Fire managers and district rangers on the Apache-Sitgreaves National Forests are tentatively planning to begin three prescribed fires the week of October 16. Crews are currently assessing weather and fuel conditions to determine whether they are within the criteria outlined in the prescribed burn plans. The projects will be canceled if fuel moisture, temperature, wind, or humidity are not within the burn plan prescription. The following projects are planned:
Black Mesa Ranger District
Fulton (1,838 acres)
There will be smoke impacts on Highway 260 and the community of Forest Lakes.
Some Forest Service (FS) roads may not be accessible while operations are implemented including FS Road 171 and 9512E.
Location: Fulton prescribed fire is 4 miles southwest of Forest Lakes south of State Highway 260. Project boundaries are Highway 260 to 512 and 9512 E roads.
Springerville Ranger District
Whiting Rx (2,137 acres)
Expect smoke impacts in the town of Vernon and on Highway 60.
Location: 4 miles north of Greens Peak. Most of the project is surrounded by a significant road system that consists of main, graveled, and FS roads across the district including County Road 1327, FS Road 65A, FS Road 117J, Country Roads 3123 and 1326.
Wallow West Rx Unit 3 (4,782 acres)
Smoke may impact Springerville/Eager, Greer and Highway 260.
Location: 2 miles southeast of Greer. The project area is surrounded by a significant road system that consists of a main, graveled/paved road. FS Road 409 is the project boundary on the north and west sides, State Highway 261 on the east side and State Highway 273 on the south side.
Prescribed fires are an effective tool for restoring fire-dependent ecosystems and reducing the risk of high-severity wildfires. Fire managers use prescribed fire to improve forest health, remove hazardous fuels, increase firefighter safety, enhance wildlife habitat, and protect communities and watersheds. Landscape treatments such as these planned on the Apache-Sitgreaves National Forests align with the Forest Service's 10-year Wildfire Crisis Strategy, which aims to increase the use of fire on the landscape and other treatments to improve forest health.
Air quality information is available at https://www.airnow.gov/
Visit the A-S National Forests website at https://www.fs.usda.gov/asnf and follow us on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/apachesitgreavesnfs.