Springerville, AZ – January 26, 2021 – The Alpine Ranger District on the Apache-Sitgreaves National Forests is planning a prescribed burn of piles beginning Wednesday, January 27-31, 2021, weather conditions permit. Piles consist of debris leftover from recent timber and sales. They are burned to reduce the fuel loading surrounding Alpine’s community. Fire personnel will monitor the burn until it is entirely out.

Smoke will be visible from Alpine, along portions of Arizona State Hwy 180/191, and portions of Forest Road 8056 (Escudilla/Hulsey Bench Rd.). Smoke may limit visibility on roads and 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.

All prescribed burns are approved through the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality (ADEQ) before ignitions begin, and they monitor air quality. Please visit the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality’s webpage: https://azdeq.gov/, for additional information regarding air quality.

Prescribed burning provides many benefits and is essential to maintaining healthy forest ecosystems. This prescribed fire is a follow up to the previous hand thinning treatments within the units. It provides habitat diversity, recycles plant nutrients into the soil, and encourages new growth for various plants used by wildlife and livestock. Prescribed burning of forest ground fuels also reduces the threat of large-scale wildfire impacts on private lands.

Although smoke from prescribed fire can still be a nuisance, it is usually for a shorter time, and considerably less smoke than wildfires produce. If you are sensitive to smoke or have respiratory problems, stay indoors if possible. To find helpful fire resources visit the Apache-Sitgreaves National Forests website at https://www.fs.usda.gov/detail/asnf/fire.

The public can obtain additional information via the following:

• Local Ranger Station: Alpine Ranger District at (928) 339-5000
• 311 Information at (928) 333-3412
• Apache-Sitgreaves National Forests website
• Prescribed Fires and Smoke

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SPRINGERVILLE, AZ,- January 26, 2021 – The Black Mesa Ranger District on the Apache-Sitgreaves National Forests will be conducting a prescribed burn of piles on two administrative sites starting Wednesday, January 27, lasting through the end of the week, as weather conditions allow. The sites are called the Hilltop and Black Mesa Administration Site Prescribed Burn areas.

The Hilltop Administration Site Prescribed Burn area is located south of Highway 260 at the junction of F.R. 86 and F.R. 9593A, and the pile’s location on approximately 7 acres. The Black Mesa Administrate Site’s area is at the Black Mesa Ranger District in Overgaard, with the piles located across about 55 acres. Fire crews will be on scene from the beginning of ignitions until there is no longer a threat of escape from the project boundaries.

Prescribed burning provides many benefits and is essential to maintaining healthy forest ecosystems. This prescribed fire is a follow up to the previous hand thinning treatments within the units. It provides habitat diversity, recycles plant nutrients into the soil, and encourages new growth for various plants used by wildlife and livestock. Prescribed burning of forest ground fuels also reduces the threat of large-scale wildfire impacts on private lands.

Smoke will be visible from Hwy’s 260, 277, 377, and Heber-Overgaard, Aripine, and Clay Springs communities. All prescribed burns are approved through the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality (ADEQ) before ignitions begin. ADEQ monitors air quality and determines whether or not it will be a good day for smoke dispersion. Our strategic approach is breaking larger burn areas into smaller acreages often limits the amount of smoke that impacts an area.

Although smoke from prescribed fire can still be a nuisance, it is usually for a shorter time, and considerably less smoke than wildfires produce. If you are sensitive to smoke or have respiratory problems, stay indoors if possible. To find helpful resources visit the Apache-Sitgreaves National Forests website at https://www.fs.usda.gov/detail/asnf/fire.

The public can obtain additional information via the following:
• Local Ranger Station: Black Mesa RD (928) 535-7300
• 311 Information at (928) 333-3412
• Apache-Sitgreaves National Forests website
• Prescribed Fires and Smoke

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KEY POINTS
● Winter Weather Advisory for portions of the Mogollon Rim and Yavapai county above 6000 feetthrough 5 PM MST Sunday.
● Wind Advisory for the north facing slopes of the White Mountains until 6 PM MST Saturday.
● Weekend storm primary impacts are mainly above 5000-6000 feet.
● Showers become sporadic today, increasing again tonight in the Winter Weather Advisory area.
● 6 to 12 inches above 6000 feet this weekend, with lesser amounts above 5000 feet by Sunday.
● Monday/Tuesday storm impacts will affect nearly all locations above 2000-3000 feet and will bring accumulating snow to a large portion of northern and central Arizona.
● 10 to 20 inches above 4500-5000 feet Monday and Tuesday, amounts of 10 inches or less down to elevations as low as 2500-3000 feet. Potential for heavy snow loads between 4000-5000 feet.

IMPACTS
● Difficult to impossible travel conditions at times, due to heavy snow.
● Spotty power outages due to heavy snow and gusty winds.
● Bitter cold Wednesday and Thursday morning may cause external pipe damage and frozen pipes.

Winter Storm Warning was downgraded to a Winter Weather Advisory on Friday afternoon. Wind Advisory added for the north facing slopes of the White Mountains for Saturday.