Springerville, AZ; July 1, 2014—One of those special occasions of enjoying any National Forest is when wildlife is spotted, especially large mammals such as black bears. But, while you are enjoying one of those rare moments of seeing a bear in the wild, precautions need to be taken to avoid conflicts with bears. There are some basic safety precautions to take to avoid conflict with bears while visiting the Forest.

Don’t feed the bears – A fed bear is a dead bear: 

• Wild bears have a natural fear of humans and will attempt to avoid people and developed areas–fed bears do not.
• Fed bears will abandon vital natural food sources for human foods and garbage.
• Wild bears quickly become conditioned to being fed and will teach their cubs to approach people to do the same.

When camping in bear county: 

• Always keep a clean camp; black bears have an excellent sense of smell that can span miles. For bears,  garbage = food!
• Don’t leave food out. Store it in bear resistant storage units or a hard-shelled vehicle, or hang 10 ft. from the ground and 4 ft. from top and side supports.
• Always store food away from your sleeping area.  Where possible,      food storage and preparation areas should be at least 100 yards from your sleeping area.
• Use bear-resistant trash receptacles provided at developed campgrounds.
• Carry E.P.A. registered bear pepper spray.
• Keep your sleeping area, tent, and sleeping bag free of food, toiletries and odors.
• Keep pets on a leash and inside at night as they may attract bears.

When hiking in bear country: 

• Let someone know where you are going and when you plan to return.
• Read all signs at the trailhead and carry bear spray.
• Scan ahead for signs of bear activity and watch for signs such as scat, claw marks, diggings, and logs or stumps that are torn apart.
• Hike in a group, keep children close at hand. Make your presence known—call out, be loud!

Helpful web sites:

Be Bear Aware:  www.bebearaware.org

Keeping Bears Alive & You Safe: http://www.wildlife.state.nm.us/publications/documents/BearsAlive.pdf

7/2/2014 1:00 – The Apache-Sitgreaves National Forests present very different landscapes and varied weather conditions which may affect the outlook for fire season and monsoonal moisture. Extended periods of drought conditions for the past season have contributed to drier fuels conditions for May and June. Above normal fire potential will reduce to near normal conditions during the month of July due to the approaching monsoon season.

Monsoons can be dangerous if you are not aware of the dangers they can bring. Monsoons bring powerful winds, pounding rain, dangerous lightning, and blinding dust storms. The Apache-Sitgreaves National Forests (ASNFs) will continue to have small fires due to lightning strikes from the storms. The moisture produced by the monsoons should return the area to below normal fire conditions for August through September. The US Forest Services wants visitors to the ASNFs to enjoy their time on the Forests, and encourages visitors planning a trip to the area to “Know Before You Go”! Check with the National Weather Service for a weather outlook before camping, hiking, or driving through the area, and always let someone know where you are going and the specific locations you plan to visit.

“Campers should avoid low-lying areas. It is important to anticipate when rain is predicted and to be aware of the alternate routes in and out of the area, especially within or near any previously burned area,” according to ASNFs’ Supervisor Jim Zornes. Never drive across a flooded road! Statistics clearly indicate the high risk of driving in and around flooded roads and low spots. In many cases, individuals attempt to drive through flooded roads only to be whisked away by rushing waters. The rule is simple: if the road or its line markings cannot be seen, avoid driving through the water.

As a reminder, all Apache-Sitgreaves National Forests are in stage II Fire Restrictions and fireworks are never allowed on National Forests. For more information about restrictions on public lands call 311 or (928) 333-3412; 1-877-864-6985 or visit (www.311info.net) and the interagency website: (www.firerestrictions.us) created to inform residents and visitors about fire restrictions and closures across the South-west area.

For more information on the Apache-Sitgreaves National Forests and its district offices, visit http://www.fs.usda.gov/asnf

Residents and visitors are asked to be aware of wildfire conditions in our area and take appropriate prevention measures. Remember, one less spark means one less wildfire.

7/2/14 9:05 am
ISOLATED TO SCATTERED SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS ARE EXPECTED TO
DEVELOP LATE MORNING INTO THE EARLY EVENING AND SPREAD SOUTH
SOUTHWESTWARD OFF THE HIGHER TERRAIN OF NORTHERN ARIZONA AND
WESTERN NEW MEXICO. THESE STORMS WILL PRODUCE ISOLATED HEAVY
RAINFALL WITH THE PRIMARY THREATS BEING LIGHTNING AND STRONG
OUTFLOW WINDS IN EXCESS OF 45 MPH.

HIGH TEMPERATURES TODAY ARE FORECAST TO RUN 3 TO 5 DEGREES ABOVE
NORMAL WITH HIGHS AT THE BOTTOM OF THE GRAND CANYON EXPECTED TO
REACH AROUND 109 DEGREES…AND THOSE PLANNING OUTDOOR ACTIVITIES
THERE SHOULD USE CAUTION.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN…THURSDAY THROUGH TUESDAY

MONSOONAL MOISTURE WILL INCREASE ACROSS NORTHERN ARIZONA THROUGH
THE WEEK WITH CHANCES FOR SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS EACH
AFTERNOON AND EVENING. THUNDERSTORM CHANCES WILL INCREASE THROUGH
SATURDAY AS AMPLE MOISTURE SPREADS NORTH ACROSS THE STATE.
TEMPERATURES ARE EXPECTED TO COOL CLOSER TO NORMAL.