Marteen Prescribed Fire Project begins October 14 on Williams Ranger District
Prescribed burning is continuing on the Williams Ranger District resuming Monday October 14 on the Marteen Rx Fire Project located north of Spring Valley, west of forest road 144, and east of Laws Spring.
Fire managers have divided the eastern portion of this project into three smaller units and are hopeful to complete all 5013 acres scheduled for treatment this week in approximately 3 days.
Weather conditions often influence the actual times when ignitions occur and occasionally delay operations, however managers recognize that some community members are sensitive to smoke and will use strategies to limit the amount and duration. This includes dividing large projects into smaller units so that crews can focus efforts where and when conditions will help smoke disperse away from developed areas and ventilate quicker, reducing the impacts to local residents and businesses. Prescribed fires with shorter-term impacts to air quality help significantly reduce the risks to public health and safety.
Area residents and visitors can expect to see and hear a helicopter in these area, as aerial ignitions will occur on portions of the burn. Aerial-drone systems should not be used near the active project area, as they could interfere with aircraft operations.
Smoke will be visible to residents in the Spring Valley area and may be noticeable from Parks, Valle, portions of State Route 64, Highway 180, and Interstate 40. Smoke is expected to lift during the day and travel northeast away from developed areas adjacent to this burn, however cooler overnight temperatures may cause smoke to settle into low-lying areas surrounding the burn location. Smoke generally lifts rapidly in the mornings upon surface warming from direct sunlight.
Weather permitting, another 2922 acres on the western portion of this project may begin following the completion of this weeks scheduled treatments.
No road or trail closures are planned as part of these prescribed fire operations however, fire personnel and vehicles will be visible to the public at these locations. Motorists are reminded to use caution and drive with heightened awareness when passing through active project areas.
Goals of prescribed fire treatments include decreasing the threat of unnatural severe wildfire and potential negative consequences to the community, improving forest health, and reintroducing fire to an ecosystem that relies on frequent fire to maintain resilience. 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.
Our land management strategy is centered on long-term forest health, including reducing forest fuels and using prescribed fire on the landscape. These efforts align with the Forest Service’s 10-year Wildfire Crisis Strategy which aims to increase prescribed fire and other treatments to improve forest resiliency for generations to come.
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.
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