Bureau of Indian Affairs, Wildland Fire Management News ReleaseContact: Candy Lupe, Public Information Officer, (928) 205-5662Email: candy.lupe@bia.goApril 18, 2023

HOP-COT SPRING PRESCRIBED BURN PLANNED FOR APRIL 20, 2023

Whiteriver, Arizona: The Bureau of Indian Affairs Fort Apache Agency Fire Management in coordination with the White Mountain Apache Tribe are planning to conduct prescribed burning within the Hop-Cot burn unit on Thursday, April 20, 2023. If conditions are favorable, active ignitions will continue through Saturday, April 23, 2023. The Hop-Cot burn unit is located approximately 8 miles southwest of Show Low, Arizona and just west of Forestdale. A total of 806 acres are targeted to be treated. Active ignition will take one to three days, with some smoke visible in the burn area for up to a week after ignition operations are completed. The purpose of this burn is to reduce hazardous fuels and the chance for future high-intensity wildfires. Nearby residents should expect smoke in the vicinity. Drivers should pay extra attention while traveling through Highway 60 or adjacent to this burn unit. Officials expect smoke to dissipate quickly during burn days, but some smoke could linger in valley bottoms and drainages for short durations. If you are driving along the Hop-Cot prescribed burn area, please drive with care!

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

This advisory is for our Winslow residents, the Little Colorado River is seeing elevated water levels this morning. Water levels are expected to recede later tonight into Friday. The levee in Winslow is being monitored closely and no problems have been detected, however, residents should ensure they are ready with a Go Kit and family communication plan. Please stay off of the levee. Updates will be posted on our social media and on www.311info.net.

***Correction, the dates expected for this project are January 5th through the 13th (weather permitting).

The Black Mesa Ranger District on the Apache-Sitgreaves National Forests is planning to proceed with prescribed pile burning in the vicinity of Hwy 260 approximately 3 miles west of the community of Forest Lakes and adjacent to Willow Springs Lake.

The project boundaries are north and west of Highway 260 and south and east of the powerline access road. The burn is expected to be conducted between January 6th and 13th, depending on weather conditions.

Smoke will be a consideration in the vicinity of the prescribed burns depending on the weather and caution should be used when traveling in the area. Information on air quality and active prescribed burns can be found on Arizona Department of Environmental Quality’s webpage: https://azdeq.gov/. Smoke-sensitive individuals and people with respiratory or heart disease are encouraged to take precautionary measures.

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, recycles plant nutrients into the soil, and encourages new growth for various plants used by wildlife and livestock. They also reduce forest surface fuels which lessens the threat of large-scale wildfire impacts on private lands and communities.

The public can obtain additional information by calling the Black Mesa Ranger District at (928) 535-7300.