Flagstaff, Ariz., Nov. 14, 2016, For Immediate Release — Fire managers are planning a prescribed burn project Wednesday (Nov. 16) in the Mormon Lake area. Weather conditions will dictate when the project is initiated by fire managers. A portion of the Arizona National Scenic Trail, between Forest Service Roads 90N and 90H, will be temporarily closed into the weekend and then an assessment will be completed to determine its reopening. Although there will be smoke in the area, a short, easy reroute will be marked during that time.
Because prescribed fire is dependent upon weather and wind conditions, cancelation or postponement could happen with little or no notice.
Prescribed burns are conducted to help protect communities, such as the Village of Mormon Lake in this case, from severe wildfires. These burns reduce fuel accumulations when conditions are safe. They also reintroduce fire into the Ponderosa pine ecosystem for restoration purposes.
In addition to the Mormon Lake Prescribed burn, the Mogollon Rim Ranger District will likely have prescribed burns, postponed from today, in the Blue Ridge Urban Interface Project near Clint Wells on Tuesday (Nov. 15).
MORMON LAKE BASIN PROJECT
When: Planned ignition will be Wednesday (Nov. 16) if conditions are suitable for burning and weather allows.
Where: Just south of Forest Service Road 240 near the FSR 90 & 90H.
Size: Approximately 1200 acres.
Impacts: Good ventilation is expected to push smoke to the northeast/east during the day and may be visible to traveler on Lake Mary Road (Forest Highway 3) and Coconino County Road 90.
BLUE RIDGE URBAN INTERFACE PROJECT
When: Planned ignition will be Tuesday (Nov. 15) if conditions are suitable for burning and weather allows.
Where: Approximately eight miles northeast of Clints Well.
Size: Approximately 400 acres.
Impacts: Good ventilation is expected to push smoke to the north/northeast during the day and may be visible to Happy Jack visitors, Clint Wells residents, others along the rim country, along with motorists on Forest Service Road 300, Arizona Route 87 and Lake Mary Road (Forest Highway 3).
A wild fire, the Jones Fire, is also burning north of Stoneman Lake and is scheduled to be suppressed using burn out operations Tuesday as well. This back burn will create smoke in the Mormon Lake and Stoneman Lake areas.
The public and media can get quick notification of when a prescribed burn or any other activity is happening on the Coconino National Forest by following us on Twitter at www.twitter.com/CoconinoNF. When ignition of a prescribed burn begins, we update our Twitter account so the public can know why smoke is in the air and where it is coming from.
Notifications of upcoming prescribed burns are also provided regularly by news releases throughout the season and by the following online resources:
- Sign up to receive news releases: www.fs.fed.us/news/subscription.shtml
- Inciweb: http://inciweb.nwcg.gov/unit/303/
- Twitter: www.twitter.com/CoconinoNF
- Coconino website: www.coconinonationalforest.us, (Under News and Events)
Never see a survey, ad, or pop up again while viewing articles. Plus other awesome benefits when you subscribe to the FLAGscanner Premiere membership.
Click here to signup