• Lakeside East-Antelope Unit Rx – May 8 through May 20. Location: Four miles to the southwest of Vernon, AZ. The project boundary is along and within County Road 3140, Forest Road three and four.  The public should expect to see smoke from Hwy 60 and possibly 260 and will diminish each day after ignition. Total acres: 1,008 acres.

Nutri 2 Unit Prescribed Fire

Springerville, AZ, May 8, 2023   The Apache-Sitgreaves National Forests plans to continue blackline burning operations on the Alpine Ranger District, beginning May 11 through May 13, 2023. The Nutri 2 Unit Prescribed Fire area covers 500 acres and is located about six miles south of Nutrioso and seven miles northwest of Alpine. 

The following prescribed fire will be continued if conditions and approvals allow:

• The Nutri 2 Unit Rx will continue a blacklining operation along and south of Forest Road 581, as well as south along Forest Road 81. (Please see attached map.) The objective is to complete establishment of blackline prior to burning the interior portion of the unit.
  • Ignition operations are expected to take up to 3 days.

Blacklining is the process of preburning vegetation adjacent to a control line before igniting a prescribed burn. Blacklining is usually done in heavy fuels adjacent to a control line during periods of low fire danger to reduce heat on holding crews and lessen chances for spotting across control lines. Blacklining will occur along and south of Forest Road 581, as well as south along Forest Road 81. (Please see attached map). When conditions are within the ranges outlined in the burn plan and approvals are obtained, ignitions are expected to take two days.

Our land management strategy is centered on long-term forest health, including reducing forest fuels and using prescribed fire on the landscape. Prescribed fires provide habitat diversity, recycle plant nutrients into the soil, and encourage new growth for various plants used by wildlife and livestock. They also reduce forest surface fuels which lessen the threat of large-scale wildfire impacts on private lands and communities.

Smoke will be a consideration in the vicinity of the prescribed fires depending on the weather and use caution when traveling in the area. Smoke will be visible in the communities of Alpine, Nutrioso and Springerville, as well as Hwy 180, 191 and 60.  Information on air quality and active prescribed fires can be found on Arizona Department of Environmental Quality’s webpage: https://azdeq.gov/.

Springerville, AZ, May 4, 2023 — The Apache-Sitgreaves National Forests plan to conduct multiple prescribed fire operations beginning May 3 and continuing through May 20, 2023. The following prescribed fires will be initiated if conditions and approvals allow:

Lakeside Ranger District:

• Lakeside East-Antelope Unit Rx – May 8 through May 20. Location: Four miles to the southwest of Vernon, AZ. The project boundary is along and within County Road 3140, Forest Road three and four.  The public should expect to see smoke from Hwy 60 and possibly 260 and will diminish each day after ignition. Total acres: 1,008 acres.

Springerville Ranger District:

• Wallow West 3B Rx – May 8 through May 12. Location: The project area is located between Big Lake and Springerville adjacent to AZ State Highway 261. The unit is surrounded by a significant road system on all four sides consisting of dirt and graveled/paved roads. The unit is bound by Forest Road 409 on the west side, AZ State Highway 261 on the east side, AZ State highway 273 on the south and a two-track, dirt road, Forest Service Road 8403 on the north side. All roads are main routes of travel for many motorists visiting the Springerville Ranger District. All roads listed will serve as sufficient barriers to fire spread. Smoke will be visible from Greer, Springerville, Eager and possibly Nutrioso and Alpine. It may impact portions of AZ State Hwy 261, AZ State Hwy 273 and Forest Service Road 249 during implementation and possibly for a few days. Total acres 4,769.

• Wallow West 6 A Rx – May 8 through May 12. Location: The project area is bound by a significant road system along three sides. The West Fork of the Black River is a major perennial drainage and will constitute the western boundary. To the north, the boundary will be Forest Service Road 116 and Forest Service Road 249E which continues to the east and forms the eastern boundary of the unit. To the south, Forest Service Road 68C will be the southern boundary. Steepest slopes lie along the West Fork of the Black River Drainage. These areas that were once wet mixed conifer have been converted to open areas of grass with a heavy dead and down component. Bare ground and rock screes also cover much of the steeper slopes. The same is true of the NW corner of the unit. This area of wet mixed conifer is now open canopy grassland.  Smoke will be visible from Greer, Springerville, Eager and possibly Nutrioso and Alpine. It may impact portions of AZ State Hwy 261, AZ State Hwy 273 and Forest Service Road 249 during implementation and possibly for a few days. Total acres 2,434.

Stay up to date on news from the A-S at our website https://www.fs.usda.gov/asnf, on Twitter @A_SNFs and on facebook.com/apachesitgreavesnfs.

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