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Springerville, AZ; October 23, 2012 — Within the next month, weather permitting, fire managers on the Springerville Ranger District of the Apache-Sitgreaves National Forests will begin broadcast burning approximately 1,500 acres near Coon Mountain, which is about 5 miles southeast of the community of Vernon and 20 miles northwest of Springerville and Eagar.

Fire managers plan to minimize smoke impacts by targeting burn days with a forecasted south or southwest wind, which should transport smoke out of the area. Ignition will take 3 to 4 working days; while mop-up and patrol of the burn could last as long as a week after ignition is completed. Smoke may impact local communities and travelers on U.S. Highway 60 until there is enough precipitation over the area to completely extinguish the fire.

The prescribed burn is a part of the Mineral Project Area and is being conducted in partnership with the Arizona Game and Fish Department and the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation, using Title II funds recommended by the Eastern Arizona Resource Advisory Committee. The primary objectives for this burn are to reduce hazardous ground fuels, maintain the open forest composition created from past thinning treatments under the White Mountain Stewardship contract, and enhance wildlife habitat by increasing desirable browse species, particularly winter range for elk. In the past, frequent low-intensity fires occurred in this area and helped shape a more open forest by removing small trees and brush that encroached upon open stands of timber. This intent of this prescribed burn is to mimic that natural fire process.

For more information about the burn, please contact the Springerville Ranger District Office at (928) 333-6200. Specific questions can be directed to Rob Lever, Fire Management Officer for the district.

BIA Fire Management in coordination with the White Mountain Apache Tribe will begin prescribed burning on the reservation. The areas within the following burn units are scheduled for broadcast and/or pile burning: Corduroy, Hondah, Turkey Creek, Lame Deer, Lofer, Seven Mile, Odart, and Hop Cot. A total of up to 12,000 acres within the burn units are planned for prescribed burning.
Detailed Burn plans are prepared for each Burn unit which specifies the weather conditions under which crews would ignite the burn, environmental and cultural concerns, and safety precautions such as availability of equipment and personnel, and methods for managing smoke impacts. BIA Fire Management will only burn when fire conditions are determined to be safe and effective, and only for as long as it takes to do it correctly. Prescribed burning will continue as long as weather conditions permit throughout the winter months.
These small prescribed fires can help reduce the damaging effects of high intensity wildfire such as large areas of soil loss and flooding. Burning under favorable conditions clears out vegetation, such as small trees, shrubs, and brush which can eventually fuel a much larger fire. Fires are also necessary to the ecosystem. Plants and animals that grow and live on the Reservation developed with fire in their environment, making fire a necessary element in their habitat. The late fall prescribed burning conditions are designed to have low to moderate fire intensity which produces beneficial post-fire effects.
Fire personnel will strive to burn under conditions that will carry smoke up and out of residential areas but some smoke is expected in the vicinity of prescribed fire activity. Smoke from prescribed fire operations can be inconvenient and unpleasant, but we ask the public to understand that these small prescribed fires prevent big wildfires.
Prescribed burning efforts will begin next week. The first location of prescribed burning will begin in the Hondah Unit near Bull Cienega south of McNary. If you have any questions regarding our upcoming prescribed burning efforts, you can call Candy Lupe, Fire Prevention Specialist at (928) 338-5425 or (928) 205-228.