The Flying M Ranch RX Burn is a 1,800-acre broadcast burn on State Trust Land and planned for Tuesday, December 6, 2022, through Thursday, December 8, 2022. The burn is located east of Mormon Lake in Coconino County, approximately 30 miles southeast of Flagstaff and 10 miles south of Interstate 40. Once morning ignitions begin, winds are predicted to push smoke toward the northeast and should not affect the highway and the Mormon Lake community. Project objectives include wildfire risk reduction by reducing hazardous fuels around infrastructure and nearby private properties. Overall, prescribed burning remains an effective tool to reduce wildfire intensity and risk, provide for healthier forests and protection of watersheds. Prescribed burning acts as a cleaning mechanism to remove ground litter, reduce invasive species and pests, along with any diseased vegetation.
All prescribed burning operations, whether pile or broadcast burns, are weather dependent and may be cancelled or rescheduled due to current weather conditions or DFFM crew availability. The Arizona Department of Environmental Quality must also approve burns prior to ignitions. DFFM and ADEQ work closely throughout the year to ensure safe burning environments with minimal smoke impacts to nearby communities. The two agencies recently partnered on a video project focusing on the value of prescribed burning and the benefits to Arizona. The video is available on the DFFM YouTube channel(link is external)