The Apache-Sitgreaves National Forests, Lakeside Ranger District will continue a prescribed burn within the Goodman unit of the Los Burros broadcast burn area, south of Vernon beginning June 3, 2016.

The Goodman Unit is about two miles south of Vernon, along Apache County Road 3140. The burn is surrounded by Forest Service Road 2, Apache County Road 3140 and hand or dozer lines. The legal description is: T9N, R25E Sections 3, 4, 5 and 9, T10N, R25E, Sections 33 and 34.  In early May, the district completed approximately 460 acres of burning within the project area.  Fire management proposes to burn an estimated 640 additional acres to complete the project.

Ignition may last several days, with daily smoke impact anticipated within area drainages. Smoke will be visible in the local area, from Arizona State Highway 260, and U.S. Highway 60, in Round Valley, Vernon and Show Low.  Please visit the New Mexico 5-3-1 at https://nmtracking.org/environ_exposure/fire-and-smoke/ to assess the air quality in your area.

Fire plays a beneficial role in maintaining the ecological stability of many landscapes and the FS is working with partners to restore healthy, resilient, fire-adapted 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.  Thinning, prescribed fires, and managing wildfires to achieve natural resource management objectives can help prevent uncharacteristic wildfires with minimal impacts to air quality while smoke from uncharacteristic wildfires may pose significant risks to public health and safety.

Objectives of this project are to maintain and protect ponderosa pine stands while providing browse for wildlife.  This prescribed fire is in cooperation with the Arizona State Forestry, Vernon Fire Department, Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation and Carlock Ranch.  This will provide protection for the adjacent private land as well as the community of Vernon.  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 Lakeside Ranger District at (928) 368-2100 or by calling 311 or 928-333-3412. Also, check out our website at: www.fs.usda.gov/asnf .  For more information please visit the ASNFs web site at www.fs.usda.gov/asnf  and follow ASNFs on Facebook at www.facebook.com/apachesitgreavesnfs or on Twitter at @AS_NFs.

United States Forest Service has shared information on several fires burning in our State. We are being affected by the smoke of a few fires in the state. The Pivot Fire is now at 5,070+ acres, the Juniper Fire is at 6,620+ acres and the Paddy Creek Fire is at 778 acres. Smoke from fire can be a health concern. It is important to understand types and uses of fires, health effects from smoke and techniques for minimizing smoke impacts. The following information is to help the public respond to smoke issues.

Particulate matter is a component of smoke from wildfires and consists of fine particles such as soot and ash that can reach deep into the lungs and may contain irritating and toxic compounds. Some of the symptoms related to exposure to smoke from wildfires include:

• Eye, nose, mouth and/or throat irritation;
• Coughing;
• Trouble breathing;
• Tightness of the chest; and/or
• The onset of symptoms related to pre-existing respiratory ailments like asthma or emphysema.

If smoke from wildfires is affecting you and your family consider some of the following actions:

• If you smell smoke and/or are beginning to experience symptoms, consider temporarily locating to another area as long as it is safe for you to do so.
• Move indoors and stay there with doors and windows closed.
• Run the air conditioning, the fan feature on your home heating system with the heat turned off. The filtration systems on home systems can provide some benefit.
• Run room air filtration units.
• Reduce your physical activity level. Do not exercise.
• If symptoms persist or become more severe, please contact your primary health care provider – even persons considered healthy can experience symptoms when exposed to smoke from wildfires!

There are a few population groups considered especially at risk from exposure to smoke from wildfires.

• Elderly persons;
• Young children (especially children 7 and under);

Individuals with pre-existing health conditions like asthma, emphysema, and cardiovascular disease; and Individuals with respiratory infections like colds or flu.

5/31/16 5:00 PM
PIVOT ROCK FIRE OVERVIEW
Start Date: May 19, 2016.
Cause: Lightning.
Location: About three miles northeast of the junction of State Routes 260 and 87; eight miles northeast of Strawberry.
Current Size: Approximately 3,708 acres.
Resources: 1-Type 1 crew, 2-Type 3 engines, 6-Type 6 engines, 1-dozer, 1-Water Tender, and various firefighting individuals, totaling 90 personnel.
Smoke: Smoke will be visible from SR 260 and 87 as well as the communities of Payson, Pine, Strawberry, the Verde Valley and Happy Jack. Over the weekend, an unexpected wind shift reversed the smoke direction, which impacted the Verde Valley, Cornville and Cottonwood.
Light winds are expected out of the northwest in the afternoon at 10 mph and currently the smoke is dispersing throughout the I-17 corridor, Munds Park, and Sedona areas this morning. At night, light smoke from the Pivot Rock Fire is expected to settle into low areas and nearby canyons, including the I-17 corridor, Munds Park, and Sedona, Toms Creek, Clover Canyon, Pivot Rock Canyon and into West Clear Creek.
Closures: The closure area for this fire is north of the intersections of SR 260 and 87 and can be viewed at http://tinyurl.com/hl978x5. The closure boundary will be expanded from FR 149 to 144, west of SR 260, south to SR 87, and north to FR 149 to cover planned operations. Motorists in the area of the fire are encouraged to slow down, as firefighters and equipment will be working in the area.
Recent & Current Operations: Burnout operations occurred along Forest Road 142 along the complete northern portion of the fire during the weekend. The burnout operations will continue today along the western portion of the fire and Forest Road 149 near Duncan Canyon. These firing operations are to protect important sensitive wildlife, culture significant sights and other values which may be at risk.