UPDATE ON PRESCRIBED BURN EFFORTS

Fort Apache Agency continues to conduct prescribed burning on the Fort Apache Indian Reservation. To date, a total of 2,633 acres has been treated within the Corduroy and Perry burn units.  Prescribed burning efforts will continue in identified burn units as long as favorable whether and fuel parameters are met.

Corduroy:  The Corduroy burn unit is located south of Show Low and a total of 1,955 acres has been treated to date.  There is approximately 1,000 acres left to be treated and fire personnel will likely complete ignitions on Thursday, October 17, 2019 contingent upon favorable weather conditions.

Perry:  The Perry burn unit is located approximately 18 miles southeast of Whiteriver. A total of 306 acres was treated within the Perry burn yesterday. Today, fire personnel will continue treatment efforts within this burn unit and will continue through the week.

Odart:  Fire personnel conducted a test burn on October 9, 2019 within the Odart burn unit. However, conditions were not favorable so operations were halted.

Turkey Creek: The Turkey Creek burn unit is located about 8 miles east of Whiteriver. A test burn was conducted on October 11, 2019 within this burn unit however conditions were not favorable.  Fire personnel will reevaluate conditions and will conduct prescribed burning operations on Thursday, October 17, 2019 and may continue throughout the weekend.

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. The next update will be on Monday, October 21, 2019.

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 Faceook page, https://www.facebook.com/BIAFAAFireMgt.

See Map: FY2020_Rx_Proposed_Units (1)

A Red Flag Warning is in effect for much of the area on Wednesday. Also, please note that a Wind Advisory is in effect for much of the area as well. Please see the maps for more information. 

News Release

Media Contact: Kacy Ellsworth 928-333-6280 kacy.l.ellsworth@usda.gov  

Lakeside Ranger District burning slash piles

Springerville, AZ, October 7, 2019 – For Immediate Release. The Apache-Sitgreaves National Forests’ Lakeside Ranger District will be burning slash piles October 7 through October 11 if conditions allow. The ignition areas are on the Billy Timber Sale, Unit 9, just North of Stone Pine Estates along Buck Springs Road and Fleming/Mortimer Commercial Fuelwood Sales located on Porter Mountain Rd and Forest Service Road 283. Scattered piles will be burned across roughly 38 acres of forest land. Possible smoke impact is anticipated along Highway 260, Pinetop Country Club and Sky Hi Retreat from the Billy Mountain Timber Sale Pile Burn.  Possible smoke impact on Porter Mountain Rd and Highway 60 from the Fleming/Mortimer Prescribed Burn.

In the interest of safety, forest visitors are reminded to use caution when traveling in the vicinity of the pile burn as smoke may reduce visibility in the area.  Smoke may be visible from the communities of Show Low, Vernon and Pinetop-Lakeside.

Prescribed burning provides many benefits and is essential to maintaining healthy forest ecosystems. 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.

Crews will be on scene from ignition until there is no longer a threat of escape from the project boundaries. Prescribed fire operations are subject to cancelation due to unfavorable weather conditions or other unforeseen circumstance.

For questions or concerns please contact the Lakeside Ranger District at (928) 368-2100, or dial 311 to reach the Northeastern Arizona Public Information System.

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