Pinetop, AZ (11/4/19) – – On Wednesday, November 13, the Pinetop Fire District (PFD) continues seasonal ignitions on a broadcast burn project in Navajo County, Pinetop.

This is the second phase of the planned 124-acre Rx Burn, in Pinetop. This 35-acre RX Burn is located at Buck Spring and 260 on the north side of Highway 260.

Ignitions are scheduled for 10am and weather dependent.

Smoke may be visible to the Pinetop-Lakeside area during the day. Overnight, smoke is expected to move through Billy Creek toward Show Low.

Prescribed burning provides a variety of benefits to the landscape. It provides a more efficient way of removing leftover debris from fuels mitigation projects, reduces the risk of wildfires, stimulates forest health by ridding diseased vegetation, and helps to improve wildlife habitat. Additionally, managed prescribed treatment burns can reduce smoke emission unlike smoke emissions from uncontrolled wildfires.

The safety of our firefighters and the public is our first priority and the district monitors conditions closely before test ignitions even start. In addition, PFD must obtain prior approval from the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality.

Burn information can be found on the district’s web & Facebook pages.

For more information, contact Chad Berlin at 928-367-2199 or by email at cberlin@pinetopfire.com

11/12/19 – Fort Apache Agency continues to conduct prescribed burning on the Fort Apache Indian Reservation. Since October 9, 2019, a total of 16,562 acres has been treated within several burn units. Recent rains have halted prescribed burn efforts since last Wednesday, November 6, 2019.

Fire personnel conducted a test burn within the Hop-Cot burn unit yesterday but conditions were not favorable to continue prescribed burning efforts. No prescribed burning will be conducted today as well. Today, personnel will evaluate conditions at four burn units. This week prescribed burn resources are planning to treat burn blocks within the following prescribed burn units if conditions become favorable:
 Turkey Burn Unit (10 miles east of Whiteriver)
 Hop-Cot Burn Unit ( 6 miles south of Show Low)
 Sevenmile burn unit (8 miles east of Whiteriver)
 Coyote West Burn Unit (6 miles southwest of Hondah)

Smoke may continue to be visible from within the interior of the burn units. 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.

The next update will be on Monday, November 18, 2019. The public should avoid entering the burn units for their safety and fire fighter safety. If you have any questions regarding our upcoming prescribed burning efforts, you can call Candy Lupe, Public Information Officer at (928) 338-5425, (928) 205-5662 or you can log onto BIA Fort Apache Agency’s Facebook page, https://www.facebook.com/BIAFAAFireMgt.