10/31/16 2:19 pm
U.S. Forest Service
Apache-Sitgreaves National Forests
30 S Chiricahua Drive
Springerville, AZ 85938

Web: www.fs.usda.gov/asnf
Twitter: @A_SNFs

News Release

Black Mesa Ranger District burning 850 acres northwest of Forest Lakes
Heber-Overgaard, AZ –October 31, 2016; —The Apache-Sitgreaves National Forests’ Black Mesa Ranger District will be conducting a 850 acre prescribed burn in the Nagel burn unit beginning October 31, weather dependent.
The Nagel Unit’s legal description is: T12N, R13E, Section 2 and T13N R13E, Section 33.
Ignition may last several days, with daily smoke impact anticipated within area drainages. Smoke will be visible northwest of Forest Lakes and also along Forest Roads 34 and 75. In the interest of safety, forest visitors are reminded to use caution when traveling in the vicinity of the prescribed fire burn units as firefighters and fire-related traffic may be in the area.
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. Objectives of this project are to maintain and protect ponderosa pine stands while providing browse for wildlife.
Crews will be on scene from ignition until there is no longer a threat of escape from the project boundaries.
Questions or concerns contact the Black Mesa Ranger District at (928) 535-7300 or by calling 311 or 928-333-3412. Also, check out our website at: www.fs.usda.gov/asnf or follow us on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/apachesitgreavesnfs/ or check out Inciweb at http://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/5062/.