Fire crews successfully completed the 509 acre Russell Rx project and a large portion Blue Stem Rx project this past week totaling 4394 acres treated. Prescribed burning on the Kaibab National Forest will now pause as precipitation moves into the area this weekend.
Smoke from these burns will continue to be visible from surrounding areas including Valle, State Route 64, Highway 180 and Grand Canyon National Park. Some residual smoke will likely settle as nocturnal winds push smoke down slope into drainages and lower terrain overnight. Smoke typically lifts and disperses shortly after sunrise.
To date, nearly 8000 acres have been successfully treated with prescribed fire in the month of May on both Williams and Tusayan Ranger Districts. Spring time conditions often present advantageous opportunities that help land managers accomplish goals that include reducing wildfire risks to wildlife habitat, protecting communities, and making forests more resilient.
All prescribed fires are subject to approval by an agency administrator, and by the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality. The department’s Air Quality Division: Smoke Management webpage provides details about its air quality program.
The Kaibab National Forest remains committed to providing the public with ongoing updates with as much advance notice as possible. Sign up to receive Kaibab NF news releases in your email.
Our land management strategy is centered on long-term forest health, including reducing forest fuels and using prescribed fire on the landscape. Prescribed fires help reduce hazardous fuels that have accumulated due to drought, climate change, insects and disease, and decades of fire suppression. Fire also recycles nutrients back to the soil, promotes the growth of trees, wildflowers, and other plants, and improves habitat for threatened and endangered species. These efforts align with the Forest Service’s 10-year Wildfire Crisis Strategy which aims to increase prescribed fire and othertreatments to improve forest resiliency for generations to come.
Additional information can be found on the Kaibab NF website, Twitter, Facebook, Flickr, or by calling the Fire Information Hotline at 928-635-8311 or contacting local ranger stations.