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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Phoenix, AZ (9/26/19) – – On Tuesday, October 15, the Arizona Department of Forestry and Fire Management resumes ignitions to a pile burn project in Navajo County, northwest of Pinetop.

This is the second phase of the 35-acre Brownlow-Lee Rx Burn, four miles northwest of Pinetop, south of the Maverick gas station, on the south side of Highway 260.
Ignitions are scheduled for 7am and weather dependent.

Smoke may be visible to the Pinetop-Lakeside area during the day. Overnight, smoke is expected to move through Billy Creek toward Show Low.

Also tomorrow, DFFM crews begin the McCreary Rx Burn near Happy Jack, two miles north of Clint’s Well in Coconino County.

The McCreary Rx Burn is also a pile burn project aimed at reducing 475 acres of debris piles from prior fuels mitigation work in the area.

Smoke from this project will be visible from Lake Mary Road (Forest Road 3 or Highway 487).

Prescribed burning provides a variety of benefits to the landscape. It provides a more efficient way of removing leftover debris from fuels mitigation projects, reduces the risk of wildfires, stimulates forest health by ridding diseased vegetation, and helps to improve wildlife habitat.

The safety of our firefighters and the public is our first priority and the department monitors conditions closely before test ignitions even start. In addition, DFFM must obtain prior approval from the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality.

Burn information can be found on the agency’s Twitter and Facebook pages and will also be provided through the department’s mobile phone application.

To download the free app, go to the iTunes or Google Play store and search – Arizona Department of Forestry and Fire Management. For more information, contact Tiffany Davila at 602-540-1036 or by email at tdavila@dffm.az.gov.

The Bureau of Indian Affairs Fort Apache Agency Fire Management in coordination with the White Mountain Apache Tribe will conduct test broadcast burn operations today,October 11, 2019 within the Sevenmile burn unit contingent upon favorable weather conditions. If conditions are favorable they will continue treatment efforts throughout the weekend within the Sevenmile burn unit. The Sevenmile burn unit is located approximately 8 miles east of Whiteriver.

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 Tuesday, October 15, 2019. If you have any questions regarding our upcoming prescribed burning efforts, you can call Candy Lupe, Public Information Officer at (928) 338-5425