Springerville, AZ – October 16, 2019 – The Black Mesa Ranger District on the Apache-Sitgreaves National Forests are conducting prescribed burns within the Rodeo-Chediski Prescribed Burn area from October 15, 2019 through November 30, 2019, as weather conditions allow.

Scott Ridge and Bryant blocks include Forest Roads 139, FR 132 and fall between Scott Ridge and Bryant Canyon. These burn blocks encompass approximately 3,270 acres.
Spring Canyon, Stinson Wash and Smith Ridge include Forest Roads 139, FR 46, and FR 9850E around the Ricochet Ranch area. These burn blocks will encompass approximately 1,800 acres. Smoke may be visible from Heber-Overgaard, Clay Springs, Pinedale, Snowflake-Taylor, Show Low, Ricochet Ranch communities and State Highway 260.

Prescribed burning provides many benefits and is essential to maintaining healthy forest ecosystems. This prescribed fire is a follow-up to previous mechanical treatments within parts of the units and within the old burn scar from Rodeo-Chediski Fire in 2002. It provides habitat diversity, recycles plant nutrients into the soil and encourages new growth for a variety of plants used by wildlife and livestock. Prescribed burning of forest ground fuels also reduces the threat of large scale wildfire impacts to private lands.

This project is in partnership with the Arizona Game and Fish Department and the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation and provides forest restoration and health to the Rocky Mountain Elk, mule deer, antelope and other species that frequent the area.
Once ignition occurs, crews will be on scene from ignition until there is no longer a threat of escape from the project boundaries.

Questions or concerns? Please contact the Black Mesa Ranger District at 928-535-7300 or visit the Apache-Sitgreaves National Forest’s website at: www.fs.usda.gov/asnf.

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Springerville, AZ- October 15, 2019 – The Springerville Ranger District on the Apache-Sitgreaves National Forests is plans to conduct a 12,000 acre prescribed fire operation on Wallow West 1B, late October to early November 2019 in the Wallow West Prescribed area 1B; Township ,6N, Range 28 East. Ignition will be dependent on the weather.
The Springerville Ranger District will be burning Tuesday on the Wallow west project and plan to burn up to 8,000 acres by Thursday. Once that area is complete and if conditions allow, we will go to Wallow West block 1B for an additional 4,000 acres, which could be completed by Saturday. Both these burn units were burned in the Wallow fire so fuel accumulations are moderately low consisting of mainly grass and less than an inch of pine litter.
This Wallow West Prescribed area project will help reduce the fuels from the Wallow Fire. This prescribed fire will reduce dead and down woody material and benefit wildlife habitat. Once ignition occurs, crews will be on the scene from ignition until there is no longer a threat of escape from the project boundaries. The burn may be canceled by fire managers if conditions become unfavorable.
All prescribed burns are approved through the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality (ADEQ) before ignition begins. The ADEQ monitors air quality and determines whether or not it will be a good day for smoke dispersion. Although smoke from prescribed fire can still be noticeable, it is usually for a shorter time and considerably less smoke than wildfires produce. If you are sensitive to smoke or have respiratory problems, please stay indoors if possible.
Questions or concerns? Please contact the Springerville Ranger District at 928-333-6200 or visit the Apache-Sitgreaves National Forest’s website at: www.fs.usda.gov/asnf
Fire restrictions: Apache-Sitgreaves National Forests is not currently on any fire restrictions. Visitors are reminded to be very careful with fire. Never leave a fire unattended.
Additional Information on fire and wildfire safety can be found at:
o Northeastern Arizona Public Information System: https://311info.net/ or call 311 or 928.333.3412
o Arizona Fire Restrictions: http://firerestrictions.us/az/
o Fire Restrictions and Red Flag Alerts: http://wildlandfire.az.gov/
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Phoenix, AZ (9/26/19) – – On Tuesday, October 15, the Arizona Department of Forestry and Fire Management resumes ignitions to a pile burn project in Navajo County, northwest of Pinetop.

This is the second phase of the 35-acre Brownlow-Lee Rx Burn, four miles northwest of Pinetop, south of the Maverick gas station, on the south side of Highway 260.
Ignitions are scheduled for 7am 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.

Also tomorrow, DFFM crews begin the McCreary Rx Burn near Happy Jack, two miles north of Clint’s Well in Coconino County.

The McCreary Rx Burn is also a pile burn project aimed at reducing 475 acres of debris piles from prior fuels mitigation work in the area.

Smoke from this project will be visible from Lake Mary Road (Forest Road 3 or Highway 487).

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.

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

Burn information can be found on the agency’s Twitter and Facebook pages and will also be provided through the department’s mobile phone application.

To download the free app, go to the iTunes or Google Play store and search – Arizona Department of Forestry and Fire Management. For more information, contact Tiffany Davila at 602-540-1036 or by email at tdavila@dffm.az.gov.