Springerville, AZ – October 16, 2019 – The Black Mesa Ranger District on the Apache-Sitgreaves National Forests are conducting prescribed burns within the Rodeo-Chediski Prescribed Burn area from October 15, 2019 through November 30, 2019, as weather conditions allow.

Scott Ridge and Bryant blocks include Forest Roads 139, FR 132 and fall between Scott Ridge and Bryant Canyon. These burn blocks encompass approximately 3,270 acres.
Spring Canyon, Stinson Wash and Smith Ridge include Forest Roads 139, FR 46, and FR 9850E around the Ricochet Ranch area. These burn blocks will encompass approximately 1,800 acres. Smoke may be visible from Heber-Overgaard, Clay Springs, Pinedale, Snowflake-Taylor, Show Low, Ricochet Ranch communities and State Highway 260.

Prescribed burning provides many benefits and is essential to maintaining healthy forest ecosystems. This prescribed fire is a follow-up to previous mechanical treatments within parts of the units and within the old burn scar from Rodeo-Chediski Fire in 2002. 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.

This project is in partnership with the Arizona Game and Fish Department and the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation and provides forest restoration and health to the Rocky Mountain Elk, mule deer, antelope and other species that frequent the area.
Once ignition occurs, crews will be on scene from ignition until there is no longer a threat of escape from the project boundaries.

Questions or concerns? Please contact the Black Mesa Ranger District at 928-535-7300 or visit the Apache-Sitgreaves National Forest’s website at: www.fs.usda.gov/asnf.

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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)

Springerville, AZ- October 15, 2019 – The Springerville Ranger District on the Apache-Sitgreaves National Forests is plans to conduct a 12,000 acre prescribed fire operation on Wallow West 1B, late October to early November 2019 in the Wallow West Prescribed area 1B; Township ,6N, Range 28 East. Ignition will be dependent on the weather.
The Springerville Ranger District will be burning Tuesday on the Wallow west project and plan to burn up to 8,000 acres by Thursday. Once that area is complete and if conditions allow, we will go to Wallow West block 1B for an additional 4,000 acres, which could be completed by Saturday. Both these burn units were burned in the Wallow fire so fuel accumulations are moderately low consisting of mainly grass and less than an inch of pine litter.
This Wallow West Prescribed area project will help reduce the fuels from the Wallow Fire. This prescribed fire will reduce dead and down woody material and benefit wildlife habitat. Once ignition occurs, crews will be on the scene from ignition until there is no longer a threat of escape from the project boundaries. The burn may be canceled by fire managers if conditions become unfavorable.
All prescribed burns are approved through the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality (ADEQ) before ignition begins. The ADEQ monitors air quality and determines whether or not it will be a good day for smoke dispersion. Although smoke from prescribed fire can still be noticeable, it is usually for a shorter time and considerably less smoke than wildfires produce. If you are sensitive to smoke or have respiratory problems, please stay indoors if possible.
Questions or concerns? Please contact the Springerville Ranger District at 928-333-6200 or visit the Apache-Sitgreaves National Forest’s website at: www.fs.usda.gov/asnf
Fire restrictions: Apache-Sitgreaves National Forests is not currently on any fire restrictions. Visitors are reminded to be very careful with fire. Never leave a fire unattended.
Additional Information on fire and wildfire safety can be found at:
o Northeastern Arizona Public Information System: https://311info.net/ or call 311 or 928.333.3412
o Arizona Fire Restrictions: http://firerestrictions.us/az/
o Fire Restrictions and Red Flag Alerts: http://wildlandfire.az.gov/
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