Hilltop Prescribed Burn Scheduled

Springerville, AZ—October 16, 2018 –The Black Mesa Ranger District on the Apache-Sitgreaves National Forests plan to conduct a prescribed burn within the Heber-Overgaard area between the Hilltop Circle K and Forest Road 86 in Township 12N, Range 16 East, and Section 14 just south of State Route (SR) 260, starting Wednesday, October 17, 2018.   

Smoke will be seen from SRs 260 and within the Heber community.  There may be light to moderate impacts within the area throughout the remainder of the week and should decrease significantly each evening after the primary ignition occurs.

The prescribed burn will be conducted to consume slash piles that were created by thinning projects. These projects were initiated to reduce the amount of vegetation and dead and down material within the Wildland Urban Interface (WUI) in the area.  This project will help create a cleaner fuel break, of less vegetation to help reduce the risk if a wildland fire were to start within the WUI area in the near future.

The ignitions for the pile burn will cover a four to seven acre area depending on weather condition and could last for up to two days.  Ignitions will be held up at 15:00 (3:00 p.m.) to allow burning piles to consume and reduce the amount of residual smoke to the immediate community during the evening hours that could occur

Once ignition occurs, crews will be on scene from ignition until there is no longer a threat of escape from the project boundaries.

For further information on this burn please call the Black Mesa Ranger District at (928) 535-7300

STATE FORESTRY TO BURN PILES IN APACHE COUNTY
Phoenix, AZ (10/16/18) – Ideal weather conditions mean the Arizona Department of Forestry and Fire Management will take advantage of the cooler temperatures and recent moisture in Apache County and begin a one-day pile burn operation on Wednesday, October 17th.
Ignitions will get underway around 8:00 am in two locations and continue throughout the day. Once ignitions are complete, State Forestry fuels crews will monitor the piles through the evening.
The project calls for roughly 50 acres of debris piles to be burned near the junctions of U.S. 60 and Arizona State Route 61, west of Vernon, with a second project location in Eagar.
The piles are leftover debris from fuels work previously conducted by State Forestry.
Pile burning is a good method to safely remove debris, in a controlled environment, and reduces the risk of wildfires and helps with regeneration of vegetation.
During the burn, smoke is expected to be minimal, but it’s possible smoke could settle during the evening hours.
The Arizona Department of Environmental Quality granted prior approval to State Forestry to burn tomorrow.
For updates on this burn or any other State Forestry projects please follow our Twitter page at @azforestry.
For more information on the release, contact Tiffany Davila at 602-540-1036 or by email at tdavila@dffm.az.gov

Springerville, AZ, October 11, 2018– For Immediate Release — The Black Mesa Ranger District plans to conduct a prescribed burn within the Heber-Overgaard Green Waste Site on Forest Road 488F Rd in Township 12N, Range 17 East, and Section 16 starting Monday, October 15, just north of Overgaard on State Highway 277. Smoke will be seen from Highways 260, 277, and 377 and will have light to moderate impacts to Heber and those highways throughout the week but should decrease significantly each evening after the primary ignition occurs.

The Brush pit will be closed to the public for at least one week, and possibly two, to allow slash material to consume before new material is allowed back into the area. This will also provide for the safety and welfare of the general public as the area will be very hot due to the high amount of accumulated slash material over the summer months. A Forest Service dozer will be on scene to help consolidate the pile as it continues to consume to help decrease the amount of time it will take the pile to burn. Once ignition occurs, crews will be on scene from ignition until there is no longer a threat of escape from the project boundaries.

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, stay indoors if possible.

Please contact the Black Mesa Ranger District at 928-535-7300 with questions or concerns, or visit the Apache-Sitgreaves National Forests website at: www.fs.usda.gov/asnf