioso unit southwest of Nutrioso, beginning October 25. Blacklining the perimeter will take place October 25th – 28th, and burning the rest of the interior with aerial ignitions which will take place November 7th – 10th.
The Nutrioso II Unit is one mile southwest of Nutrioso, AZ in the area just north of Williams Valley. The legal description is: T6N, R29E, Sections 10, 13-16, 21-26, 35 and 36; and T6N, R30E, Sections 19, 30 and 31.
Ignition may last several days, with daily smoke impact anticipated within area drainages. Smoke will be visible in the community of Nutrioso, White Mountain Acres, Tal-Wi-Wi, Alpine, Hwy 180/191 and surrounding private property.
Prescribed burning provides many benefits and is essential to maintaining healthy forest ecosystems. 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. Objectives of this project are to maintain and protect ponderosa pine stands while providing browse for wildlife.
This will provide protection for the private lands, as well as provide protection for the community of Nutrioso from wildfires.
Crews will be on scene from ignition until there is no longer a threat of escape from the project boundaries.
Questions or concerns contact the Alpine Ranger District at (928) 339-5000 or by calling 311 or 928-333-3412. Also, check out our website at: www.fs.usda.gov/asnf or follow us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/apachesitgreavesnfs/.

10/20/16 – The Bureau of Indian Affairs Fort Apache Agency Fire Management in coordination with the White Mountain Apache Tribe began prescribed burn operations on Monday, October 17, 2016 within several burn units on the Fort Apache Indian Reservation.

Fire Officials will work on squaring up the burn block within the Corduroy burn unit. This burn unit is located south of Pinetop Mountain and west of Cooley Lake. The burn block is 1,196 acres and a total of 599 acres have been treated since Monday. Broadcast burning ignitions will continue today and tomorrow to complete the treatment of the remaining 597 acres within this burn block.

Broadcast burning promotes ecological health in frequent fire forests, reduces hazardous fuels thereby protecting nearby communities, and reduces the intensity and size of future wildfires. Prescribed burn operations will temporarily stop throughout the weekend and burn operations will resume on Tuesday, October 25, 2016 if weather conditions are favorable.

Nearby residents should expect smoke in the vicinity and drivers should pay extra attention while traveling through or adjacent to burn areas. All prescribed fire activity will be carefully monitored and will comply with smoke management guidelines to reduce the impact of smoke on local residents. If conditions become unfavorable prescribed burning efforts will be ceased to mitigate smoke impacts to the communities.

If you have any questions regarding our upcoming prescribed burning efforts, you can call Candy Lupe, Public Information Officer at (928) 338-5425 or (928) 205-5662.

United States Department of the Interior
BUREAU OF INDIAN AFFAIRS
FORT APACHE AGENCY
118 West Horseshoe Avenue
Whiteriver, Arizona 85941
Protecting Human Life | Restoring Cultural Landscapes | Supporting Indian Self-Determination
Distribution 10/18/16 7:48 PM
Bureau of Indian Affairs, Wildland Fire Management News Release
Contact: Candy Lupe, Public Information Officer, (928) 338-5425
Published on October 6, 2016
Prescribed Burning on the Fort Apache Indian Reservation
The Bureau of Indian Affairs Fort Apache Agency Fire Management in coordination with the White Mountain Apache Tribe will begin prescribed burn operations Tuesday, October 11, 2016. Approximately 11,500 acres are targeted to be treated by either pile burning or broadcast burning within several burn units on the Fort Apache Indian Reservation.
The late fall prescribe burning conditions have low to moderate fire intensity which produces beneficial post-fire effects. These small prescribed fires will help reduce fuel accumulation from logging and thinning projects, decrease the risk of high intensity wildfire, and to protect communities. Broadcast burns involve applying fire across the forest floor. Flames make their way along the surface, consuming accumulated needles, leaves, branches, and logs while recycling nutrients back into the soil. Broadcast burns typically produce the most noticeable smoke.
Nearby residents should expect smoke in the vicinity and drivers should pay extra attention while traveling through or adjacent to burn areas particularly along highway 73 from Post Office Canyon to Hondah and State Route 260 east of Hondah. All Prescribed Fire activity will be carefully monitored and will comply with smoke management guidelines to reduce the impact of smoke on local residents. If conditions become unfavorable prescribed burning efforts will be ceased to mitigate smoke impacts to the communities.
Prescribed burning efforts will continue as long as weather conditions permit and targeted acres are completed. Location and timing of burns will be identified on a weekly basis. If you have any questions regarding our upcoming prescribed burning efforts, you can call Candy Lupe, Public Information Officer at (928) 338-5425.