The Coconino National Forest is still in the process of managing two fires located south of Flagstaff to benefit the overall health of the forest.
Smoke will remain visible from Interstate 17 as well as the Flagstaff and Sedona areas during the fire management process.
No structures are currently threatened by either fire.
Scott Fire
The Coconino NF has issued a closure order for the area of the 80-acre Scott Fire, located roughly 5 miles south of Kachina Village between I-17 and State Route 89A.
The lightning-caused Scott Fire is currently staffed by two suppression modules, three engines, one dozer and miscellaneous overhead.
Crews assigned to the Scott Fire are building and securing hand line along the north perimeter of the fire in addition to preparing nearby areas for firing operations. Crews plan to conduct firing operations in small blocks over the coming days as part of an effort to protect infrastructure at risk, including I-17.
The Scott Fire is currently being managed by The Northern Arizona Type 3 Incident Management Team and was first reported 5 p.m. July 31.
Luke Fire
Firefighters are continuing their forest-benefitting work on the Luke Fire as well. The lightning-caused Luke Fire is currently 9 acres and is located between I-17 and Stoneman Lake.
Resources assigned to the Luke Fire include five engines and miscellaneous overhead.
Luke Fire crews spent Saturday monitoring fire activity and preparing fire-adjacent areas for operations to minimize impacts to the values at risk located in the immediate fire area. Resources are currently scouting the larger fire area to identify what work needs to be completed to allow the fire to move across the landscape.
The Luke Fire was first reported 4 p.m. July 31 and is being managed by the Coconino NF.
General information
The management of these fires aligns with the Forest Service’s 10-year Wildfire Crisis Strategy, which aims to increase the use of fire on the landscape in addition to other treatments to improve forest resiliency for generations to come.
A combination of naturally-ignited low-intensity wildfires and planned prescribed fire – along with other treatments like mechanical thinning and tree removal – can prepare the Coconino NF’s landscape to better handle unexpected wildfires that occur during times of critical fire weather, such as on high wind days and in drought conditions.
When lightning ignites a portion of forest landscape fire managers follow a process outlined in the Wildland Fire Decision Support System (WFDSS).
During the WFDSS process, local forestry and fire experts consult maps and historical records which are used to identify critical values at risk. They also use fire behavior models to determine the potential for the fire to grow over time. This information helps guide fire managers into developing effective strategies and tactics to use to manage the wildfire as it moves across the landscape in an advantageous way.
Every wildfire response is based on a careful evaluation of firefighter and public safety as well as the risk to other important values such as communities and infrastructure. Regard for human safety and management of risk guide all fire management decisions and actions.