Springerville, AZ –April 16, 2015 @ 5:00 pm

A small fire located on Ecks Mountain (south of the town of Vernon) called the Ecks Fire was reported around 6:55 p.m. on Wednesday. The fire burned an estimated 2.9 acres and was contained at 1:53 a.m. this morning. The cause is unknown and under investigation.

Fire crews from the Lakeside Ranger District, Vernon and Pine Top Fire Departments responded. Crews will mop up and will continue monitoring the area.

Conditions regarding fire restrictions are being monitored and are expected to be implanted in the coming weeks. Officials ask if you are camping in the White Mountains to make sure you bring a shovel and plenty of water to extinguish the fire and don’t leave the area until the coals are cold to the touch. Never leave your campfire unattended.

 For fire information for Greenlee, Apache and Navajo Counties can be found at www.311info.net and by calling 311 or 928-333-3412.

 Check these websites below for more information:

www.311info.net or www.firerestrictions.us or www.fs.usda.gov/asnf

• http://www.fed.usa.gov/asnf
• Forecast weather conditions can be found at the National Weather Service webpage http://www.nws.noaa.gov/
• The ASNFs encourage any visitors to the area to call or stop any of their five Ranger Stations in Clifton, Alpine, Springerville, Lakeside or Heber-Overgaard.

While the White Mountains is experiencing warmer weather, and there are no fire restrictions in place, now may be a perfect time to clear  away weeds from fences and out of ditches. Look for ways that promote safe and proper disposal of dead vegetation and other unwanted waste.

Before you conduct an open burn, keep in mind any burn permits that may be required for your area. You may contact your local Fire Departments, Police Departments and Emergency Management Departments on where to obtain burn permits.

Before you burn your waste/debris you may want to consider that open burning can produce a lot of smoke and toxic pollutants. Smoke may pose a threat to people with pre-existing conditions such as asthma, children and the elderly. Depending upon the size of the burn and the smoke it generates, it may cause a driving hazard from the smoke haze.

Materials that produce toxic smoke cannot be burned. The State’s open burning rule list these prohibited materials as:

• Chemically treated wood
• Tires
• Batteries
• Hazardous waste products
• Asphalt shingles
• Asbestos
• Explosives
• Ammunition
• Waste petroleum products

You may check the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality (ADEQ) website at www.azdeq.gov for information on open burning.

We want you to be fire smart and clear your dead vegetation away from your homes and fences before we enter our fire season. While doing so keep in mind these tips:

• Never leave a burn site unattended. Remain at the site until the fire is completely extinguished and have equipment available to control the burn and put out the fire if necessary.
• Have your required burn permit at the burn site
• Burn only dry material
• Maintain a clearance of 50 feet from any structure
• Adhere to all local fire restrictions

Remember, having a burn permit or any burn exemption does not absolve an individual or organization from liability or responsibility for any fire started by the exempted activity.

2/26/15 6:30 pm

A Winter storm will bring heavy rain and snow to portions of northern Arizona…with the greatest period of impact currently forecast for late Saturday night through Monday.  A colder storm will arrive by Tuesday…bringing additional snow to the area.

This is a high impact and long duration event.  Higher elevations of the Western and Central Mogollon Rim could see as much as 1 to 3 feet of snow with this storm…with additional snow on Tuesday and Wednesday.

There is a threat of flooding along the southern slopes of the Mogollon Rim and Bradshaw mountains with the anticipated heavy rainfall (Yavapai, N. Gila Counties).NE Arizona, and the Eastern Rim / White Mtns where snow levels will be higher.