7/22/14 – Subtropical moisture will begin to return to Northern Arizona as the trough along the west coast weakens and moves east by Thursday. The upper level high pressure ridge will sit over western New Mexico and the Four Corners region and due to the clockwise circulation around the upperlevel high this circulation will tend to draw deeper moisture over northern Mexico Northward into Northern Arizona. Scattered showers and thunderstorms are forecast over the White Mountains and portions of the eastern Mogollon Rim with isolated showers and thunderstorm elsewhere. Local thunderstorm outflow wind bgusts to around 50 MPH is possible.

Chance of showers and thunderstorms as far north as Flagstaff Wednesday and Thursday then to the Grand Canyon country by the weekend. Some of the thunderstorms that initially form will be high based with the potential to produce strong thunderstorm outflow winds then wetter storms will replace the higher based storms as the moisture progresses northwestward.

Springerville, AZ; July 17, 2014—The Apache-Sitgreaves National Forests are selling personal and commercial fuel wood permits for various types of dead/down and dead standing trees. Permits can be purchased at all five local Forest Service Ranger Stations. There is a limit of 10 cords of personal use fuel wood per year. The number of cords purchased on the spring permit is counted towards your total fuel wood purchase when the fall permits become available. Diameter at Breast Height (DBH): 4-1/2 feet from the base of the tree at ground level.

Visit www.fs.usda.gov/asnf for more information on permits.

                      NEWS RELEASE                    

For Immediate Release

July 15, 2014

Media Contact:  

Forest Service law enforcement searching for individual(s)

who placed rebar in roads

Flagstaff, Ariz. – Forest Service law enforcement is asking the public for any information related to sharpened rebar that was purposely placed on and near forest roads in the Happy Jack area.

             At least five pieces of these spiked rebar placed on a forest road were responsible for slashing at least eight tires over the weekend. It appears the rebar is being placed in areas frequented by off-highway vehicles (OHV).

“The end of the rebar has been flattened and sharpened to a point and the exposed point has been painted to blend in with the road surface,” said Mogollon Rim District Ranger Linda Wadleigh.  “The objects pose a serious threat to everyone, and that doesn’t just mean people recreating on a motorcycle or OHV, it includes people walking, hiking and even wildlife. We are taking this very seriously and asking the public to keep an eye out and report suspicious activity in the area.”

Anyone with information regarding who may be placing these dangerous rebar should contact Forest Service law enforcement at 928-527-3511.

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