Lakeside, AZ, April 8, 2021— The Lakeside Ranger District will be conducting a 3,418 acre prescribed burn within the Lakeside East Broadcast burn area, south of Vernon beginning April 11, 2021 and continuing thru April 18, 2021, weather dependent.

The units located within the Lakeside East Broadcast burn area are:
Los Burros Unit – 1,744 acres
Pierce Mountain Unit – 912 acres
Reservation Tank Unit – 671 acres.

These units are located about eight miles south of Vernon, along Apache County Road 3140. The burn units are surrounded by Forest Service Roads 96, FSR 9G, FSR 9835 and Apache County Road 3140.

Ignition may last more than one day, with daily smoke impact anticipated within area drainages. Smoke will be visible in the local area, from Arizona State Highway 260, and U.S. Highway 60, in Springerville, Eager, Vernon, McNary, Pinetop-Lakeside and Show Low. In the interest of safety, forest visitors are reminded to obey all traffic signs and 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 for maintaining healthy forest ecosystems. This area has received some forest thinning within the past three to eight years, this burn continues the needed restoration treatment, providing habitat diversity, recycling plant nutrients into the soil, and encouraging new growth for a variety of plants used by wildlife and livestock. Prescribed burning of forest ground fuels also reduces the negative threat of large-scale wildfire impacts. This prescribed burn is in cooperation with the White Mountain Apache Tribe.

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 Lakeside Ranger District at 928-368-2100 or visit the ASNFs website at: www.fs.usda.gov/asnf