Springerville, AZ, October 7, 2019 – For Immediate Release. The Apache-Sitgreaves National Forests’ Black Mesa Ranger District plans to conduct burning operations within Burn Blocks 13,17,19,20 of the Nagel Forest Health Prescribed Burn area, if weather conditions allow, from October 7 to October 18. Burn Block 13 and 17 will be West of FR 717, South of FR 100, and East of FR 9429. Burn Blocks 19 and 20 will be along FR 169, West of FR 180 and the 9401 and East of FR 9412R and South of FR 9403Q and FR 100. The burn will encompass approximately 2,636 acres.

Once ignition occurs, crews will be on scene from ignition until there is no longer a threat of escape from the project boundaries.

This project is in partnership with the Arizona Game and Fish Department and the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation to provide forest restoration and health to the Rocky Mountain Elk, mule deer, and other wildlife species that frequent the area.

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 unit. 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.

Smoke will be visible from the surrounding communities of Forest Lakes, Heber/Overgaard, and Winslow including Hwy 260 and I-40.

For questions or concerns please contact the Black Mesa Ranger District at (928) 535-7300, or dial 311 for the Northeastern Arizona Public Information System.

The Bureau of Indian Affairs Fort Apache Agency Fire Management in coordination with the White Mountain Apache Tribe will begin prescribed burn operations on Wednesday, October 9,2019 contingent upon favorable weather conditions. Several Burn Units are targeted to be treated by either pile burning or broadcast burning on the Fort Apache Indian Reservation.

The late fall prescribed burning conditions have low to moderate fire intensity which produces beneficial post-fire effects. These small prescribed fires will help reduce fuel accumulation from logging and thinning projects, decrease the risk of high intensity wildfire, and protects communities. Broadcast burns involve applying fire across the forest floor. Flames make their way along the surface, consuming accumulated needles, leaves, branches, and logs while recycling nutrients back into the soil. Broadcast burns typically produce the most noticeable
smoke.

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.

Prescribed burning efforts will continue as long as weather conditions permit and targeted acres are completed. Location and timing of burns will be identified on a weekly basis. Fire personnel are scouting potential burn units this week to identify which areas they will begin treatment. If conditions are favorable the next update will be on Monday, October 7, 2019 with exact locations of areas to be treated. If conditions are not favorable, then the next news release will be at least two days prior to treatment.

If you have any questions regarding our upcoming prescribed burning efforts, you can call Candy Lupe, Public Information Officer at (928) 338-5425 or you can log onto BIA Fort Apache Agency’s Facebook page, https://www.facebook.com/BIAFAAFireMgt.

News Release

ALBUQUERQUE NM, October 1, 2019 – The court-ordered injunction suspending all timber management activities on the five national forests in New Mexico and the Tonto National Forest in Arizona has been modified to allow the personal cutting and collection of fuelwood. The Forest Service will resume permit sales immediately.

Southwestern Regional Forester Cal Joyner said, “We are pleased with this modification, which highlights the fact that we all want to do right by the communities we serve and reduce unnecessary burdens on communities that depend on the national forests for their sustenance. I want to assure you that we are committed to continuing our work to protect wildlife and wildlife habitat from catastrophic wildfire, and we thank you for your ongoing support, understanding and patience.”

The federal court’s ruling is related to the recent court-ordered injunction in the case WildEarth Guardians vs. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, et al concerning the Mexican spotted owl.

Other activities, including stewardship contracts, timber sales, thinning and prescribed burns, remain suspended in order to ensure compliance with the ruling, pending clarification or modification of the injunction.

The national forests impacted by the court’s order remain open to the public for recreation and other activities. The Forest Service is extremely grateful to our state and federal partners including the U.S. Department of the Interior’s Bureau of Land Management, the New Mexico State Forestry Division, the New Mexico Governor’s Office and countless community leaders for helping find interim solutions.
For the most up to date information from the Forest Service please go to https://www.fs.usda.gov/goto/r3/mso.

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