Coconino NF prescribed fire outlook: Week of Oct. 30

Planned projects for next week include:

Fort Valley Experimental Forest (Flagstaff Wildland-Urban Interface)

·     When: Oct. 31 or Nov. 1

·     Where: Along Fort Valley Road 1 mile west of Basecamp at Snowbowl

·     Why: As part of a Northern Arizona University project to burn a small piece of land on a five-year rotation to further study prescribed fire. This area was last burned in the fall of 2018.

·     Size: 3 acres

·     Method/ type of burn: Broadcast and maintenance

·     Duration: 1 day

·     Smoke impacts: Light smoke impacts may be felt on Highway 180.

·     Closures/ restrictions: None

·     When: Intermittently between Oct. 30 and Nov. 3

·     Where: 2.5 miles northwest of Lower Lake Mary along Lake Mary Road (Forest Highway 3)

·     Why: The 3E prescribed fire project will help secure homes in the Flagstaff urban interface by reducing hazardous fuel loading within communities located near town.

·     Size: 2,500 acres

·     Method/ type of burn: Broadcast and maintenance

·     Duration: 5 days

·     Smoke impacts: Smoke will be highly noticeable from the City of Flagstaff and surrounding areas. Smoke will move southwest to the Verde Valley communities.

·     Closures/ restrictions: None

Upper Beaver Creek

·     When: Oct. 30 through Nov. 3

·     Where: The Mule Park area near the Happy Jack Ranger Station

·     Why: To reduce hazardous fuels, return fire to a fire-adapted ecosystem and reduce the risk of catastrophic wildfire.

·     Size: 6,000 acres

·     Method/ type of burn: Broadcast

·     Duration: Four to Five days

·     Smoke impacts: Rare easterly winds will minimize smoke impact to Lake Mary Road. Smoke impact will be felt in the Camp Verde and other Verde Valley communities.

·     Closures/ restrictions: None

·     Via InciWeb at inciweb.wildfire.gov. All projects will be detailed under the “Coconino National Forest prescribed fire (Fall 2023)” page.

·     On Twitter at @CoconinoNF

·     On Facebook – search “U.S. Forest Service – Coconino National Forest”

·     Via news releases. Subscribe to Coconino National Forest news releases by visiting coconinonationalforest.us, and then clicking the “Get News Via Email” link under the “Stay Connected” header

During prescribed fire, smoke will be visible from several areas across the forest.

Northern Arizona residents and forest visitors are reminded to look for information regarding planned prescribed fire projects if smoke is visible.

Please refrain from contacting dispatch or 911 to report prescribed fire smoke so lines can remain open for emergencies.

Fire managers will continue to implement prescribed fire through fall and winter months following guidance from the Forest Service’s 10-year Wildfire Crisis Strategy, which aims to increase the use of fire and other treatments on the landscape to improve forest health and protect communities.

To meet the goals of the Wildfire Crisis Strategy, including protection of communities located within fire-adapted ecosystems, prescribed fire and other fuels treatments will be implemented during all advantageous environmental conditions.

Implementing prescribed fire during fall and winter months will lead to short-term smoke impact, versus the heavier and longer-lasting smoke impact produced by unwanted high-severity wildfires during summer months.

The long-term intent of prescribed fire on the Coconino NF is to reduce future smoke impacts and fire intensity should a future wildfire start in any of the above project areas.

Area residents and forest visitors can monitor smoke impact at airnow.gov.

Prescribed fire is always dependent upon weather and wind conditions, as well as approval from Arizona Department of Environmental Quality (ADEQ). The public can view approved prescribed fire projects on ADEQ’s website at smoke.azdeq.gov. Coconino NF prescribed fire projects begin with the designator “COF.”

Prior to implementing prescribed fire plans, the Coconino NF follows steps outlined in the agency-wide National Prescribed Fire Review. These steps include items such as validating and updating prescribed fire plans with the most recent science and modeling, incorporating new drought monitoring data, ensuring the patrol plan and long-term patrol strategy is documented and communicating with and involving landowners, cooperators, elected officials and partners as we implement prescribed fires.

Prescribed fire is an important part of maintaining forest health. For more information on why prescribed fire is conducted and how it benefits the landscape and help protect communities, please visit our Prescribed Fire and Forest Health webpage.